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Shotgun for youth question

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JSimeon

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Hello All,
My son Andrew is almost 8 and he wants to try and shoot a turkey. He is a strong healthy boy and has been shooting a while but only a .22, BB gun, .223 and crossbow. He will be surpervised the entire time of course. I'm thinking about trying a .410 but I don't want to get him something that won't do the job. Any advice?

I've heard a lot about the TSS loads but I don't have time to hand load. I would be interested in buying some if that's the best option and even available.

Also, Im usually very prepared but he just really started showing interest in the past couple of weeks.

Thanks

Jamie
 
JSimeon":q5qvearw said:
Hello All,
My son Andrew is almost 8 and he wants to try and shoot a turkey. He is a strong healthy boy and has been shooting a while but only a .22, BB gun, .223 and crossbow. He will be surpervised the entire time of course. I'm thinking about trying a .410 but I don't want to get him something that won't do the job. Any advice?

I've heard a lot about the TSS loads but I don't have time to hand load. I would be interested in buying some if that's the best option and even available.

Also, Im usually very prepared but he just really started showing interest in the past couple of weeks.

Thanks

Jamie
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Rockhound is the only guy i know that loads 410 TSS loads personally so he may be able to give you better advice on them. 410 with standard loads is going to be pretty limited though IMO.


side note: Like the name lol...although i spell mine Jaymie
 
I have a boy the same age and I Know you ask about a 410 but I am just throwing this out in case that don't work out for you. I have a 20 GA pump with a limbsaver slip on recoil pad and a 20 semi automatic. He shoots a 2@3/4 federal HW # 7 out of either and has no problems. We use a shooting stick to help him hold the gun both are youth models that I hunt with also. The HW shells kick less and shoot great. Just throwing that out in case you can't find tss or what you need for a 410.
 
deerfever":2lt1vhve said:
I have a boy the same age and I Know you ask about a 410 but I am just throwing this out in case that don't work out for you. I have a 20 GA pump with a limbsaver slip on recoil pad and a 20 semi automatic. He shoots a 2@3/4 federal HW # 7 out of either and has no problems. We use a shooting stick to help him hold the gun both are youth models that I hunt with also. The HW shells kick less and shoot great. Just throwing that out in case you can't find tss or what you need for a 410.
Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^^^This

I had my son set up with an 870 youth 20 gauge with 3" Federal Heavyweight #7 and shooting sticks when he was 8. He killed a turkey with it last year and no problem. I would go this route with either the 2.75" or 3" heavyweight #7.
 
hard to beat the 870 youth 20g... usually you can find them used at gun shows for $275 all day long. Start him with 7/8oz target loads at the range, then slip in a 3" turkey load when he's hunting... he won't be able to tell the difference at the moment of truth. Just put on ear protection and he should be fine... oh, get some shooting sticks... Having a little kid try to prop a gun on their knee for 20 minutes without moving, then aim down the barrel is a recipe for a miss. It's hard enough for me to get my son to stay still, and he's 12 now!
 
My son started out with a mossberg youth bantam 500 20ga 12 yrs ago at the age of 6. Stone cold turkey killing gun. He killed 13 with it by the age of 12 when started using a 12 ga
 
My son shoots a Mossberg 500 20 gauge. He will be 14 tomorrow but killed his first and only turkey when he was 7 or 8 (8 I think). Anyway I had him shooting it with 2 3/4" shells and then slipped 3" in the morning of the hunt. I told him a few years later but he had no clue when he squeezed the trigger on that bird.
 
Like others have said, there are some good 20 gauge options out there. If you are buying a gun for him to use, I would go with a 20. However, every kid is different and if you think the 20 is too much for him, I can help you load a few .410 TSS shells, although it may not be in time for the juvy (shot was back ordered and I probably won't have it until next week-ish). I'm in Jackson.
 
My 12yo twin girls (who are barely 60lbs) use a 20ga auto loader easy. It's a Charles Daly that I bought for my wife when we first married, and has been a faithful gun every time we use it.
 
My daughter is almost 9 and told me she wanted to turkey hunt this year.
Not sure if she's going to take to hunting or not I decided to go with an entry level gun.
For her first gun I just bought her a Savage-Stevens 320, Youth model- 20ga, 22" vent rib barrel, uses the invector choke system, and has a short compact youth stock.
I added a primos tightwad choke and drilled and tapped it for a weaver base and added a red dot.
We've been shooting the gun in the afternoon using the reduced recoil 7/8oz trap loads and have been working up to turkey loads.
 
This will be my son's first season turkey hunting. I bought him a Mossberg 20 super bantam last year and he killed a good buck with Hornady reduced recoil. I could let him shoot the 3in Federal heavyweights but I decided to go with a 2 3/4. Ain't letting him shoot it til the day of the hunt. You can't ever take it back but the worst thing is to put to much in their hands to early.
 
I just bought my kids their second Tristar 20 gauge auto. They're cheap, but I've been impressed with the gas action and the reduced recoil. I love the gun so much I've killed most of my birds with it the last few years. I shoot fed hw 7s out of it with a full choke for the kids, a Carlson .575 for me. The full is deadly to 37-40 yards, and the Carlson beyond if you had to. We shoot off a dead shot rest so they don't have to hold the gun. My kids started at 8, and it's not too much gun. The Tristars use benelli Mobil chokes so they're easy to find. If you put sandbags in the stock it will reduce recoil even further. Walmart carries Tristars now
 
And Poleaxe has a good point...let them shoot the 22 all day long and just aim the shotgun at the range. Don't let them shoot it till hunting ... when they have a bird, they won't feel the kick anyway! I have ghost rings on them for easy aim
 
Hunt 365":2buru8oa said:
And Poleaxe has a good point...let them shoot the 22 all day long and just aim the shotgun at the range. Don't let them shoot it till hunting ... when they have a bird, they won't feel the kick anyway! I have ghost rings on them for easy aim
Click to expand...

This as well. My son has only shot his gun one time with a 3" shell, and it was at a turkey. We did all of his practicing with low powered dove loads. He never knew the difference in the heat of the moment when he pulled the trigger on a turkey.
 

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