Youth Shotgun II

[Illinois Bob]

Another thread is about what the best gun to start a kid.When we(brothers) were kids our first gun was a stick.Our dad would make us carry a stick to teach us how to carry a shotgun.If you pointed it wrong or did something wrong he would correct you.We also were gun cleaners before we were allowed to really hunt.After he felt we were ready we all started with the same Harrington&Richardson 410 single that my dad started with.After that was a Model 12 16ga. or side by side Montgomery Wards 20ga depending on which brothers were hunting.It wasn't untill highschool until I had my own gun.A Citori. It's still my favorite.On the other thread,if I was buying a shotgun for a kid starting out it would be an 870.But the absolute best gun to give to a kid eventually is one that belonged to thier Dad or Grandpa.(just my opinion)

What was the shotgun you started hunting with?

[Tom H.]

Started with a Ruger 10/22 , Then I got a Mossberg 835 - but my prized possesion is My Great Grandfathers Winchester model 12 - First new gun he ever bought and now I have it - will give it to my son one day -

Tom
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Mazda b-series

[larrynogaj]

I began hunting squirrels in my teens with a .22 and I knew i could increase my success rate with a scattergun. Grandpa handed down his Winchester 37, a bare-bones single shot 20 ga. I've had it for over 40 years and I just took a look at. I want to go squirrel hunting again with it.

[MooseGooser]

Winchester model 37 single shot.

[Bubba]

Winchester Model 12 16 gauge. I was 12 and it was already ancient- not a stitch of bluing and the stock was worn smooth. Kicked like a mule. I put a couple of railcar loads of ammunition through it and decimated the pheasant population with it for a lot of years.

Still have it and will till they carry me out regards.


Bubba

[BirdHntr]

J C Higgins [sears] 16 ga. pump with a poly choke. I was 12 and it was a birthday gift. It was well used when I got it and I used it until I was 18 then traded it in towards a Zoli 12 O/U. That was the only shotgun I have ever gotten rid of in my life. Wish I still had it.

Carl

[Paul Rainbolt]

H&R 410 at 9 yrs old

[Patrick Johndrow]

Savage pump 20 gauge at 10 or 11...grandpa made me roll Barney style...only one bullet.

[Illinois Bob]

Winchester Model 12 16 gauge. I was 12 and it was already ancient- not a stitch of bluing and the stock was worn smooth. Kicked like a mule. I put a couple of railcar loads of ammunition through it and decimated the pheasant population with it for a lot of years.

Still have it and will till they carry me out regards.


Bubba

That sounds like our old gun.Did you ever find any good shells that will eject out of it? It works fine with the old shorter paper shells but most of the plastic shells are too long after they're shot and you had to pick them out.I still have a couple of unopened paper shell boxes but I don't want to use them.I've used the plastic but sometimes it becomes a single shot.I also made the mistake of having it reblued.I wish I left it like it was.The 410 has chunks of wood out of the stock from when my dad was a kid.The farmer let him ride on one of those old manure spreaders(I know,it was stupid.1930's style gun safety.).He hit a bump and fell in.The spreader grabbed his leg and the gun cought up in it and stopped the spreader.He spent a lot of time in the hospital.He had it infected and almost lost his leg.That's the only gun that my Ma wants to keep.It's the one that saved my dads' life.She keeps that one on the wall.

[Bubba]

Never did find any shells that would feed reliably, the paper shells were the best and the plastic AA's worked OK. I worked at the trap club North of Denver and picked up a lifetime supply. It seems like there is almost a cult following for this gun and I've really never understood the fascination. It always was a known jammer and pretty unsafe as well. If you hold the trigger, every you shuck a new one in, you get another bang- pretty much full auto mode, just hand cranked. The 870 is now and always was a MUCH superior firearm in every respect but the prices at gun shows says differently. I paid $55 for it in 1963 and a guy offered me over $1000 for it a couple of years ago. It has a 5 digit serial number (what is left of it anyhow) but??????? Just has enough sentimental value to earn a place in the gun cabinet, and that is pretty much where it stays- kicks too much.

Never trust a manure spreader regards

Bubba