Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Youth 20 ga questiom ??

Who makes the least recoiling 20 ga for kids and what do they cost ? Looking to buy without breaking the bank.... and I have a small cracked bank.

Any of the gas operated auto's will have about the same amount of recoil, relative to the weight of the gun. If the shooter can handle the weight, 12ga's will generally have less felt recoil.

Not only that, but if you can reload shells load them with 3/4oz of shot and at 1050-1100 fps.. those are pretty mild. Some semi-autos might not cycle those and you may have to bump up the speed to 1150.

Also, if you don't reload, use 20 ga skeet shells.. But if this is for bird hunting you'll be stuck with higher velocity loads..

My girls use a 20 ga. 11-87 Youth/Compact model. With target loads, recoil is pretty low. The only thing is that the noise is louder. Just make sure you wear ear protection.

I bought mine $400 used (but like new!), new they're closer to $700.

Can't help with the least recoiling question but I have a Beretta 20 youth model for my daughter with a very soft recoil pad. The pad made a big difference. Gas gun that fits with a good soft pad is the ticket. Cost of gas guns is not in the cheap range though. Good luck.

If money is tight just get a pump & use very light shells. I have also used the 410 inserts in a 20 ga for lighter duty range shooting.

I know the 410 ammo in a 20 barrel isn't a very effective game or clay bird killer, but it does go bang.

Get what you can afford and spend a few bucks on a very soft recoil pad to take the shoulder bite out of the recoil. A hearty shove is tolerated better when�there is little pain to the soft tissue of the shoulder area.

A gas auto with a nice recoil pad.

But a pump with a nice recoil pad and light-weight ammo is usually okay--and it costs a whole lot less.

Despite the experts I started Jacob with a .410 and he has done well on quail and pheasants. When he wants to move up it will be to a 20 gauge 1100.

Practice with the light loads but when shooting at game, the kids should never notice the slightly heavier recoil of decent game loads.

Bought the wife a Browning Gold 12ga 26" several years back and had the local smith shorten the pull to 12 3/4" with as cushy a pad as possible. She and my daughter have each run thru the skeet course a few times with it with no recoil complaints. This with low dollar 1oz loads.

edit: Oops. Meant to add that ought to work extra well with a 20ga. Then buy another buttstock when he grows.

No bird can be killed with a .410...especially a 2.5".

Well, maybe I can't do it, bur Jacob can.

Frankly, I don't see much difference in results between 2 1/2" and 3", contrary to my expectation. Even on pheasants, but we're not talking 50 yard shots either.

I use a Winchester (??) 870, 20g youth model for deer season. Not sure how well it would work for birds. Holds 5 rounds if I remember right. I don't notice the recoil with it at all. However and M16A, I do notice the recoil. Not sure of the price, cheaper than comvincing my dad to saw off the butt of one of his existing shotguns though.

You're doing good just shooting, Sweetheart.

Pretty much what I was thinking.

Pardon the hyperbole. I'm a .410 queer. 2.5"'s work better than 3's on flying stuff.

I knew what you were saying.

Scott confirmed part of that but he never mentioned a .410.

I went through this with my 2 kids. By the time they're old enough and strong enough to carry a shotgun afield for a couple hours, they were ready to go straight to a 12 gauge. There are lots of great 12 gauge shells out there. Just match them to the situation. Also, the 20 gauge is typically loaded to higher pressure than 12 gauge so, more recoil. The gas autoloaders are great if you get a light one i.e. aluminum receiver and 26" barrel. Good luck and good hunting!

Low recoil 12s are preferred. Most cheap 20 ga loads are pretty snappy recoil/noise wise.
Wait just a minute about cutting down the stock! My wife's M-42 and M12 FW have 14" lop, she is 5'2". Women have longer arms and legs that a similar height male, but much smaller hands. The grip size is very important to recoil and general ability to follow through.

He's queer. Not as queer as Bob, but queer enough.