Thinking about one for my 11 year old for her birthday. About the only thing I’ve come across is a Stevens 311.

Thoughts? Ideas?

Not really wanting to go pump guns yet.

when you start getting ideas, don't go on concensus....try the action opening and hammers if its an exposed one. sometimes they can be super stiff. get one with an easy action and hammer for kid fingers or you'll be loading it every shot for them.
not knowing your budget....why not a lever gun? i/e: win 9410 etc.....

Well my train of thought would be skip the .410 and start with a 28ga. I rather give them more to work with than handicap them.

We have a savage model 24 o/u. .22lr on top and .410 on the bottom. It had a 24" barrel on it originally and a gunsmith buddy of mine cut it back to 20" to make the shotgun cyclinder open bore. My kids all have grown up carrying it around in the woods. I can put rifled slugs it in or bird shot. Its killed hundreds of grouse.

Not looking for anything fancy, classy, or sassy....just a basic one shot wonder squirrel killing machine.

Our local Walmart has the Hatfield 410s for 109. They also have.the mossberg 500 in 410 for 199.

pawn shops got lots of them.

I am following this thread with much interest because I am in the same situation. My daughter will be 12 this August and I told her that I would start her on shooting this summer and hunting in the fall. I have a single shot .410 that I started out with long ago but would like to upgrade her into something she can keep and use provided it will fit her reasonably well. Was thinking a 20 gauge Montefeltro, were going shopping together today and I'm going to see what fits and what she likes. Really hope she develops an interest in clay pigeon shooting and squirrel hunting!!

guns are like clothes for kids.
you either buy something that fits today, and buy more clothes every year, or you buy something a little big and they grow into it. sloppy fit at first, then all of a sudden it fits. then guess what? they grow out of it again!

True.

Not really looking to be all sappy nostalgic. $100 shotgun will likely get sold at a yard sale like kids clothes anyway.

Good for You, I hope the little princess develops into a sportslady. Your investment (mostly of your time) can pay off big later!

May I ask why no pump gun yet? A pump or semi auto can be single loaded with only one shell to begin with. Later they can be used as a repeater. Many pump or semi auto can be had as a youth gun and later when necessary a full size stock swapped out with the short stock. Same for barrels. A decent gas operated semi auto 20 gauge might not recoil a lot more than a light .410 and is a considerably better game gun that offers more versatility in choke and shells and can grow with the shooters competency and physical size.

Well....that would be pretty simple deal I reckon. 🤔

I have two kids, one 12 and one 14. I started both of them on an Iver Johnson single shot in .410. The gun is nearly ideal, IMHO. Ours has a full choke, which I believe helps a bit when hammering squirrels. Here’s what you do.... get two bales of straw and stack them on each other. This makes a natural blind, and gives a rest for them to shoot off of. Put out some tall aluminum cans, (ex. Arizona Iced Tea) at various ranges. These simulate a squirrel standing up. Once they are completely proficient at hitting them, they are ready to hunt. Our Iver Johnson .410 is also a family heirloom, making hunting with it even sweeter.

Regardless of final choice, I'd suggest one beg, borrow, or steal a couple examples before making a purchase. Have the kids do a little shooting and participate in the choice. I do Hunter Ed classes and am always pushing for a 410 in the stable. The rest of the crew insists they need to learn to handle recoil, so it's 20 gauges. I mostly handle the rifle side in our classes and I can look at targets as the groups pass through and near always tell which bunch had the 20's at their first station. Much larger groups due to flinching. If one wants her to come into the circle, make things as fun and pleasant as possible at the beginning.

Good luck and hope she sticks with it,

i have a 9 year old shooting a browning cynergy at my matches. he does pretty good. in just 1 yeasr, I noticeable growth is appearing, making his gun that fit last year, small this year.
heck....get some cheap stevens crack shots.
pay 75 bucks for a used 410, 100 bucks for a used 28ga....and as growth takes place, sell the first one and move up.
but again....watch those stiff hammers and latches.

