Remington 870 Youth 20ga, or Mossberg SA-20 Bantam?

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

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Hey guys~my young apprentice hunter (daughter) has expressed some interest in shotgun hunting grouse...even trying her hand at busting some clays! (happy father here!) She's held all of my shotguns, including my old 20ga Wingmaster and finds them all too heavy, but mostly muzzle heavy and too long for her. While at a local shop a couple of days ago, I had her hold a 20ga. 870 Express youth with a pink camo synthetic stock and she loved the size of it~felt manageable. She thought the pink camo was too "girly", thought a wood-stocked one would appeal more. Even though I'm a wingmaster fan, and over 6' tall, I've held a 20ga. youth Express and have been awfully tempted... interchangeable-choked 21" barrel seems like a great fit for the tight bush I hunt. Anyhow, I know Expresses aren't Wingmasters...it's why I own a Wingmaster, but for a smaller-framed hunter it seems like it would be a good fit. Anyone here using one? Thoughts/opinions?

Another gun that seems like it COULD be a good match is the SA-20 Bantam, but I've heard good and bad things about them. I've also never seen one in the flesh, or know of anywhere in S. Ontario I could. Any of you guys/gals care to chime in on which one you'd be wanting to track down?

My feeling is that for the amount of shooting this gun will be doing...and with my nearly neurotic gun-cleaning tendencies...a reliable, safe, all steel 870 seems to be the best choice. It occurred to me that I could get a second buttstock for my Wingmaster and chop it down, but the barrels I have are all fixed choke (it's a large frame gun) and all 26-28" long.

Thanks for taking a moment to reply.
 
I own the Remington 870 Youth model and I personally like it. At first I was a bit reluctant to buy an Express because of all the horror stories I heard about rusting, actions not being smooth and broken extractors. But I saw one on sale for $330 and couldn't resist. After having used it a few times for trap and plinking I haven't run into any issues. No rust, but then again everyone should maintain their weapon after firing. Action is smooth, but I've never owned a wingmaster so I don't really have anything to base my opinion on. Reliability wise I've fed my gun all types of ammo including plenty of cheap target loads without hiccup. The 21" barrel looks like it would be really handy for hunting in dense brush, but for trap a longer barrel definitely sights better.

As for contents, my gun came with a modified choke, trigger lock and a magazine plug. Overall I'm happy with my purchase.
 
Hey KB~thanks for the reply. Didn't expect to hear a chorus of endorsements for the 870 Express, but your experience with yours echoes everything I've heard about people who have/use them. (2 people :) ) Not sure if it's a coincidence or not, but neither of them are web forum guys...they just need a rugged/reliable/affordable shotgun that will do everything within a modest budget. Haven't heard a complaint yet. I've seen plenty of Expresses in gun racks on ATVs over the years too, they must work a little wet and muddy too, because that's the state those ones always seem to be in!
 
I know everyone seems to hate on the 870 express but it is a good gun at its price point.
870 expresses lack fine finish and refinements that the wingmaster has, but as someone who owns both the express is an acceptable entry level gun. Disassemble it clean it thoroughly, lubricate, polish the chamber if it has any ejection issues these are all simple things that anyone who can tie their shoes can do. I have never got any of the lemons that people claim to encounter and I go through an express every few years, I shoot it some, loan it out and usually sell it to a hunter starting out.
The best thing about the 870 youth is adult stocks are dirt cheap so it can grow with her.
 
Hatsan makes a nice Semi in 20 guage, for the youth market with its escort magnum.
It comes with chokes, offset shims and butt plate spacers to adjust it for each shooter.
I couldn't resist it and had to try it out, it works great and has real small recoil issues due to the semi automatic feature.
Now it is not a Wingmaster, but it is an alternative if that is what your looking for.
 
