So I am going to get my girls shotgun this weekend for this season. I am debating over the Mossberg youth 500 and the Remington youth 870. Only a $20 difference in the guns. The mossberg comes with chokes unlike the remington. Both guns have about the same feel, weight, and ease of pump. The mossberg is pink . I know the strength of remington cause I own one. This gun will be used by my wife if my girls don't stay with hunting, unless I get the remington then my son can use a non pink gun.

Any opinions on these 2 guns for kids? Do any of you own these? Pros cons etc?
Thanks.

My son shoots the youth mossberg, but it ain't pink, we've never had any issues with it at all. I'm like you I shoot an 870 and love that it. I shoot a lot more than him, but that mossberg has been going strong for 2 seasons, this will be its 3rd.
If there's only a $20 difference I'd be hard pressed to not get the 870.

I went through that not long ago for my 14 year old daughter. I ended up buying a Weatherby SA-08 youth 20 gauge for a variety of reasons. It also comes with 3 chokes. She has now put about 100 rounds through it on skeet. She shot 50 rounds through the thing in one sitting no problem.

Recoil is definitely something to consider.

Liked it so much I went and bought me the 12 gauge adult version.

I like the idea of interchangable chokes. If during the off season the girls wanted to get into some sporting clays, waterfowl hunting, or turkey the chokes could come in handy. Both guns can take a beating and performance is pretty much a draw. My friend's dad is a gunsmith for a military contract company and says he is just as comfortable with either shotgun. Both have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan in terrible conditions. Good luck........whatever color you choose.

The Weatherby is on sale at Bass Pro for $450, but if I had to choose out of the two you listed, the 870 hands down.

How old are your kids? Are they big enough to handle a pump? Have they ever shot a shotgun before?

I started my Daughter on a Youth 870 20 Gauge when she was 10 and never looked back now at age 14. My son started at 9 with a single shot rossi that kicked like a mule and he got gun shy for a couple of years.. Now he is 12 and will pick up anything I got to shoot..

Having said that I recomend the 870 wooden stock youth model..

Robert A.

For the OP, that was my original thinking, a pump. After researching though quite a bit I decided to spend a little more and get a gas operated to make it easier your young and small framed people to shoot.

They generally won't learn to shoot good or have fun if it's unpleasant. No two people are the same though so what may be rough for some is easy for others. Just wanting to share our experiences.

keep in mind that you can spend a little more and buy an adjustable choke Cabela's sells POLY-CHOKE. Dont have to think about different chokes for different activities, just twist to desired click to adjust for slugs, skeet, dove, ducks, etc.
It works also as a very good muzzle brake. Helps alot in reducing recoil.
I use PolyChoke on mine, and will get another one for a youth shotty for my daughter
http://www.cabelas.com/barrels-chokes-poly-choke.shtml

I agree 100% but if you are unable to do this I would go with the 870

I went through this 2 years ago....save yourself time and money and dont buy the pump....get a beretta 20 ga 390 or 3901 (if you can find it) or buy the remington 1187...I ended up buying a 1187 26" 20 ga...I bought a youth stock for it on line...The pump will hit them hard. The gas operated is eaiser on the shoulder.

As long as the kids are big/strong enough to handle the weight of a pump or auto. If not, all that is a moot point. My girl Kendall has been anxiously awaiting her 3901. Only poblem is that she is not strong enough to SAFELY handle it. She can shoulder it but the barrel waves all over the place. Unless some miracle happens in her strength/growth in the next few months she will be shooting her youth model oneshot one more season. Also, if the OP kids have no experience with shotguns, they should only shoot one shell at a time wheteher it be a single, pump or auto until OP feels they can handle another round after recoil. I have taken many a kids with their dads hunting over the 16 years I have been guiding and have seen way too many times a gun handle the kid because the yungun wasn't ready for that big a gun or capable of safely firing multiple rounds. Had to almost shut down a hunt when I strongly requested to a father that he only allow his son one shell at a time and he got upset. He should have thanked me as the barrel of his kid's gun was less than a foot from his head when the second shell was fired after the kid rocked back and to the side from the first shell. But he insisted that little Johnny had control and he bought that gun so his son would have " 3 chances". Yeah, three chance to blow his head off. Point is, make sure your kids can not only shoulder a gun with complete steadiness and swing steady, but moreover make damn good and well that they can handle the recoil of a fired shell safely before you enable them to shoot another round in succession. Sorry this is longwinded but in my blinds safety always comes first.

Started my daughter on a Remington youth single shot 20 ga. After 3 years she now has a BPS because she is left handed otherwise I would have gotten a semi-auto.

In my case I would get the wife what she wanted. let the son shoot it tell he is ready to have his oun gun because i knew he would need a bigger gun in a year or so and i was right he is now 6'4"

120 bucks h&r single shot no problems cheap enough does not hurt pocket book very bad. Chokes included and u learn to shot right the first time

My son started with a 20g Mossberg 500. Smaller gun bigger kick though. The 870 was just to big for him at 9-10 yo. The Moss 500 does have the changeable recoil pads for when they get bigger. Its up to you, but for us the smaller lighter gun was essential for teaching my kids how to shoot properly. Gun needs to fit the shooter.

I would steer clear of the single shots and 410s, especially if you want them to hunt with you.

get the remi. pink is not a color in the hunting spectrum. plus your son can use it.

Not real sure where your going with this one

I can't say how bad I hate mossberg. I hate mossbergs with a passion and won't buy one. I would roll with the remmy.

Yessir your dead on. This is what you should do, and if you want to get rid of them I have two airguns perfect for your kids of equal value. I love single shot 20s, but get a recoil pad on it or they'll nock the piss out of ya.

My 11 yo girl ,Kendall, has been shooting a youth crack barrel 20 since she was 8. To me her safely being able to handle the gun is worth the trade off of a bit more kick. I felt safe knowing that when I hear her gun go pop, that's it..no worries of where her barrel is after that. However, she is schooled, rather I have ingrained it in her, about gun safety. She is ready for a second shell. But not until she can safely handle the extra weight and length of a heavier auto. To me, the harder recoil of her lightweight single, far outweighs her unsteadiness of a heavier but less recoil auto. And when she does eventually grow big/strong enough to handle that auto she will laugh at the recoil and that will enable her to keep the bead on the birds that much better with her second and eventually third shots. But till then and only then she will remain a one shot wonder.

Go with a single shot. They can stick with that until they get good with it, then they can upgrade to a pump.

Im 27 qnd i still hunt with my h&r 12 gauge it has never failed me and when i have the mossburg out the h&r is in the truck for back up

Single shot

I agree with a single shot in .20 gauge. They are less expensive, easy to handle and easy to take apart and clean. Wood preferred to synthetic it will weigh a little more and have less recoil.