Everyone in my family started with a single shot 410. My niece started on a 20. 20 shells are way cheaper. It would probably be cheaper to find a 20 then a 410. Ideally a semi 20 would be the ideal shotgun. The semi eats a lot of recoil. My 14 year old is using a mossberg 500 in 410.
Recommend a shotgun for a 9 year old
- Thread starter BlackWatch
- Start date
Single shot 20 gauge. Like they one 10 year old me shot a half dozen times before deciding that the Brno .22 was a lot more friendly on the body and the ears. Picked of many many rabbits and not a few partridge and sharpies.
An autoloader will soften it up a bit.
An autoloader will soften it up a bit.
I got a mossberg bantam 20g youth model and both my 11 year old daughter and 9 year old son have used it shooting clays. Nice and light, built for smaller shooters, and was under $300 at cabelas. My only complaint with it is the safety is rough (sticks) which is an issue with a kid, should have easier function. If you buy one, check that and choose one that functions smoothly.
Not a big fan of the older single shots for kids, even though that's what I grew up with. They have long barrels so a bit front heavy for small shooters. They really need length of pull and barrel shortened, which means you have to get a choke installed, and pretty soon you've spent $300 more on a $150 single shot. Too many other good options out there, Weatherby and Remington youths etc, IMHO.
Not a big fan of the older single shots for kids, even though that's what I grew up with. They have long barrels so a bit front heavy for small shooters. They really need length of pull and barrel shortened, which means you have to get a choke installed, and pretty soon you've spent $300 more on a $150 single shot. Too many other good options out there, Weatherby and Remington youths etc, IMHO.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
If you insist on getting a single-shot for them, make sure it's a .410 or 28ga. A light single-shot 20ga with a field load has nearly the recoil of a 11lb 10ga. Ideally, if your budget allows, a compact 20ga semi would be ideal, a compact 20ga slide-action with a decent weight would be next best. Recoil will be your enemy here, if your son(or any new shooter for that matter) associates pain with shooting, they would won't want to repeat the experience.
Thank You fiddler and thank you Chuck Hawks for the list I am about to paste.
Gauge, length (oz. shot@MV) Gun weight (lbs.) Recoil energy (ft. lbs.)
.410 bore, 2.5" (1/2 at 1200) 5.5 7.1
.410 bore, 3" (11/16 at 1135) 5.5 10.5
28 gauge, 2.75" (3/4 at 1200) 6.0 12.8
20 gauge, 2.75" (7/8 at 1200) 6.5 16.1
20 gauge, 2.75" (1 at 1220) 6.5 21.0
20 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/8 at 1175) 6.5 25.0
20 gauge, 3" (1 1/4 at 1185) 6.5 31.0
16 gauge, 2.75" (1 at 1220) 7.0 21.5
16 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/8 at 1240) 7.0 27.6
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 at 1180) 7.5 17.3
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/8 at 1200) 7.5 23.0
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/4 at 1330) 7.5 32.0
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/2 at 1260) 7.5 45.0
12 gauge, 3" (1 5/8 at 1280) 7.5 52.0
12 gauge, 3" (1 7/8 at 1210) 8.75 54.0
10 gauge, 3.5" (2 1/4 at 1210) 10.5 62.9
The 20 and the 12 gauge in bold are two trains of thought I was aiming towards...
Hvy recoil is one thing punishing recoil is another.
Brobee and his daughter have some great videos and in more ways than one.
Rob
Gauge, length (oz. shot@MV) Gun weight (lbs.) Recoil energy (ft. lbs.)
.410 bore, 2.5" (1/2 at 1200) 5.5 7.1
.410 bore, 3" (11/16 at 1135) 5.5 10.5
28 gauge, 2.75" (3/4 at 1200) 6.0 12.8
20 gauge, 2.75" (7/8 at 1200) 6.5 16.1
20 gauge, 2.75" (1 at 1220) 6.5 21.0
20 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/8 at 1175) 6.5 25.0
20 gauge, 3" (1 1/4 at 1185) 6.5 31.0
16 gauge, 2.75" (1 at 1220) 7.0 21.5
16 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/8 at 1240) 7.0 27.6
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 at 1180) 7.5 17.3
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/8 at 1200) 7.5 23.0
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/4 at 1330) 7.5 32.0
12 gauge, 2.75" (1 1/2 at 1260) 7.5 45.0
12 gauge, 3" (1 5/8 at 1280) 7.5 52.0
12 gauge, 3" (1 7/8 at 1210) 8.75 54.0
10 gauge, 3.5" (2 1/4 at 1210) 10.5 62.9
The 20 and the 12 gauge in bold are two trains of thought I was aiming towards...
