Youth Shotgun for Deer??? Help.

[Redcoat3340]

My grandson will be hunting for the first time this fall. He's 10 and, of course, quite the clever kid! (He's been out with his dad "spotting" the last two years and he's eager now that he can hunt.)

His dad is thinking a 20 gauge youth sized shotgun for slugs. I haven't hunted deer in a long time, and when I did it was with long guns (mostly .30-06 when I lived back east).

He's also thinking mounting a scope if possible or having at least a type of rear sight.

I know zip about shotguns (pistols, revolvers, and rifles, yes, shotguns, no).

So what would folks recommend...is 20 gauge enough? Single shot or pump? Sights or scopes?

And brand and or model, new or used, and anything else I'm not clever enough to ask. (We're not looking to spend the national debt on this, so no Purdy I fear.)

My other grandson got his first buck at 10 a couple of three years ago, but he was hunting rifle. Both dads get their bucks each year and they both hunt black powder and rife, one boy also bow-hunts. They get their does if they have a tag, but elk (we're in the Pacific Northwest) have eluded both my boys. Someday. We all hope.

 

[Drm50]

Main thing is finding gun to fit the kid, as well as weight. There is big difference in Deer Shooting Guns and Deer Hunting Guns. I have seen many kids and women saddled with to much gun because of experts. 20g is wise choice. Shooting from stand just about anything kid is comfortable with will work.

 

[Gunhacker]

I think this would fit the bill well. I'm a big fan of starting them out with a single shot for safety sake when they just learning.

This Henry 20 ga. youth takes Rem-chokes, so it has the versatility for shot and slugs, and it's very likely that the barrel can be drilled and tapped for mounting a rail and red dot or optical scope.

Single Shot Youth Shotgun | Henry Repeating Arms

 

[6518John]

Redcoat—how big is he at 10? Size and not age is really what drives this decision. Personally, and what I did with my son, (who is now 16 but is 6’2” tall and 230 pounds and wears a size 14 boot) is to get a youth rifle.

I am a huge fan of the Ruger American Compact and the 7mm-08 cartridge. He started with it and killed his first deer about your grandson’s age and still carries it now that he is bigger than a lot of grown men and can shoot a 30.06 better than me.

Your grandson can shoot an elk with the 7mm.08 too. My boy has yet to shoot any critter with it that did not fall over in it’s tracks from fox to whitetails (We are big varmint hunters. There is no better rifle practice for a young person—old too!—than varmint hunting. If you can get Wile E. Coyote, you have the skills to hunt anything that walks the earth).

The most important thing for him then is to get out and practice. Sure use a range to dial the rifle or slug gun in, but then do the rest of his practice from the stand or tree or woods where he will be hunting. Set up his targets at various ranges and let him shoot under real world conditions and in the rain, wind, fog, twilight (whatever the legal shooting times are for your state).

The Mossberg shotgun combos are good shotguns if you want to stick with a slug gun.

FLEX 500 Youth Combo Field/Deer | O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.

My son started with a Browning Citori O/U 20 gauge that was his grandfather’s old shotgun that fortunately fit him too because my dad was small and my son was a big kid. I was a skeet shooter as a kid and have always been a fan of the O/U combos/doubles so we went that direction and already had the Browning anyway. My son shoots the Ruger Red Label 12 gauge now. WIth the screw in chokes if is usable from dove to turkeys.

Another good article:

8 Great Youth Guns Designed for Growing Hunters

 

[BAM-BAM]

Couple of thoughts:

Mossberg 510 Youth model.... 20ga. pump, adjustable stock
CZ 527 youth model in 7.62x39

 

[ColbyBruce]

I hate to plug a Ruger product, but a Mini 14/30 will fit most ten year old kids. These guns function fine. Accuracy varies amongst the various series but most are capable of dropping a deer. My son’s first deer rifle was a Mini 30; his second was a CZ 527 in .223 Remington.

I had a PSA AR re-barreled in 300 Blackout for my grandkids to hunt with. Other calibers available in the AR platform that are suitable for deer are 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 spc, 7.62x39, .224 Valkyrie, .350 Legend. The CZ 527 is available in a few of these calibers as well.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Is he limited to shotgun in his home state? If so, the 20 gauge single shot is a fine suggestion (if you can find one). If not, I'd go with the quintessential deer rifle, a lever action .30-30 (again, if you can find one) . . .

 

[Llance]

Interesting. When i lived in Washington (grew up in the north Seattle area Edmonds, Alderwood Manor) the legal age for hunting was 14, I was unaware they had lowered the age. That being said I'd suggest a nice youth shotgun in 20g. Mossberg, or any other that is legal and fits him. Will he be hunting west of highway 9 on the mainland. If so then a shotgun is the only legal firearm these days unless it's changed in the last 10 years.

 

[max]

The problem with youth single shots is they are stocked so poorly. Hard to aim and more recoil than needed. A good 20 gauge youth pump, with only one shell loaded would be better.

Such a gun will last the young man his entire life.

 

[6518John]

Max—I hear the single shots touted due to safety reasons as well. But I always felt a single shot shotgun would kill you or someone else just as dead from unsafe handling practices as an M4 or Ma Duce. So following Cooper’s Four Rules should be the focus, not the capacity of the firearm.

