She is no longer content setting and watching. I promised her after the season was over we would get her, her own bird killer. She's salty and shoots #6's out of my 12ga, but I can tell it kicks the living daylights out of her. I want something lightweight but will knock them down. No experience on this as my son and I both were straight to a 12ga very early on. Anything positive you can offer would be very appreciated.

If you can find one, Beretta 390 20 ga.

I bought mine a Charles Daly 20 ga youth model semi auto. Light, moderate recoil, only $356 at Walmart.

I like the looks of the Weatherby SA8 (I think) 20 ga semis, pretty sure there is a youth model and priced around $500.

Don't get a pump, especially an 870, kicks as hard as a 12.

For the lightest recoil, you'll need to get a semi. Only put one shot in it in the beginning and hammer into them to put the safety back on immediately after shooting.

Me personally I would get her a very small bore and get the birds on top of her. I made a grand mistake thinking my wife could handle a 12 with heavy loads. I am lucky to get her back to shooting after a 2 year break.

I bought her an over under 410 for $200. She loves it. I don't even know what brand it is. If you get the birds within 20 to 25 yards they are going to die with that 410. I have a .28 that I am just itchin to get in the blind one day. She might even be able to handle the 20 if you get the right gun. There are some 20s out there that will beat the crap out of her.

Get her a 20ga that can shoot 3's.....

I would go with a 410 single shot for any kids first gun.

Light enough to swing well and low recoil of a 410

I heard the 20ga in a semi has light-med recoil. And yeah, was thinking the same about 1 at a time. She has been carrying a 7lb. high performance pellet gun and has knocked down some small birds and a squirrel this year with heavy emphasis on the safety. It's just really heavy and she wants to shoot ducks instead of picking up decoys and birds.

...on the .410, does it have a much smaller pattern? I heard max effective range was about 20-30 yards, which would be perfect because the first year she would be swatting them in the decoys anyways. I don't mind the increased cost of ammunition or the fact it will quickly be outgrown. I just want to provide her with the best experience to grow a lifelong love for hunting.

I'm not an expert on patterns. But I do know that I still own my first 410 single shot and try to shoot some squirrels with it each year.

You can buy a new Rossi 410 for around $100 and add rifle barrels to it also.

Buddy of mine bought his daughter the Weatherby Sa08 20gauge youth. 3" #6 or #4s kill ducks just fine out to 30-40 yards. His gun crapped out and he borrowed hers and had no issues dropping ducks. In fact he said of the lighter recoil he may not give it back. Get a gas op gun and you will be fine. I would not go any lighter/smaller than a 20 gauge ( ) .

I wouldn't be too sure about quickly outgrown. I still love shooting smaller bore shotguns. I'd rather shoot my 28 or my wife's 410 than anything. They are just a lot of fun.

Most people have no clue about shotguns and there capabilities. A 10 ga is no more powerful than a 410. None of the bores in between those two are anymore or less powerful than the other. The only one difference in all of them is the amount of pellets coming out of the barrel. Meaning if you get hit with one pellet from a 10 ga at 30 yards and then hit with the same size pellet from a 410 at 30 yards, both pellets will penetrate to the same depth. Now the 10 will put a whole lot more of then on you than the 410. She can kill them just as dead with that 410. After about 25 yards the pattern density will be so decreased I would not shoot much further than that.

If you do go auto 20 stick with the gas operated. I shot my Benelli UL 20 with 3" #4 Heavy shot and that sucker kicked me and I ain't no 11 YO girl.

I went through this same situation last year...safe yourself some time and money...buy a beretta 390 20 gauge (black synthetic) cut the stock down to fit her LOP. There is a guy on this forum (David Maas) that can cut them down and install a new recoil pad on it. Start with one shell as mentioned above.

first choice would be 390 20ga, 2nd choice would be the 1187 20 ga with a youth stock.

Does a single shot .410 or 20 ga. kick much harder than a gas-op?

Roger that about the Beretta. We ended up buying a sort of a youth version AL391 Urika 2. She loves to shoot and has become pretty good. She is about as big as she is gonna get so she can shoot this shotgun forever and then pass it on.



Video

A 410 hardly kicks at all. a 20 depends on if it is gas operated or not. I used to shoot a reminton single shot that would ruin you it kicked so hard.

Side by side silver hawk 20 g

found one used for $4299.00, not quite what I was looking for but thanks Beaver. BTW - 4 more days to shoot wilsons.

My daughter started on a 870 Youth 20 guage at 10 and is now 14 shoot a 20 gauge 28" Barrel 870 and doesnt mind grabbing the 12 gauge to get it done if she wants.. I would stay away from a single shot it could ruin a kid quick..

Kent 3" #4's work well for her...

Just my 2 cents...

Bought my silver hawk new with one big scratch on it that i fixed. Got the gun at beretta store in dallas after hard negotiation fof 3500$ plus beretta jacket.

3 more days for wilson snipe. I will go to my wet winterwheatfield tomorrow, hopefully they are there from houston heading north, cause the first stop they never stopped here due to the lack of rain

A Remington 1100 is one of the classics I wouldn't overlook. Won't handle 3" but I'll take 2 3/4" 20ga over a .410. Get a youth model and you find a gun with little kick that should fit her through adulthood. My issue with .410 is that you are throwing a more sparse pattern and a novice is going to have a hard time learning to hit. Think about it, how many experienced dove hunters start using a .410 just for the challenge.
Doesn't really matter what you go with, thank you for getting your children in the outdoors!

and I know someone will shoot me down on the .410 (pun intended)but I stand by it

Love that 20 gauge rem youth. Bought one for myself and but extended rubber stock on it. Fits me like a glove

All three of my daughters have shot a 20 ga. Remington 11-87 youth model with a recoil pad -- no problems at all. It's a little heavy, but that helps with the recoil. My youngest is 12 and pretty scrawny and she shot it this past season.

The 1100 is what my wife has and we just put a slightly bigger recoil pad on it as well and it fits her great. Plus, it's a super fun dove gun!

I started on a single shot 20ga shooting both 2 3/4" and 3". To this day the worst a gun has ever hurt me was shooting that single shot with 3" once when the gun was not fully against my shoulder. 20 can hurt in a lightweight gun, especially when not seated. From a former child hunter, not a big fan of starting them of on a single shot.

Another vote for the Beretta. I’ve got a AL391 and its light, soft shooting, reliable, & easy to clean. I bought it thinking that it would be my son’s first shotgun, but his grandfather likes it so much that I may have to get another so they both have one

I love these threads

Get her a Beretta 20 ga 391 , or a remington 1100 , they make both those in 3 " Start her shooting low noise low recoil in 2 3/4 and then buy some cheap 2 3/4 # 6 dove and game steel shot and let her start water swatting birds to get her confidence up and make sure to take her skeet shooting some , and no matter how old she gets she can and will still shoot this gun , plus when you walk into Academy , Wal-Mart etc you can almost always find steel shot for her to shoot