16bore...where ya from? close to mo?

Local Runnings, Farm, Home & Outdoor store, has the Rossi single shot, break open, .410 shotgun on sale for $99.99; save 50 bucks according to the ad. I know nothing about these but they look interesting. Any one know anything about them? Looks as though it could be a candidate for the O.P.'s requirements.

VA

go to green top and try some out......................

Not in my state! I've been looking for them for ten years and find nothing!

I'm looking for any Savage/stevens M94 because they made millions of them. But I find none. Iver Johnson made the champion and other models. I have one over 100yr.old H&R from the family. I saw one like it at a gun show for $700.

I'd buy one a month if I could find them for $150 or less. I've found nothing.

One problem that some kids (and especially girls) is that they have a tough time holding the gun out to point. When you think about it they are using their non-dominate arm, which is weaker to hold the bulk of the weight. Pumps put more weight out front with the mag tube, etc. Remember too that a pump will have the forearm moved forward and that is a stretch for some kids.

I would suggest you let your daughter hold a couple guns and see what she can comfortably shoulder.

I do think the 28ga is a great choice. Much more useful than the 410 without much more recoil.

I lucked out and found a 28ga Franchi 48 with a 2nd stock that could be cut down to fit. Super light, little recoil, semi-auto so forearm was no reach.

Keep in mind too that this should all be enjoyable for your daughter. No pain, no stress will increase the odds it is a positive experience. Make it fun, not a chore. A couple $$ spent (or wasted) now can pay off dividends in the future.

My friend has one and it works for his daughter.

My dad apparently hated me so badly that he sold his .32 Colt auto and bought me an H&R Topper in .410. However, I foiled his evil intent and became quite a good wing shot in spite of (because of?) his attempt to handicap me.

If you have Academy near you look at yildiz 410 single shot, no hammer $129, they also make a lightweight sxs and over under

does that yildtz have an ejector?

Agree, but finding an affordable 28 and ammo is a task.

All the .410 I’ve seen is $15/box!!

Oof....that things got a suicide barrel release. Wrong spot for sure.

and how much is the 28ga?
bet its more.

hey...whats wrong with the barrel release? I never saw one.

We’re talking about a shotgun for a young, small person, intended for squirrels at this time. Why not a new/used h&r/nefa or nice used iver johnson break-action .410? If we were talking about shooting games and birds, then would say differently, but we’re not.

Simple, not too heavy, and in terms of reinforcing handling/safety are pretty good if squirrel hunting. Or rabbits. Less practical imo for getting into bird hunting.

@Bobski-

I referenced Midway and both can be had for $11’ish. I know I’ve gotten 28’s for $9.99 at SW. The .410’s I’ve seen were at Wally. The barrel release is a trigger in front of the trigger.



@sandcritter-
I’m kinda still stuck there, like to keep it simple. Gonna do some Pawn Shop shopping....something will pop up.

Sandcritter.....I schit you not. Just found a NEF .410 in some local classifieds with a synthetic youth stock and wood full size.

That was a good idea. 😄

ahhh gotcha. so it looks like a double trigger but its not.
Remington imported some cheapo russian single shots with the bbl release (under) the trigger guard. and...with ejectors, and included them in their catalogs.
something worth looking at.

Get an iver Johnson if you can find one they back bored iver Johnson barrels making them the tightest shooting 410 smoothbore available.. I learned that a long time ago.. it will easily kill a turkey at 40 yards if it hasen't been messed with.

Please stop the BS:
It may with titanium shot. Anything else and Turkeys and .410’s @ 40 is a recipe for more wounding than killing.

Make that tungsten.

Looks like .410 turkey guns are a “thing” now

And I sure as hell don’t wanna shoot titanium shot.

My mistake, it would be Tungsten .

Not in the hands of a skilled hunter..

Oh yea, a skilled hunter can overcome the crap pattern of the .410 at 40. More BS. I guess the guys in the video who make shells are wrong also.

