Seeking recommendations with Semi-auto 20 gauge for junior

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Moosealone

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Good evening everyone. My daughter is quite interested in trap shooting and she is too weak to hold my Beretta A300. She is 15 years, 5.3ft, and around 88lb. I am considering purchasing a lightweight semi-auto for her. After research the specs online, currently I have 2 options: Franchi Affinity 3 Compact 24' VS Franchi Affinity3 26", they weigh almost the same: 5.9lb vs 6lb. I am in Winnipeg and there is not much chance to let her mount and hold these shotguns for the fit. I know with lightweight and inertial driven, there may be more recoil than the gas operation, but Franchi is the model I can find and get the balance between cost and performance. Do you have any advice or other recommendations? I would appreciate advice from you.
 
A Beretta 391 would be something worth considering.
Durable,dependable, soft recoil, and light.
Unfortunately it is almost impossible to find a used one.
Nobody parts with them.
Mine has a collection of stocks in different lengths which I accumulated to accomodate growing children, and now grandchildren.
Not for sale….
 
I picked up an Armsan 620 youth model for my daughter to shoot a few years ago. I put a good recoil pad on it an changed out a trigger spring on it to lighten the pull a little. It works great , she's 11 now and can handle very well. I had a full size 612 for a while it ran fine on everything too.
 
I bought my son a weatherby Sa 08 20 gauge
Very light recoil excellent service have since rehomed it to a friend for his son
 
The gas-operated Mossberg (branded) SA-20 is available in a compact model. Click on 'models'.

12.5" length-of-pull, 24" barrel, 40.75" overall length. Weight is either 5.5 lbs (with a synthetic stock) or 6.25 lbs (with a walnut stock).
 
Wendell said:
The gas-operated Mossberg (branded) SA-20 is available in a compact model. Click on 'models'.

12.5" length-of-pull, 24" barrel, 40.75" overall length. Weight is either 5.5 lbs (with a synthetic stock) or 6.25 lbs (with a walnut stock).
Click to expand...

Pretty sure the sa 20 is the same gun as armsan 620. I got the spring kit from mcarbo it made a big difference.
 
Stoeger 3020. I just bought one for my wife. She is 5' 4 and she loves it so far. Very light, points nice, 5 year warranty and stoeger is owned by benelli now.
 
A friends young daughter has the Mossberg SA 20, and it works well, other small shooters have the SX-3 compact, and the Silver Micro, and they are excellent as well.
 
I’m in Winnipeg and shoot out of WT&S. I’ve got a tournament grade 1100 LT 20 skeet gun in the EE. Comes with factory screw in chokes. I’ve also got a Monte Carlo stock from a Remington autoloading rifle that could be cut down for a youth.

If you’re interested I can bring it to the club next Sunday for you to look at.
 
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Don't discount an O/U. I bought my 11-yo son a Stevens 555 in 20ga, and it's a great gun for the money. Swings easy, light, and doesn't knock him on his a$$.
 
Sounds like the problem is less recoil than weight. Semi is a good idea because less weight will mean more perceived recoil. Gas operated would be nice. Short LOP also sounds like a requirement. Maybe Winchester SX-3 or SX-4 compact? Both available in 20ga.
 
Remington 11-87 compact 20 is what seems to work with a lot of smaller stature shooters I have found.
It also comes with a reasonably high comb so you can get down and anchor to it instead of floating your cheekbone over the comb and (a big plus) length of pull spacers.
It is a gas operated auto so the recoil is soft.
When the gun mount improves and the new shooter develops the muscle groups used to support and control the gun then we can move to a 12 ga. Cut to the right length of pull and with proper comb height.
Best to buy The Stockfitter’s Bible by Rollin Oswald off the Amazon website. It contains an incredible amount of information about gun fit and stance and should be required reading before anyone buys a new shotgun.
When I run new shooter clinics I bring a variety of shotguns of shorter length of pull and different comb heights.
It sure makes learning easier if you start off with something that fits.
Remington 1100s are my favourite teaching platform because they are reasonably priced, don’t have lot of recoil, and stocks and barrel lengths are easily swapped.
Just my thoughts.
Jim
 
I would recommend that you take a look an 1100, but consider getting a ladies stock for it. I have bought two of these and cannot say enough good things about the stock or the gentleman that sells them :

https: // headsupshootingsystem. Com
 
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Look at a Winchester SX4 20ga compact. I shoot an SX3 20ga and it runs flawlessly, same guts just a little different aesthetically and they retail for a significant amount less than some competitors semis. It's very mild on recoil too.
 
Good morning. 10 years ago, I started my daughter who was 10 years old at the time with a Browning Silver Hunter Micro Midas in 20ga. with a 24" barrel. gun fit very well and shot soft with 7/8 oz loads. My son graduated to the same gun when he turned 10 as well. By the age of 13, both had "graduated" to 12 ga semi-autos starting with light target 10z loads.
 
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