Both guns will go bang when you pull the trigger. As for that matte Express finish, a coat of oil after hunting and it will be just fine. Mine had a little rust come up on the barrel, a thorough clean and a good rub with high end gun oil fixed it right up. You're about to have the happiest little girl in the world, keep up the good work and buy an adult sized stock and barrel for later on!
 
You are very much on the right track by selecting a youth-sized gun for your daughter. It should be useable from age 10 to 15 and up, depending on how big she gets. The short barrel has nothing to do with tight hunting quarters, but is needed to balance out the shortened butt. That makes it a very light gun, and a light 20 ga. pump gun has a sharp kick for kids, even with target loads. A gas auto, either an 11-87 or the SA-20, will be much more enjoyable to shoot. Especially if you are teaching them wingshooting and they'll be shooting quite a bit.

Yes, oil the outside surfaces of the Express. They can be rust magnets.

Way to go Dad!
 
A sharp kick indeed Grouse Man! :) I ran a 22", no-choke barrel on my 20ga. Wingmaster last year and I was surprised at every pull of the trigger! If we drop the hammer on 3-4 birds a day when hunting, it's an epic outing...so I'm not TOO worried. It did cross my mind that I could buy this shotgun, and have her pass it back to me after the first shot with a "no thanks", but she's doing great now having moved-up from a .22lr to a .223. No comparison between .223 and a 20ga., I realize, but she hasn't been recoil shy so far.

If an autoloader was a little less expensive (and a little more available) it would be a contender for sure...but I'm closing in on getting the 870.
 
If all you're doing is shooting grouse on the ground, get a .410 - that way recoil won't ever be a problem. But if you are going to be wingshooting you'll need the 20. For her to hit something in the air your daughter needs to practice, and not just 3-4 shots. Believe me, a gas auto makes a big difference in felt recoil. My daughters (12 and 14) can easily handle two rounds of trap (50 shots) with their 11-87. And they learned how to hit moving things in the air. ;)

Plus, you can always sell it when they outgrow it.
 
Grouse Man said:
If all you're doing is shooting grouse on the ground, get a .410 - that way recoil won't ever be a problem. But if you are going to be wingshooting you'll need the 20. For her to hit something in the air your daughter needs to practice, and not just 3-4 shots. Believe me, a gas auto makes a big difference in felt recoil. My daughters (12 and 14) can easily handle two rounds of trap (50 shots) with their 11-87. And they learned how to hit moving things in the air. ;)

Plus, you can always sell it when they outgrow it.
Click to expand...

I have a full-choke, .410 single shot that I have zero affection for. Back when I shot trap (2x a week for 10 years) I was breaking over 20 on every round with my 12ga. Average was 22/23...closest to a perfect round was 24 and I did that once. :) Feeling a little cocky, I brought that .410 out and my score was 1/25. It's been collecting dust ever since. A .410 would be good on sitting birds higher-up in trees once the snow falls but until then...my daughter will be using her .22 for ground birds in the early fall. I personally think a 20ga. is the most versatile grouse gun for where I hunt, allowing you to cover the bases no matter where you find them.

Oh, and the short barrel/balance thing~agreed, but threading a shorter barrel through the kind of bush we hunt just IS easier than a long one. Not sure what the terrain is like where you hunt in MB, but here is a photo of my nephew from last fall~note the bush behind him~that's where the birds are! :)

GROUSE.jpg
 
Yep, that looks exactly like one of the areas I hunt. And I looooooooove hunting grouse in the snow! For some reason I find I take my Rem. 31 in 20 gauge into that stuff . . .
 
Good luck finding the SA-20 Bantam. I have been looking all over and can't find one. If you find one in Canada please let me know where. The other one I was considering was the Remington 11-87 Sportsman Youth Compact Synthetic.
 
I bought the Remington 870 20 gauge youth with wood stock a few years ago. Its a handy shotgun. Its my only grouse gun. The chamber was not great and needed a bit of polishing. I had to replace the magazine follower. It wore out?!?!? It cost 5 bucks but by the time the Quebec company shipped it, it was 30.



 
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