First shotgun for boy

12 Gauge. He'll handle it, you just need to convince him it's manage-able...which will make it manage-able.
My first shotgun was a Marlin Goose gun in 12 ga 3" magnum. Way too much gun for me at 13; I fought in the 90 lb division in the boxing club that year, lol.
But it was all we had, so Dad told me "That ole gun don't kick at all" Therefore; having nothing else to compare it too, with Dad's assurance...I shot that gun for 3 years before I tried another. Upon which the recoil was nothing compared to that goose gun.
To this day I've never really ran into a hard recoiling gun, LOL. The dreaded M44 Russian holds no fear for me...or my kids, lol.
"That ole gun don't kick"
But get him something other than a Goose Gun for crying out loud.:p
A nice 870, a some softer recoiling loads
 
870 youth 20 gauge, since we don't know his size the stock spacers are great and the 20 is capable. If he was as big as I was at 12 870 12 adult stock. recoil never botherred me shooting shotguns, too much else to think about trying to hit that moving clay or bird. rifles are another story.
 
I brought my son to a local store and got him tried out few different shotguns tonight. I had my eyes set on a Mossberg 510 Mini Bantam for him, but once he tried it, it wasn't feeling right. The barrel is only 18.5" long. The clerk found their last Remington 870 Express Compact 20 ga in camo for us, man! is this ever a cool little shotgun! 21" long barrel, the length is just perfect for my son. It's light enough for him. It also comes with two spacers, he can install them when he's taller. Planning to hit the range with him in next couple of days. He's such a happy camper that just can't wait to go hunting with me this season to bag some ducks by himself.
 
I got my boy the Hatsan Escort youth model, 20ga, semi auto. Came with a bunch of chokes and shims for off set, spacers for adding extra length.
It is great and has a small recoil impulse that is unnoticeable in the heat of the hunt!
I like using it myself when it is grouse season, it will slap clays out of the air quite easily too!
 
My son just did his firearm course, he is 12 too. He has been shooting trap since he was 7 and has outgrown is 870 20 guage youth.
The gun that seems to fit him best right now is a Brow ING Maxus.
 
I believe it's largely a matter of the shooter's body weight. I had an inherited 16 G when starting out with shotguns, about age 12 or 13. It was a single shot ; I was an average size kid and I can tell you the felt recoil was really nasty at that age, it was like the proverbial mule kick. I had some gun-naïve friends shoot it at about age 19 and they were impressed with my superpowers, as shown by having put up with the recoil as a younger kid. I would therefore go with a 20 G for a kid. I got myself a .410 within a few years of the 16 and that was like shooting a .22, but they're not good for much and I didn't keep it. And heck, I know grown men that won't willingly shoot anything bigger than a 20.
 
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Took my son to the range for couple of times already. He's really getting a hang of it with the Remington 870 Compact 20 gauge. It works great. He shot almost half case of clay pigeon already. Besides the target shells, I let him try the 3" #1 shells too. He could handle the recoil without any problem. A little bit regret maybe I should've let him start with a 12 gauge, but the 20 gauge works just like a pair of gloves for him for his small frame.
 
Prairie Hunter, for what it's worth I think you made the correct choice. I don't see the harm of a kid starting out with a gun that's completely enjoyable for him to shoot and won't promote any flinching issues and so on. A gun is or should be primarily a tool, not a macho statement. I would've thrown my old 16 in the river if there'd been any alternative offered (well not really because I would have been sent in after it). I'll bet your son will treasure that shotgun all his life even if he does outgrow it.
 
Big Bad said:
Prairie Hunter, for what it's worth I think you made the correct choice. I don't see the harm of a kid starting out with a gun that's completely enjoyable for him to shoot and won't promote any flinching issues and so on. A gun is or should be primarily a tool, not a macho statement. I would've thrown my old 16 in the river if there'd been any alternative offered (well not really because I would have been sent in after it). I'll bet your son will treasure that shotgun all his life even if he does outgrow it.
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Thank you Big Bad. Just like the proverb said "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.", I think I made the right choice by giving my son a proper fit shotgun and taught him how to shoot and hunt, that's going to be with him for rest of his life.
 
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