The recoil on a 20 or 12 gauge single shot is by far one of the hardest hitting of the available shotguns on the market. Combine light short guns with a 20 or 12 gauge load, a small kid and you are asking for a gunshy kid, a recoil shy kid or a bloody/broken nose. The most ridiculous statement I read on this post was the one stating a single shot is more safe than an auto or pump. Are you kidding? Bottom line the hammered guns are the most dangerous period. Most of the time a small kid is not strong enough to "cock" or "let down" the hammer with both possibly ending in a very bad situation-----especially when they are concentrating on doing this but not paying attention to where the muzzle is pointed. Say this to yourself-------slip----click----boom. There is no reason to risk it.

Sure they do make them hammerless but the recoil is enough to knock you dang teeth out. No thanks..

How about a pellet gun and let the youngster shoot ducks in the decoys?

Well what did you get Guy?

He will get the kid a water gun cause he is to cheap to get the boy an auto loader!! Less felt recoil, can still be a single shot if you give him one shell at a time, good selection of shot type and size in 20 gauge and the young feller will kill more ducks that his daddy who can't hit the broad side of a barn with his big pump 12!!

For once I wish someone could give just one good honest ethical serious answer.

I swear TH, next time I see you, I’m gonna rub a knot on your head, give you a wedgie, and hang you in a tree!!!!

THE BOY WANTS A SINGLE SHOT!!! So that is where I’m leaning!!! I’m not cheap, I’m just smart!! I just think a light weight single shot will allow him to kill more birds in the beginning, I don’t see him pulling doubles in the beginning! When he is ready and knocking down birds, I have no problem getting him a nice auto loader, I will check out all the ones mentioned, including the Franchi model 720!!

Right now, I’m really thinking the Spartan single shot 20 ga that Jaydub mentioned is the ticket, though I have not looked at the gun yet. I e-mailed an old friend of mine today, who has a 9 yr old boy about 10 months older than my boy. Come to find out, he got a Spartan 20 ga for his boy, this is his 2nd year shooting it. He said it does have a kick, and his boy was shocked the 1st time he shot it, but his boy loves the gun and kick is no problem! He paid $90 bucks for it at Wal-mart! I also like it because it does not have a hammer.

But I still have not made up my mind yet, but what my boy wants will surely weigh in heavily on what I get him. I’m in no rush!! I still want him to check out the Mossberg youth pump, and we will also check out the Franchi 720. I’m sure that 720 cost a fortune, but if he really loves that thing, I just might get it for him, I have a soft spot for my boy. But the boy really knows what he wants! We are going to go to the gun store and check out all the guns before we buy!!

Turtle, thanks for the offer again, but we have check out the 870, that really is just to heavy/big for him now.

Hey TH, your right though, I know my boy will school me when he starts shooting! I tell him all the time he will be a much better hunter than his Dad when starts shooting. He gives me grief every time I miss, and tells me I’m rushing my shots!! He is right, because I do! I tell him when he starts shooting, I’ll just let him shoot all the birds!!

Thanks for all the comments!! Keep them coming, I got this thread book marked, and when we do get a gun, I will surly let all you guys know!!!

Husker just sent me a PM and said I could use his Mossburg youth, you guys are too cool!

Bought my son a Spartan single shot 20 ga today. I got it for Christmas, but not sure I can wait that long to give it to him.

Well Guy, good for you but I still say you should have went with an auto for him! If you all want to meet up we can go bust some clays and I will give you BOTH some pointers!

I think the auto would last him longer, but he will be ready to roll with this single shot, he handles it with ease. When he is ready for a bigger gun, I’ll get him one. But he will use this gun this year and next, then I will look to get him a bigger gun if he wants it. But he wanted a single shot, he knows what he wants!

I’m taking off that whole Christmas week, Christmas is on Monday, so I’m sure we will be hitting clay all week, I just may take him out for a duck hunt if he looks ready. So maybe you could meet us that week, that would be cool.

He really loves dove hunting, was thinking about maybe taking him on a day lease dove hunt for the 2nd split in the central zone, you guys know a good day lease let me know.

Man he is going to be so excited to get that gun, he thinks he is not getting one till next season!

By the New Thompson Pro hunter setup they will have Notta for recoil and it will grow with the kid.It will be usefull from now on unless he shoots like Seth 40 to 1 shots to birds then he will need auto with footloader.

Too late, already got the gun, can’t take it back! So all I want to hear is what a great decision I made!

mossbuerg bantam 20 gauge. bought one for my 9 year old this year and he love's it
Randy

When you are nine, what is not to like about your very own shotgun? I think Santa will get good reviews on this gift.

also add a limbsaver slipon recoil pad and there will be no bruise's or pain. I can prove it with my son this is his first year to be shooting and has had one bruise on his ARM not shoulder (he missed his shoulder bringing it up) and he shoots kent fatsteel 3" @1550 fps and love's it

Good idea! This is it, right?

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa...+&noImage=0

Hey Guy,
Something else you can do to help lessen recoil is to have a gunsmith back bore the forcing cone. Most factory guns have an abrupt transition between the chamber and bore. A gunsmiths can taper that out which makes that kick more of a push. Of course, it may cost as much as the gun.

Oh man, that sounded good all the way up to that last sentence. I’ll look into that, but I think that slipon recoil pad may be the ticket. Thanks!

Yes guy that is it and it is well worth it.

Well, in my son's own word, "This was the best Christmas ever!" My son must have screamed forever when he got his shotgun! He was completely surprised, he had not even asked for one because he thought it was next year at the earliest. At least 4 times a day, he gives me a hug out of no where and says “Thanks for the shotgun Dad, that is the best thing you could have got me.”

We went to the skeet range yesterday for the 1st time, he shot 50 rounds and I had to pull him away. Randy, that LimbSaver was just that!! A friend of mine has a gun just like it for his boy (10, my son just turned 9 in Sep), he said his son was “shocked” on that 1st shot, so I gave my son plenty of warning, and he was a little afraid at first. But after that 1 shoot, he looked me with sh!t eat’n grin, and said “That wasn’t so bad”. Get that LimbSaver for the kiddos, well worth it. I got mine at Academy.

I gave him some basic tips, feet position, bend the front knee and put your weight on that leg, lean into the shot, look at your target (both eyes open), raise the gun to meet the target, etc… and really just cut him loose to get the feel o the gun. We did all practice trap shots (targets going away). 1st 5 shots he missed, and I was thinking this will be a downer if he does not hit anything, I did not know what to expect. Then I told him he was shooting to fast, to take his time. Next shot he nails it! My gosh, you would have thought we won the lottery! Both of us hoot’n and hollering!

I didn’t keep track of how many he hit, but he probably did a little better than 20%. I should probably pay to have a pro give him some tips. The gun is still a little heavy for him, the weight of the gun makes him want to lean back. He needs to hit a lot more clay before I take him hunting, but I can’t wait till he shoots his 1st duck! We will try to get out some more this week to hit some more clay.

Way to go dad yo udone good.As for it being to heavy for him have him do some pushups with you about once a week and you will see abig differance and also have him pull it up and down like he would shooting while he is at the house and that will help him gain muscle's also and it is fun (don't let wife see this in the house ) We will have to get togather and do some shooting with both of the boys soon.

Thanks Randy, those are some good tips there. What kind of hunt’n license does a 9 yr boy need?

a $6.00 youth and make sure you get him HIP cetified

Sounds like a good gun to give a youngster, enjoy.