The Turkey deserves better, please keep the BS to a minimum....

Those targets looked like dead birds.

Tungsten does make a difference. The lead targets looked like cripples.

Tungsten 7 and 9’s penetrate like lead 4 and 5’s and there are many more of them. I used them this year in a 28gauge. More than a little impressive.

How can you get so worked up over what anyone uses to kill a stupid turkey.. you have a serious problem... also you are funny. what else can I say to ruffle your feathers. haha

Wrong again, I’m far from worked up.

The BS you are making up, is nothing more than pure BS. Turkeys consistently and cleanly at 40 yards with lead and a .410. Pure BS..

So you think Turkey’s are stupid and don’t deserve to be killed cleanly? You have the problem, not me.

Ha,ha? So juvenile, but not surprising.

You want to use the juvenile ha,ha. Will you are cappin. Look it up.

Checkout the Savage 301 .410. They accept invector chokes and can be had in adult and youth stock lengths. Under $175 new

Where did I say lead.. you are putting in things I did not say...Just like a democrat HAHA

Too late....

The old fire Democrat insinuation. Have you nothing better?

Carry on, BS is BS and you are a prize BS’er

By now, but I’ll be sure and tune in, if only to read the....

Too funny....thread about a shotgun for an 11 year old girl and grown men act like 5 year old little bitches.

Even worse if you are BSing someone asking advice for a young 11year old...

16bore....
did you ever look into that russian made Remington single shot?

I liked the idea of the Remington because its easy to (squeeze) open, it ejects the hull, and there is no external hammer. it cocks on opening. super easy concept for kids.

ive been down your road.....I teach kids and finding guns that work is key.

16bore,
If you can track down a Savage 220(a, b, c or d models) in 410, they are a terrific hammerless option. Light to carry and beautiful in a simple way...walnut & case hardened receivers. I’ve got two 410’s for each of my boys when they get a few years older. A first gun I hope they’ll be proud to hang onto for their kids someday.

In the meantime I’m hammering red squirrels around the house with them and putting a hurt on foxes and grays with my 28ga model.

I've had a Savage Model 220, in 410 for years. It was my grandfather's. I've been looking for another one in 20 or 16 gauge, but have never come across another one, anywhere in the Upper Midwest. Wonderful single shot shotguns, and very well made to boot.

I had a complete basket case 12ga from my uncle that was unshootable but the lack of a hammer intrigued me. This was around 1998 and before pre-internet sales so me wanting one in 20ga was just wishful thinking. During college, I was working the gun counter at Gander Mt in Saginaw and a guy came in one night wanting to sell us a gun. He pulled out a mint 20 220A From the case and we have him $42 for it. Couldn’t believe he sold it to us. I put it in the back with my name on it and $60 later it was mine. Since about 2014, I’ve picked up two 410’s, a 12, 16, and finally a 28. All 220A’s and all in like new condition. Weird little gun to put that kind of time into, but I’m with you that they are great guns. Keep an eye out...they’re out there!

I got each of my kids H&R/NEF .410s when they were 11 and 12, just to get them used to the noise and recoil. I made sure they understood that when they wanted to do some real wing-shooting or clay pigeon games they'd likely need something bigger. When they got into high school and became involved in FFA trap competition, they had no problem adjusting to using my 12s.

Just for what it's worth, I was surprised to find it much easier than I'd expected to hit hand-trap thrown clays with a .410. The kids could hit as many as I could. Their .410s did account for a certain number of pests around the farm, though.

That’s what I ended up getting.

This is what you need to find..

https://www.gunsamerica.com/914267476/New-England-410-Single-Shot.htm

Its heavy enough that it has little kick. The LOP is fine for my 8 year old.

The downfall is that for anything over 25 yards, I'd buy the high dollar ammo. I've never minded spending that cause its a single shot and its for youth hunting (not high volume shooting).

