Youth shotgun suggestions?

[jay1313g]

My 11 year old has begun to learn the value of cutting yards. My parents started paying him $20 to cut theirs and my son is quickly learning that work = money. Unfortunately, he wants to run and spend it as fast as he can and hasn't grasped the saving aspect yet. He loves to go shooting and begs me to take him to the shooting range all the time. (He even shoots my XD45C!)

I am contemplating putting a deal before him that will force him to save for something that he really wants and work for it. If he will save/earn the money for a youth 20 gauge shotgun, I will buy it for him and it will be his forever. (Of course, I'll keep it locked away until we go shooting / he is old enough to keep it.) This will teach him to save for what he really wants and may even encourage him to seek out other revenue generating opportunities.

I'm trying to instill the work ethic my father taught me. Few things in life will take you further and earn you more respect than a great work ethic.

What youth sized 20 gauge would you recommend I set his sights on?

[R1100R]

My 10 year old has a Rossi Youth Combo. It has a 20ga and 22lr barrel

that comes in a little carry pouch. It runs between 120 to 150.00 if you catch them on sale.

It is a single shot of the break open, breach loading design. He has had it for three years and it has been a good little gun for teaching. It is small enough to put in a back pack and you can order a adult stock from the factory.

Rossi USA

[wareagle]

I like the youth 870 express. Its not too expensive.

[Guest Bronker]

First off, Jay, Happy Father's Day. Congratulations on aggressively instilling values and ethics into your son. It has obviously made you a good man, and will make him one as well. One of my favorite quotes, I read in a church bulletin years ago said, and I think you'll agree: "a man never knows what he truly believes in, until it comes to instilling values into his children." Good for you, pal.

Now to your question:D! My son, as was already mentioned, started out on a Rossi Youth Matched pair interchangable .243/20g. They are cheap, accurate, and can be upgraded to adult stocks later. I also bought him a Mossberg 500A Youth model pump in Realtree AP that has become the all-around squirrel, turkey, dove, clay, rabbit gun. The Rossi still comes to the squirrel woods, as does my H&R single shot 20g break-open that my dad bought me 31 years ago! So you see...boys will get older, but part of them just stays 'boys'.

Good job, and happy hunting!

[wjh2657]

I wouldn't buy an 11 year old anything too complicated. You want him to learn safety and how to clean the gun. I still think the best youth shotgun out there is an H&R/NEF single shot in either .410 or 20 gauge. He'll be giving it to his grandchildren, I did mine!

[I_Like_Pie]

Another vote for the H&R (not partial to the Rossi) Matched pair in 20 ga + X centerfire.

[Guest ar15m4guy]

We bought my little brother a mossberg 500 youth model in 20g. The gun is a real good gun and it was only $250 It is a lite gun and he shouldn't have any problems racking a shell into. My mom loves this gun because she has short arms and it was hard for to shoot my 500 12g. You could start him out by only loading 1 or 2 shells in it until you are comfortable with using it. We picked the gun up at a local gun show brand new still in the box. It came with 3 chokes, all the paper work, and a gun lock. This would be a good gun for him if you like to bird hunt or turkey hunt