870 20ga Youth model BEAST!!!

J

Jeepmark2005

New member
My father-in-law and I recently pooled our money and jointly bought a 870 20ga youth model for my 10 year old son for a hunting trip my father-in-law wanted to take my Son on. Saturday they went to prepare their blind and for my Son to try out the 20ga. HOLY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION !!! My Father-in-law said that the gun almost knocked my Son down. The adults present all tried the demunitive gun and said it kicked like a mule. FRUMP ! Now what? I have a Knoxx stock on my Tactical 12ga, but this is for a bird gun and I am looking for a cheaper fix. Sell the gun and consider a semi or is there another option? The LOP is a bit long for him and the gun is only equiped with the stock butt pad. How do I tame this beast for my Son?
 
Why not install a recoil reducing device in the buttstock, or at least try adding some weight to it. Or you can always give him another year to grow into it. Unless you really want to spend more money on a semi-auto for a 10 year old, maybe he can use a smaller gauge single shot until he grows some more. :rolleyes:
 
It could be just me but I've found that my son's 20ga Winchester 1300 youth kicks just about the same as my full size 12ga Winchester 1200. I think the smaller size of the 20ga 1300 youth model doesn't absorb the recoil as well the larger mass of my 12ga.
 
Got any friends that reload? I bet they could help with some reduced recoil loads.

They do wonders for making my 5 pound H&R 12 gauge shootable.

I suppose you could mess around with recoil pads too.

I have the Shooter's Friend recoil pad from Cabela's.

It's horribly ugly, stinks until it begins to dry out, really grabs your shoulder until it begins to dry out, and adds a lot to the length of pull, but damned it if doesn't work (although its effectiveness lessens as it drys out).

You don't have to get that one in particular, but maybe some sort of recoil pad would help.

There are also recoil pads that strap to the shoulder. If funds are tight, you could try rolling up a sock and sticking it under there as well. I've never tried it, but it's supposed to help.
 
The similar YE I got for the kids is an emphatic kicker with 1 oz loads,even for me. With 7/8 oz loads it still needs good form.

Get a reloader to make up some 3/4 oz loads for starting off. Use good form and maybe a Pachmyer Decellerator pad or one of the KickEez jobs. If you install it and leave it untrimmed it'll look funny but really spread out the push.
 
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It could be just me but I've found that my son's 20ga Winchester 1300 youth kicks just about the same as my full size 12ga Winchester 1200. I think the smaller size of the 20ga 1300 youth model doesn't absorb the recoil as well the larger mass of my 12ga.
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In the exact same manner, a number of years back I bought my son a Remington 1100 synthetic youth in 20 ga. and it kicked as much or more than my full size 1100 sporting 12.

That was a bad purchase all around for us. Great gun, but that recoil - and the kid outgrew the LOP in less than a year and a half. Oh well, resale value was good on it though...
 
Two of my boys have the 870 20ga. youth, and I agree that it kicks like a mule. You might try as we have. Get a C&H Mercury Recoil Suppressor for the stock. They cost $35 from MPC Sports. Also, have him wear a PAST Recoil pad. Gander Mountain carries them.

Of course, the better, but more expensive, option would be to sell it and get the Beretta AL391 Urika 20ga. youth. One of my boys tried one Saturday at the Ducks Unlimited Great Outdoors Fesitval and loved it. He said it had a great fit and very low recoil.
 
SpecOps Solution

We will have a SpecOps Stock to fit the 20-Gauge Remington 870 in a few weeks. It is cheaper to buy the stock than replace the shotgun. We have found that felt recoil is the same for both 12- and 20-Gauge guns when using the SpecOps. That being true, you might want to sell the 20-Gauge gun and buy him a 12-Gauge with a SpecOps that he can grow into. A shotgun should last several lifetimes so this would be a good investment.
 
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