I've got a weatherby youth 20 ga SA and a escort youth 20 ga SA in the safe. Both are well liked and used by the "older youth" (13-16 year olds) but that break action NE 410 is the best starter in my experience.

I bought the 301 in .410 to squirrel hunt on properties that don't allow rimfire rifle. The 301 is light as a feather and patterns pretty well with the $10 Federal ammo from Walmart. My only complaint is the pattern is 3-4 inches low at 25 yards. I will probably put a smaller bead on it before next season to bring up the pattern.

dont laugh, but I bought my 8yo one of those Yildez single shots from Academy, 129, I cut it down and added a limbsaver for him. It shoots straight, and we've never had an issue. Internal hammer and has a trigger break open on the bottom easy for a kid, it almost closes completely in on itself which makes it nice to throw in the back of my vest or whatever. Trigger could be better, but weve been practicing shoot clays off ant beds at 30yards and he's doing awesome.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/yi...-shotgun-105279941#repChildCatid=1584945

I just ordered a Henry single shot .410 to replace a Savage 220. Several videos show that the TSS loads are good to 30-40 yards, no problem. Can use anything here, rifle, pistol, crossbow, whatever. What I end up using this year is anyone's guess.

I will have to test those loads to be sure about POI, as well as patterns. Carlson makes a .410 Invector TSS tube, but only in a 1.5 inch length. Not clear yet what length the Henry tube is.

Gotten a bunch of conflicting "information" about the Invector tubes in the Henry .410, so I just bit the bullet and ordered a couple from their store to find out for certain.

Also scored a free case because of a promotion they're running.

Okay, here's the Henry .410 info.

The tubes I ordered from Henry on 2-27 came yesterday; a Skeet and a Turkey tube with a knurled ring. They're made by Briley, just like the nice lady said. The internal portion is 2" overall, but they're 1 3/4 from the front to the beginning of the threads, so Carlson's won't fit, which is fine.

This takes me back a bit, my first firearm when I was 12 was a NEF .410. It was carried for miles chasing WV bushy tailed rats and took my first Whitetail with a 3” slug. 30+ years later it sits in the safe...think I’ll go look at it a bit!

I started with a revaluation 410 single shot.
My nephew shot it until he was 11 then upgraded him to a 1100 compact magnum.
It was nice watching him shoot my gun I grew up on and will be what my kids start with. My great uncle give it to me and I plan pass it on. It’s not a super light weight gun which helps with recoil for the young ones. The full choke barrel helps teach them the have to aim also

.410 is more expensive than 20 gauge I'd see if she can handle a 20 gauge and if so I'd get it as itll be cheaper to feed over the long haul.

My non-hunter dad bought me the very same, probably to just calm me down. I wish I still had it...and my dad.

Can’t say I had much success with it as I rapidly came into the very same in 16 ga which I did do very well with.🙂

But, I would also recommend a 28 for the youngster and, secondly, a 20. A 20 with with Win AA low recoil 7/8 oz loads, for example, might actually be a better first choice because she can grow into that gauges heavier loads down the road.

Just picked up a super nice H&R Topper 158 in .410 for my boy to hunt turkeys this spring. It's a full choke gun and I'm gonna have him run TSS #9's through it. It's at my smith's now being d&t for an EGW picatinny mount. Likely put a Bushnell TRS-25 dot sight on it for simplicity.

I've patterned turkey guns in 10, 12 and 20 by the truckload. Even a 28 or two. Never even owned a .410 before so this is new territory. I've heard all the stories and claims of .410's and TSS #9 shot. About to make .y own assessment. If I can make a reliable 30 yard gun of it, that's all I need.

My 9 year old just shot his second gobbler with his cousin's hand-me-down Rossi single shot .410 using #9 TSS. Granted, at 7 yards I think rock salt would have been effective as well.

last year i picked up a hammerless single shot 410, Its marked RANGER which was the Sears brand. Not sure who made it since its a hammerless.