Hvy recoil is one thing punishing recoil is another.
Brobee and his daughter have some great videos and in more ways than one.
Rob
With no dispute to the charts, we're only talking about bunny hunting at this point. Bush bunnies die real easy with just a few pellets. I was making a comparison from the .410 to the minimum 3/4 oz 20 gauge. My point being: a .410 or a 20guage with light load is plenty for shooting rabbits and has recoil that is easy to handle for a youngster. Single shots are cheap, 50 to 100 bucks used, 150 bucks for new at the last gun show I was at in december.
Once you get to magnum rounds, they are shoulder busters.
I also have a different view point for teaching children to hunt/shoot. I raised three children and I've taken out half a dozen nephews hunting and shooting for the first time. I believe in single shots and open/exposed hammers are safest for a reason. Firstly they need to have in their mind they have one shot only, not a mag full of attempts. Secondly, It gives me one or two full seasons for them to prove themselves to be bush smart and handle a gun safely before I turn them loose with a semi-auto or a big game rifle. And thirdly, After one or two years success of chicken and bunny hunting they understand that we don't shoot a deer ( or sometimes see one) everytime we go out.
Each to their own, but sometimes parents have unrealistic ambitions for their kids. I also teach music to children. Parents can be horrible with what they expect of their own kids. It takes away the fun and their ambition. I believe its better to let them have something simple and safe, and let them have a tremendous amount of fun with it.
BlackWatch
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I have thought about a single shot for those exact reasons. My first gun was a cooey 39. I'm guilty of the over buying thing with my kids, part of the reliving your youth through them lol.
Give them something simple safe and inexpensive and they will have a lot of fun with it. If it turns out they don't care for it much you haven't invested a lot of cash. If it proves they like it and wish to continue in a year or two, they will be bigger and the market is wide open for you. Its a win-win.
Until you compare patterns, you don't see just how much easier it is to get more uniform shot patters with a shorter shot column. Those long shot columns out of a 3" 410 often produce very patchy patterns compared to the same amount of pellets in a larger gauge. Shoot several rounds of skeet with 3/4 ounce loads in a 12 gauge, and then do the same with a 3" 410, and compare your scores.
My first shotgun was a single shot 410, and yes I got by with it, but I would not start out a youngster with a 410, when there are so many better choices available today. I have watched youngsters become frustrated after missing clays, gophers and grouse with a 410, and they would have enjoyed themselves much more if they would have hit what they were shooting at more often.
It hasn't hardly been mentioned here, but I am a huge fan of the 28 ga. Recoil like a 410 but kills like a 20 ga. I have never had an issue finding shells for it WSS has them all the time and if you buy 10 boxes you will get a lot of hunting. They run about the same or less than 410 shells in my experience. You will find guns less available in 28 ga but all action types are out there.
FWIW, both of my kids have shot a Cooley single 20g. My 12 year old took a couple shots to get used to the recoil but hits everything now. He had been using a .22 exclusively so wasn't used to any recoil at all. I like the idea the OP has of borrowing a couple different guns to see what suits his son best. After all, that's who will be using it. And if he doesn't like it he won't want to shoot it.
The 28 gauge doesn't seem much larger than a 410, but it is a great deal more effective on upland game. I would much rather see a youngster using a 28 gauge than a 410.
For even a tough 9 year old i would stick to a 410 exposed hammer full choke single shot for ground shooting rabbits and grouse. First some practice on targets and tin cans at various distances. Then the real thing.
I shot a 20 gauge cooey as a kid and it kicked too much for me. I would have loved to have a 410 instead.
My distant second choice would be a 28 gauge single shot. I have taken youngsters shooting and all of them could handle the 410. Not so the 28 gauge.
I shot a 20 gauge cooey as a kid and it kicked too much for me. I would have loved to have a 410 instead.
My distant second choice would be a 28 gauge single shot. I have taken youngsters shooting and all of them could handle the 410. Not so the 28 gauge.
From my experience as a youth, many moons ago, I was given a savage 22/410 at age 10. I was a fiend for any kind of hunting and my parents were pretty liberal, if they saw game coming in the door to justify ammo. Squirrels, the odd bunny, a rare duck, and I will echo the frustration I felt with a 410. Could shoot game all day with the 22 but that 410 was a pain and frustration for a young one looking for results. Shortly thereafter, I discovered the old man's Model 12 Winchester and Imperial half brass shells and I soon learned the joy of hunting with a shotgun. I recommend a 20ga
Same here. It was frustrating hunting flying birds with a 410. My son started at about 12 with a 16 gauge and a year later he was using a 12 with no problems.
