Looking for a scattergun for my 12y/o son with a birthday coming up. I haven’t fired shotguns in 30 years. I think I want to find him a youth sized semi auto 20 gauge that will cycle 7/8 loads for recoil control. We can single load until we figure out it’s not for area suppression fire so I’m not worried about that. I’ve read Tri Star, Mossberg, and Weatherby are all basically the same in the youth or bantam weights.

Does anyone have any input?

My first shotgun was a gas outa 2 3/4 20 gauge. Would be ok except I turned 16 just before they mandated steel shot on federal WPA's. The point I should be making is go w/ the 3 inch chamber if you pic a 20. Waaay more versatility. My 16th birthday present is pretty much a safe queen, kinda a shame.

I have a good friend who has taught trap to as many kids in Mn as probably anybody. His advice is this: Buy a 12, find a second stock, cut it down and have a pad fitted. Then shoot light loads and let the little extra weight help take up the recoil. In his opinion, the WORST shotgun you can get for a kid is a 410. Light weight and sharp recoil.

As for the bantams- I refitted my Mossberg 500 12ga with a bantam forend. due to poor balance and shooting from a wheelchair my "base" is pretty small I was more stable, smoother and quicker with my hand closer to my body. I expect it does affect my swing....but to be honest I am a lousy wing shot. My .o2. Oh and make sure to just have FUN!

Thanks cloverleaf. Good advice.

SHOTGUN???? What do you use them for. ?

We have a couple of the weatherby semi autos as loaners. I rate them as just ok, occasionally balky.
Choice of 20 vs 12 boils down what you're going to hunt. If water foul will be regular targets I'd opt for greater versatility with the 12.
Why not a pump? The Remington 870 I got from my dad 50 years ago is still in service.


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My parents purchased the Remington 870 20 gauge youth shotgun with laminated stock for my son many years ago for his first firearm. We looked over several options before jointly deciding on that one.

I would have to say that it has performed very well on turkey, pheasants, and other birds. Even when first hunting and shooting the bit of extra weight from the laminated stock likely helped decrease recoil, and he never had an issue with it other than with turkey loads (don't we all).

The benefit is that he can install adult-sized stocks and/or barrels at any time to make it useful. However, he likes the small size for grouse hunting so he hasn't changed it even at 23.

I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a youth shotgun.

Everything I read from folks who instruct kids to shoot without developing a bunch of bad habits that are hard to break later on say the youth pumps that actually fit a kid kick harder than a full size. That’s my reasoning for a semi. You’re right, hard to beat a good 870 for reliable shooting.

Because they are lighter, they will always kick "harder". It's physics.
However, that doesn't mean they kick hard.

I shoot semi-autos myself most of the time (or my Citori), so I get it, but grew up shooting a 20 gauge single shot. The recoil from that was never a problem for me, or for any of the guys I grew up with who all had singles.

The hardest I have ever been kicked by a shotgun was with my 12ga Rem 1100 with hand loads but that was my fault since they were loaded extra heavy for turkey hunting and the barrel had been modified to tighten the pattern.
A shot gun has several different recoil pulses and will kick you numerous times. A semi auto adds one more when the action cycles. An auto will kick you 6 times in all where a none auto will only kick you 5. (1) shell is fired releasing shoot charge (2) shot enters forcing cone (3) forcing cone releases shot (4) shot enters choke (5) choke releases shot. The action cycling on the semi auto causes the #6. Just like with a rifle the projectile size and weight plus powder charge determines the level of felt recoil.
A good 12 ga with light loads would be a good start and that is how I started my son out and he never had a problem when it came time to use heavier loads and even shot slugs and killed deer with his a Mossburg 500.

Check out the franchi affinity youth. Great shotgun for the money. Bulletproof Benelli inertia system. If he is a smaller child you might need to go to a gas operated shotgun like the beretta to get consistent function


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Thanks for the replies. Gives me a lot to chew on.

Also a big fan of Benelli actions. I have several. I bought my ex the ultra light 20 gauge, 5.5 pounds loaded. She loves the gun still, heavy 3 inch didn't bother her and she tipped the scales at 110 pounds, maybe 120.
How big is your son?


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Funny you should mention that. There’s a couple fellows in Juneau I do some septic pumping for. They also are partners in a really nice fun (gun) shop there. Had to go over today for some doctor/dentist stuff. Long story short, we walked out with a Benelli Montefeltro Compact. Man this thing is nice! I traded an AR and a Springfield XD45. We all left happy. Hit the Sportsman’s for a case of trap loads and s couple boxes of birds. Got a nice few days of weather, looking forward to wringing her out a bit.

Appreciate all the feedback.

Edited to add I also scored a box of factory 300 H&H Nosler and 20 rounds of new Winchester brass at the same place!!!!

Damn good day


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Sounds like you found your son's shotgun!
If the recoil is a bit heavy for your son, you couuld change the recoil pad to a LimbSaver, they do a great job of reducing felt recoil. I know it really made a difference on my old Rem 700 BDL in 338 Win Mag!