Also recently picked up an Iver Johnson 28ga single shot. Very nice original condition. Haven't shot it yet, but a neat find.

Winchester 37 may be the best ever. Dad bought two .410’s in the late ‘50’s, one for us, one for Grandad. My brother has one, I have the other. They’re not cheap on the used market but you have a jewel if you can find one.

DF

I killed my first blacktail with a Mdl. 24 savage 410 slug 55 years ago. Bet it still could !
Today I hunt grouse and turkeys with a Spanish sxs 12gauge with savage fourtenner inserts. Wife says no turkey this spring. The 410 has the freezer full!
Yeah I am a 410 groupie!

I like this one.

DF

Favorite rabbit combo back in the '60's. I carved a more comfortable handle. 3" .410 shells do kick and the square edges on the OEM handle sorta hurt. The newer one, not so much. Lawrence holster. That thing has killed a BUNCH of swamp wabbits, slipping thru the woods, trying to allude a pack of beagles...

DF

Started my oldest on a 410 youth side by side a buddy gave me. He is very recoil shy still at 9 despite never having shot anything with significant recoil

He shoots squirrels and practices with it very well. 20g is to much for him but he has one waiting for him in the safe

If your not shooting clays( which my boy has done) or birds flying then it should be fine. I say it’s a great choice.

Plus with tss it’s a low recoil turkey killer out to about 35/40 yards with relative ease

Shot one last week with custom loads(tss) and choke that would easily kill turkeys to 55/60 yards. Would never have believed the 410 would turn into a turkey gun but it has. 15 yards pattern was very tight though.

I got a winchester 37 when I was 9. Loved it.

That said, IMO an exposed hammer is less than ideal for a young hand to operate.

I am not saying it cant be done, of course. I did it as a 9year old, but then again I was a tough SOB, smart as a whip, and ruggedly handsome to boot.

OK realistically, I want . little kid to enjoy the shoting and safe handling, and some of those exposed hammers are more of a worry/annoyance for little hands and little fingers.

I went with a very light 12g with 410 inserts and then lite 12g reloads for my kids. They both liked it better, given the choice between a heavy double, the exposed hammer 410, and a mossberg pump.

YMMV.

Good advice imo, though I still like an ultralite 12 or 20 with inserts, then reloads.

People like the Winchester 37s, but I always found it too easy to get the rim of a .410 shell in behind that narrow extractor/ejector, thereby preventing the gun from closing. This is especially a problem when heading out to investigate the commotion in the henhouse at 2:00 am, shotgun in one hand and flashlight in the other.

410 shotguns are for a expert not a young youth ,the youth will get discourage buy him a simple 20 gauge pump with a decent safety,don`t be cheap with a kid remember someday they will put you in a Elim home do you want them to be cheap too ?

You may do plenty of reloading. If not, you might also look at the Aguila minishells for just knocking sround and squirrels. Probably not enough shot for dove/etc, but ok for “stationary” game, and less recoil than the 2-3/4” stuff..

start them kids on a 20ga, single shots,pumps or auto's or whatever you have

Looked at a Rossi 410 single shot at my local Bi-Mart yesterday.

Pretty good looking little shotgun for $109.97

Seems cheaper than most used ones at pawn shops.

Might be pretty handy to have around.

I've never had a 410. Must be about time!

Virgil B.

I believe anything deserves to be killed cleanly, even varmints. I also know a full ckoke .410 with lead shot often won't even take a squirrel cleanly out of the top of a tall hickory when you're standing at the bottom of the tree. And yes I've had several .410's over the years and used them with both 2.5 and 3" shells with 4, 6, and 7.5 shot.

Bought the Rossi yesterday, and brought it home. $109.97 out the door! (no sales tax in Oregon)

I bought a box of #9 shot loads with it and a box of Hornady critical defense loads.

Got four loads of each in the ammo carrier on the butt.

Fun little "porch gun"

Virgil B.