# Best youth shotgun for a 10 year old?



## runs with fire (Mar 12, 2009)

What are opinions on the best youth shotgun for an average 10 year old? The only one I ever used as a kid was a 20 gauge, youth 870 with the 3 inch chamber. I think it'd be real nice to have the option to shoot 3 inch shells.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

My son is 10 years old. He's currently using a Mossberg 500 Super Bantam with a pound of lead added to the stock (which I need to fix as it has broken loose and is rattling) to reduce the recoil. Mossberg makes a mini bantam that I owned one of, but it was too small (and my son is not big) so I sold it. 

Fit is critical at that age.

The 500 Super Bantam shoots 2 3/4 and 3 shells. He is currently using 2 3/4" 3/4oz #2 or #4 steel. I messed up the duck plug length...and you can get 2 of them in the tube...but if you tried to do two 3" they wouldn't fit. 

As a 9 year old he was shooting a Rosi single shot with no added weight. Developed a flinch, didn't want to shoot, etc. With this rig, he'll shoot targets all day long using low recoil target loads (NSI makes one that I have been buying). 

Cats meow would be a youth semi or a cut down adult one. Right now I like keeping him as a single shot with one extra that can be used to swat if needed.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

20ga Beretta cut to fit. That and any HTL load


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## Rgrinny (Nov 25, 2019)

runs with fire said:


> What are opinions on the best youth shotgun for an average 10 year old? The only one I ever used as a kid was a 20 gauge, youth 870 with the 3 inch chamber. I think it'd be real nice to have the option to shoot 3 inch shells.


I got my son when he was 11 ( last year) a 20 gauge Tristar Viper G2 youth 2 stock combo. It come with a youth stock and an adult stock for when they get older, it also has a 24 inch barrel with a 2 inch extension to make it a 26 inch barrel. The gun works great and is perfect for him ( he’s not a big kid)


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## walleye will (Aug 23, 2006)

I picked up a weatherby SA-08 in a 20 gauge youth model for my son when he was 9. He has since moved up to 12 gauge and passed it on to his brother when he turned 10 years old. The little gun has been a shocking success in the marsh and they have literally pounding a pile of big Tom turkeys with it as well. They have stacked rabbits with it all winter long while running our beagles. It’s light enough for them to swing and kicks very light with 3 inch ducks loads. It is by far their favorite gun to hunt with and honestly it has been the most productive gun for them as well.


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## BucksandDucks (May 25, 2010)

Rgrinny said:


> I got my son when he was 11 ( last year) a 20 gauge Tristar Viper G2 youth 2 stock combo. It come with a youth stock and an adult stock for when they get older, it also has a 24 inch barrel with a 2 inch extension to make it a 26 inch barrel. The gun works great and is perfect for him ( he’s not a big kid)


Got my daughter the same gun and she shot her first Turkey with it this spring. She was 10 at the time 
She likes it a lot


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## ICEGUY (Aug 2, 2003)

410 was my first. single shot, great gun and light weight.


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## Bucket-Back (Feb 8, 2004)

I was gifted a 12 gauge bolt for my 12th BDay.

3" shells in a 20 gauge are not pleasant to shoot in a 870.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

870 wingmaster 20ga with a youth stock was my first. Worked well for a small framed kid.


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## twoteal (Jul 22, 2001)

Just another opinion but 410’s and 20’ are and should be considered advanced wing shooting choices. Lots of disappointed kids during duck season that can’t knock them out like dad does. It’s understandable that some kids just don’t have the frame for a 12 and maybe a parent won’t dishout the cash for a gas gun so I get why the 20 is popular. My experience is as soon as a kid hits 90-100lbs they can handle a beretta a300 391 390. With 2 3/4 shells and move up to the 3 when able. Lightest shooting guns available and can be upgraded to make them even better. Plenty of used ones out there to be had and you can save the cost of the 20 or 410 off the 12 you will get them two seasons later. The 20/410 has a place in the young shooters upbringing but it should be for more stationery targets. 

Just my opinion.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Ever take a miter box to the walnut stock of a Beretta 390? Enough to make you cry until your daughter pops the first three birds she shoots at with it...


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## trucker3573 (Aug 29, 2010)

I third the tri Star 2 stock combo. 


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## Ender (Dec 6, 2005)

I bought my son, who is on the smaller side of life, an adult Weatherby SA-08 20 gauge with a 28” barrel and ordered an extra youth stock. For a youth, it is soft shooting and light. We put the adult stock on it a couple years ago and at 17 it remains his favorite shotgun. Don’t waste your money on a full youth model, you will end up spending more in the end.


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## SteelShot (Jan 26, 2011)

One more vote for the Weatherby SA-08 youth. My daughter loves hers. 

Little tip for all the SA-08 owners. If the kids have a hard time with the bolt, call Weatherby customer service and ask for the tactical bolt handle. It’s not much money but let’s them get a couple fingers on the bolt handle and makes it way easier for a kid to cycle the bolt. 


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## SteelSearchin (Apr 8, 2004)

Another vote for the sa-08 and the tactical bolt handle.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

20


twoteal said:


> Just another opinion but 410’s and 20’ are and should be considered advanced wing shooting choices. Lots of disappointed kids during duck season that can’t knock them out like dad does. It’s understandable that some kids just don’t have the frame for a 12 and maybe a parent won’t dishout the cash for a gas gun so I get why the 20 is popular. My experience is as soon as a kid hits 90-100lbs they can handle a beretta a300 391 390. With 2 3/4 shells and move up to the 3 when able. Lightest shooting guns available and can be upgraded to make them even better. Plenty of used ones out there to be had and you can save the cost of the 20 or 410 off the 12 you will get them two seasons later. The 20/410 has a place in the young shooters upbringing but it should be for more stationery targets.
> 
> Just my opinion.


20ga can’t really be included in same sentence as 410.

1oz of #6 Bismuth out of the 20 is every bit as effective as 1 1/8oz steel 2’s out of the 12.

I gave my 13yr old the choice of moving to the 12 this year and he’s sticking with the 20. If you can afford to shoot an HTL shell there is really no advantage on ducks to shoot steel out of the 12 other than cost.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Guys I hunt with used to give me crap when I break out the 20. Rarely are they waiting on me to finish up so it's a non issue now. Then they're great at getting the birds in close so 15-30 yard shots are the norm.


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## Milburn (Sep 9, 2020)

my 1rst popper was a Mossberg 500 combo with both barrels. 24” barrel was rifled,canaleverd, and portedwith scope then it came with a ported 28 in bird barrel 3 chokes 12ga there’s not much a man can’t hunt , my best friend at that age had a Remington 870 express same combo for him the only difference in those Two guns was the rattle Mossbergs known for haveing a little rattle.


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## Ken Martin (Sep 30, 2003)

Remington 1187 synthetic 20 ga. Reduced recoil, cycles everything, 3 inch capable. My boys have shot ducks, deer, pheasant, squirrels, geese, rabbits, clays with the one we have.


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## Mike Zainea (Jan 28, 2017)

For deer I picked up a Marlin lever action .357. I love this gun.


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