Which gun for 13 yr old?

D

Dr Crane

New member
My 13 yr old has taken an interest in hunting and is currently using a borrowed Mossberg 500 20 ga. She does quite well with it but I was wondering if I should consider a 12 ga semi or stick with a 20ga. At 5'6" 110 lbs the 500 is about all she can handle using extra full choke and 3" turkey loads. I'd like to buy her something she won't outgrow. Any thoughts?
 
i;d definitly reccomend a 12 gauge, with a youth stock... you can always change the stock as she grows. 12 gauge there is a much larger selection of ammo than the 20. you can get 12 gauge loads that are loaded 'down' to a 20 gauge. Recoil depends on gun weight, payload weight, and velocity. (simplistically speaking)

3" turkey loads is stout in anything. if she can handle that she can handle darn near anything IMO.

What kind of game will she be going after? semi auto will soak up some recoil for sure. heavier gun will soak up recoil, same with a nice recoil pad, and remember to use a round suitable for the game being hunted. for example no need to load up a 3" #6 shot turkey shell, when going for squirrel. where a 7/8 -> 1 1/8oz load at a lower velocity will do just fine.
 
Currently she's using the gun for turkey and for dear in the fall with rifled slugs, she uses target loads for skeet practice.
 
A friend of mine might have an 1100 I could buy but don't think it has Rem choke. Not sure how important interchangeable chokes are.
 
When a question such as this comes up and I am in the discussion, the first thing I do is to contact three associations that have young adult shooting programs on a national basis. I posed this question less than a year ago and the answer that I got from two of these associations was the Beretta 391 with the largest gauge that the young adult can handle. I hope this helps.
CB
 
Beretta's 391 in either gauge makes a good first and always shotgun.

However, there's no slug barrels for it.

The Mossberg is a fine little gun. With modern ammo and choking, a 20 gauge is not much handicap.

If any. Roster and Brezny think the 20 gauge Hevishot turkey loads are as effective as the better 12 gauge loads.

And the Rottweil Brenekke slugs, IME, cause short bloodtrails and quick kills even in 20 gauge.

A couple things....

A youth shooting program may be found at your local range or club. A great way to get your child started correctly. Often pro level instruction is available for a pittance.

Getting her started well with good fit and form is crucial, much more than what shotgun to buy.

HTH....
 
She's really not interested in competition shooting, although she's a good shot with a rifle. Local club is about 3 miles from my house, and I have the contact info, just haven't pursued it yet, guess I'm a little over anxious now that she's shown a lot of interest. Definitely will slow down a bit and take advantage of resources at hand (friends and relatives with much more knowledge than myself and local club)

Thanks for the advice guys!
 
You didn't mention if price was an issue. I started my son with a youth model remington 870 in 20ga at 12 years old. he's 14 now. He is currently in 4H shooting skeet and trap with it. It is also the the gun he takes turkey hunting here with me and deer hunting in Michigan with his grandfather. When he out grows the stock, I can replace it at low cost with an adult stock. As for 12 vs. 20, he has already taken deer and turkey with it and the 20 does quite well, plus, since recoil is manageable he practices with it.
 
Dr Crane
Our maven and moderator Dave McC mentioned the 391. With a gun club near by, I predict your daughter will soon be more interested in targets than turkeys. Beretta has a "first shotgun" youth model 3901 that's substantially less costly than their other target models. Here's a link.
 
A used Remington 1100 (12 ga) would be a place to start. Lots of them around, very light recoil. Choke tubes. If you buy used she can always trade it in for something else if she wants to after getting more time with the gun.
 
If she is showing interests and getting into this, How Blessed you are!!!! I have the same gun you got her, also in 20 guage.. I am 40 yrs. old, 170 lbs myself and you hear alot of MEN it seems like it's a power thing to get a the beggest gun in the woods, look at the pistol calibers they are producing now??? Not to say there's nothing wrong with that if someone wants one atleast they can buy one but some pistol ammo may cost $60.00 a box (ridiculous) but then again it may be the gun that person wants to have. Anyway the best advice I would say is if she feels confortable with that gun now the main thing to do is try and keep it as FUN for her as POSSIBLE... Hopefully she will love the love this new sport from now on and always remember the ONE who got her started in this!:)
 
Although the Berreta seems to be the ideal gun of choice, it's out of my price range. Will probably stick with the Mossberg for now and see how things turn out. This is all fairly new territory to me as I have always been a "casual" shooter who does not hunt (yet). Fortunatly I have friends who do hunt and are more than willing to take her out. She mostly wants to hunt coyotes which in North East Ct. might be harder than she thinks, and I haven't found anyone who does yet.
 
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