[wmish]

My 8 year daughter just passed the Maryland hunter safety course. Can you tell I'm proud of her? We've been working for the past month on the concepts in the Hunter safety booklet. Anyways I told her I would buy her a youth shotgun if she passed the test. So now its my turn.

I'm looking for something that she can get the most hunting ablity out of and is very light. I've looked at several guns but most are two heavy for her to hold up.

The one gun that I did find is the Franchi Semi-Auto 48AL 20 gage short stock. I've never owned a Franchi gun although I know Benelli owns them. Does any own have an opinion on this gun or others that would be good for her?

Thanks
Bill

 

[Bob Gutermuth]

Franchi also makes a very light 28ga semi. For my money the 28 is a great gun for a new hunter, more shot and a bigger pattern than a .410bore, thus a better chance of success for the new hunter. The semi will also dampen recoil better than any other action. If you are concerned about her having more than one shot, simply plug the magazine so that the only shell the gun holds is in the chamber. When she gets the hang of things you can shorten the plug and she has a repeater. Any action, semi, pump or double, is in my book much safer than a single shot with a hammer that needs to be manually cocked before shooting.

 

[Latisha]

I have shot over the Franchi 28 ga & I really really liked it. I am a petite female (5' 2") and this gun fit great. I shot sporting clay loads & there was not much recoil. Like Bob said, this gun was not heavy at all. I ended up buying a Winchester Model 120 Ranger 20 ga youth model. I got a great deal on it, and when the time comes that I have pennies saved for a semi, I will really look at the Franchi.

Latisha

 

[goldeneye]

The winchester model 120 20 ga. is an excellent shotgun for a kids first gun. My kids each have or have had one.

 

[dmccarty]

A good meat gun for small hunters is Traditions. It is semi-auto, 12g capable of shooting 3" shells, but can shoot light loads as well. Comes in Mossy Oak Shadowgrass I believe. It is advertised as the lightest semi-auto in the world. Retails for about $500.

I have one and really like it.

 

[chasd]

youth shotgun

Beretta makes a youth model 20 ga 391. 25in barrel and reduced length stock. I bought one for my son and have on ocassion taken it into the grouse woods myself as it is light and quick.

 

[Doug Trautman]

I bought the Franchi for my wife, she is petite so needed a short stock that would fit. We mainly duck hunt, the franchi gives you the option of 3 inch shells and an adjustable recoil. She loves it, just wish I could get her to wait until the ducks come in a little closer!!!!!!

 

[barngeatbayman]

try a single shot gun much safer. They have to cock the hammer back to fire. Also teaches a younster to make the 1 st shot count!

keep swinging

 

[Jim Person]

for a first gun I'd go with a single shot or a pump. It is just too easy to squeeze the trigger for a second shot, with the single shot it is just safer and the pump they have to physically rack in a second shot.

 

[jason allen]

I agree with Jim, it is too easy to squeeze off that second or third shot with a semi-auto. It is more of a safety concern to me than anything else. If for any reason the child slips or falls back after the first shot and the gun barrel goes into the air, having a single shot could prevent an accidental discharge.

Remington 870 express youth 20ga.

 

[Bob Gutermuth]

A single shot gun with an exposed hammer is a SAFETY HAZARD. Young hands trying to cock a hammer could slip and cause a misfire. It is far safer to have a shotgun that doesn't need cocking immediatly prior to firing a shot, but does have a safety. This is why I suggest that if a semi auto is the gun of choice that the magazine can be plugged with a dowel to make the gun a single shot. Not only is this safer than an exposed hammer model, but when the youngster is proficient with the gun the plug can be removed. Second, when the youngster is ready to move up, there is no need to learn to shoot a new gun(and pop saves the cost of a second purchase) Third, the semi auto will recoil less than a single shot, this is very important when starting a potential lifetime shooter. Recoil can turn kids off to shooting. Lastly, I don't know of any single shot that comes with choke tubes. If you are going to teach someone to shoot, it helps to be able to change chokes when you go from the skeet field to the duck blind or pheasant field. Most repeaters can be had with tubes. and thus can aid the neophyte in succeeding at learning to shoot skillfully.

 

[Mike Noel]

My 10 year old (5'1" tall) shoots a winchester 120 pump and handles it well. I will be getting him a youth Browning BPS soon becasue he is left handed and I like that bottom eject. With 3 younger brothers (2 of them are righties and one is a leftie) I dont want to have to worry about right or left handed guns when it comes time to pass it down.

As far as worring about the child popping off a second or third round....when my son is in the field/blind/pit with me, I control the shells. If you are worried about that, only give them one shell at a time. Once my son began hitting doubles on the range regularly, he was allowed to have 2 shells in the gun while in the blind.

 

[El General]

Remingotn makes an 870 wingmaster pump youth model. It is a handsome pump gun for a reasonable price.

 

[Vicky Trainor]

My Dad and I have started my 3 nephews and my grandson off on the Remington 870 20 ga pump. It's a nice gun. I had one for a number of years before going with a Browning Gold Hunter that I had custom fitted for me.

Good luck to you and your daughter.

Vicky

 

[chasd]

youth shotgun

Nothing turns off a kid to shooting more than getting beat up by a gun. Gas guns are lighter to shoot than anything else. Single shots like NEF's will kick the snot out or most kids even in 28 ga. Pumps throw the recoil right back at the shooter and can be difficult for a youg person to rack. As for shooting a 2nd shot, it can not be done if you only load one shell and after that one shot is fired the chamber stays open for ease of loading the next shot. Regarding Franchi, it is recoil operated not gas operated so it will have a bit more recoil than a beretta or rem 1100