 

[6518John]

Interesting. When i lived in Washington (grew up in the north Seattle area Edmonds, Alderwood Manor) the legal age for hunting was 14, I was unaware they had lowered the age. That being said I'd suggest a nice youth shotgun in 20g. Mossberg, or any other that is legal and fits him. Will he be hunting west of highway 9 on the mainland. If so then a shotgun is the only legal firearm these days unless it's changed in the last 10 years.

There is no minimum or maximum age to be eligible to hunt in Washington, but anyone purchasing a license who was born after Jan. 1, 1972 must show proof that they have completed a hunter education class

Hunting licenses | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

Big game, except cougar, must be hunted with a minimum of .24 caliber (6mm) centerfire rifle.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/01806/wdfw01806.pdf

You can also use a shotgun, 20 gauge or larger— Deer, bear, and cougar may be hunted with 20 gauge to 10 gauge shotguns shooting slugs or #1 or larger buckshot. Other big game may be hunted with a 10 or 12 gauge shotgun using slugs.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/01806/wdfw01806.pdf

 

[lihpster]

3 things.
1. How far is he carrying it? Single shots are lighter and carry easier. Pumps are heavier, but that brings us to:
2. Recoil sensitivity. The pump, being heavier will on average have less felt recoil. Could be a consideration, especially if the young man is new to shooting.
3. Reloading. Pump wins here too. Easy to throw a shell in the hole in the side and close the action than try to break the gun in half. For someone who's gonna be excited if that is necessary easy is better.
I would look for a Remington 870 youth model that later he can put on a full size stock. They also have the biggest selection of mounts and sights.

 

[weatherby]

The gun may be the easy part of what you need.
May Not be much available for 20 gauge slugs currently post covid #1

With my son I went with a 28 gauge Remington 1100 skeet gun.
I actually have 2 and they both throw a nice slug.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Depending on your State Law, 20 GA with Slugs is a good choice.
But no matter the final choice, he needs to practice with the Weapon and Ammo selected.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Any shotgun is a poor choice when a centerfire rifle is allowable. As far as recoil is concerned, a good 6mm or 6.5 mm standard cartridge, as in the 243 Win., 6mm Rem or 6.5 Creedmore are far better options. And there are plenty of reasonably priced rifles on the market.
Using a break open style single shot as is, without decent sights can lead to a frustrating experience for a young hunter.
The only exceptions would be one of the combo rifles as made by Rossi or New England arms. They were available with separate barrels. I believe 30-30 and 243 rifle barrels were common and a twenty ga shotgun barrel for small game.

John

 

[WR Moore]

Not knowing the size of the child, it's hard to make a good suggestion. A 20 gauge shotgun could be a life time usable item. But, if you're going to go slugs, you need rifle sights/low power scope and if the range is much over 50 yards or so, not the best choice.

The single shot rifle has some appeal. My elder son and I went in on a single shot in .44 Magnum for a grandchild and she loves it. Possibly a bit specialized, but within 100 yards, deer shouldn't be a problem. I don't recall ever shooting a deer over 100 yards. The Henry is currently at about the same price point as the older H&R/NEF product and the workmanship is MUCH better, as is the wood. Youth stocks are available and they're pretty too. Unfortunately, no rifle/shotgun combos.

 

[diyj98]

Unless your hunting area requires shotguns, I'd skip the slug idea and get a youth sized bolt action rifle in something like 243 or 308.

 

[Squarebutt]

The new Ruger American rifles are a decent lightweight choice in a budget deer gun, and in many calibers.

 

[Nevada Ed]

A 20 Ga. slug will do the job, if........................

He can shot the shotgun well 90% of the time to get the slug into the vitals.
Also, a short shot is advised on his first hunt, to where he will place the shot properly..
so this dream hunt will be all smiles.................
if he has to use a shotgun !!

A red dot sight is not a bad idea if you can fork out the extra money.

Deer have been killed with a 22-250 or 223 rifle is some states, where legal, if you need a minimum rifle for minimum recoil.

Weapon fit.....
his weight and ability to receive recoil
and mental ability is a major factor............

to if he is ready to hunt.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have 4 grandsons. One is 12 3/4 and is good sized for his age. I found him a H&R Topper full size 20 gauge (good bore, rough exterior) for $65 a few weeks ago.

The other 3 are triplets that are 10 3/4 and slightly built. I found them a H&R Topper 20 Ga. Youth Model like new for $125 Spring 2021.

All my sons and I started with 20 gauge. It will do what they need, affordably without pounding them too badly! About 7 years ago I crashed on a bicycle and bummed my left shoulder up. I didn't shoot anything for 6 months then returned to Sporting Clays with 28 and 410 gauges and in 2 years my scores equaled my 12 gauge scores. The small gauges will do just about anything the big gauges do, but the ammo and gun costs are 2 to 3 times more!

4 years ago I did shoot 20 gauge in a 10 week league. I used my wife's 20 gauge 391 Beretta Sporting 28" and AA Sporting 7.5's. First week out, set a new personal best (45/50) and for the whole 10 weeks came in 4th overall! ALL 53 other men and women had 12 gauges! And most important of all I beat my brother, the nationally rated Sporting competitor!

20 gauge has the juice to do anything a young competitor or hunter needs and is still affordable enough to get in lots of practice!

Ivan