First Sporting Clays Gun for My Son

hopeisnotastrategy · September 7, 2012, 09:54 AM

I am going to introduce my son to sporting clays as an activity that we can do together. I don't want to spend a fortune on his first gun not knowing how seriously he will take the sport.

He is 13 but small for his age and all skin and bones so the bigger guns I don't believe would be a good option for him.

He has a .243 bolt action rifle and loves to shoot, so this is not his first introduction to firearms.

Can you recommend an over/under in a 20 gauge that would serve as a great first shotgun for him to use?

Thanks in advance!

Dave McC · September 7, 2012, 02:56 PM

First, the really cheap O/Us are not a good idea. Oft there's regulation issues and soft parts that wear too fast.

In your shoes and with my heart set on a 20 gauge O/U, I'd look for an older SKB, 101, Miroku, etc and live with fixed chokes,etc. I would get it fitted to the child and set up with spacers for later on.

I'd also invest in a decent reloader and set it up for 3/4 oz creampuff loads so a smaller child will NOT get pounded and traumatized by harsh recoil.

HTH....

olddrum1 · September 7, 2012, 03:49 PM

The answer to everything here is 870 today.

Tombstonejim · September 7, 2012, 04:30 PM

A remington 1100 in 20 or if you can go the price a benelli super sport.

BigJimP · September 8, 2012, 03:41 PM

Every kid is different....but at 13, if he's smaller....I'm not sure a 20ga is a smart choice / especially in a lighter gun - the 20ga can give as much recoil as a 12ga.

Staying with a gas operated semi-auto ...like a Rem 1100 or 11-87 in a used gun is probably a smart choice. If you can go to an Inertia gun...Benelli super sport is about $ 1,900 or so these days ...but a good choice because its light and even kids without much upper body strength can swing it effectively ..in a 28" barrel its about 6.2 lbs...and mine, will cycle loads of 7/8 oz at 1200 fps...but it will not cycle loads at 1150 fps...

An even better option might be to consider a 28ga ...there are some 11-87's or even 1100's out there....or an Over Under...but the least expensive I would go would be the Browning Lightning O/U in 28" barrels...and then get a MEC loader ( Grabber or the 9000 GN model ) in a 28ga....

All of my grandkids ...if they were lacking a little in terms of upper body strength - started with the 28ga O/U.

JWT · September 8, 2012, 03:59 PM

Find a good used 20ga Remington 1100 if you can. As BigJimP said it's gas operated and he should be able to handle the recoil on one.. Design has been around a long time and they're very reliable.

TheKlawMan · September 8, 2012, 09:46 PM

If I were going to get a semi, I would be tempted to get that A400 that Slugo just got, but the anodized blue receiver makes me want to puke. It is also kind of pricey for a kid's first gun. Heck, it's pricey for me!

ChileVerde1 · September 9, 2012, 12:15 AM

The older SKB is the way to go. Cheap over unders are punishing as far as recoil goes. SKB's are sleek, light, have fiber-optic sights and are easy on the shoulder. My buddy's dad bought him a NEF 20ga single shot when we were in middle school and I shot my grandad's SKB when we started shooting trap and skeet back then. That little twenty really subjected the guy to some real martyrdom since no gas bleeds off. The SKB was 10x easier to fire and pain free to boot!

mxsailor803 · September 15, 2012, 08:56 PM

Correct me if i'm wrong, does mossberg have a maverick series o/u and so does savage? Just throwing other manf. out there.

September 7, 2012, 09:54 AM	#1
hopeisnotastrategy Member Join Date: May 20, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 66	First Sporting Clays Gun for My Son I am going to introduce my son to sporting clays as an activity that we can do together. I don't want to spend a fortune on his first gun not knowing how seriously he will take the sport. He is 13 but small for his age and all skin and bones so the bigger guns I don't believe would be a good option for him. He has a .243 bolt action rifle and loves to shoot, so this is not his first introduction to firearms. Can you recommend an over/under in a 20 gauge that would serve as a great first shotgun for him to use? Thanks in advance! __________________ Soli Deo Gloria Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last. http://scottrossonline.com/

September 9, 2012, 12:15 AM	#8
ChileVerde1 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2006 Posts: 101	Ditto for Dave McC on the SKB! The older SKB is the way to go. Cheap over unders are punishing as far as recoil goes. SKB's are sleek, light, have fiber-optic sights and are easy on the shoulder. My buddy's dad bought him a NEF 20ga single shot when we were in middle school and I shot my grandad's SKB when we started shooting trap and skeet back then. That little twenty really subjected the guy to some real martyrdom since no gas bleeds off. The SKB was 10x easier to fire and pain free to boot!

September 7, 2012, 02:56 PM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	First, the really cheap O/Us are not a good idea. Oft there's regulation issues and soft parts that wear too fast. In your shoes and with my heart set on a 20 gauge O/U, I'd look for an older SKB, 101, Miroku, etc and live with fixed chokes,etc. I would get it fitted to the child and set up with spacers for later on. I'd also invest in a decent reloader and set it up for 3/4 oz creampuff loads so a smaller child will NOT get pounded and traumatized by harsh recoil. HTH....

September 7, 2012, 03:49 PM	#3
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	The answer to everything here is 870 today.

September 7, 2012, 04:30 PM	#4
Tombstonejim Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2007 Location: Tombstone Az Posts: 202	A remington 1100 in 20 or if you can go the price a benelli super sport.

September 8, 2012, 03:41 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Every kid is different....but at 13, if he's smaller....I'm not sure a 20ga is a smart choice / especially in a lighter gun - the 20ga can give as much recoil as a 12ga. Staying with a gas operated semi-auto ...like a Rem 1100 or 11-87 in a used gun is probably a smart choice. If you can go to an Inertia gun...Benelli super sport is about $ 1,900 or so these days ...but a good choice because its light and even kids without much upper body strength can swing it effectively ..in a 28" barrel its about 6.2 lbs...and mine, will cycle loads of 7/8 oz at 1200 fps...but it will not cycle loads at 1150 fps... An even better option might be to consider a 28ga ...there are some 11-87's or even 1100's out there....or an Over Under...but the least expensive I would go would be the Browning Lightning O/U in 28" barrels...and then get a MEC loader ( Grabber or the 9000 GN model ) in a 28ga.... All of my grandkids ...if they were lacking a little in terms of upper body strength - started with the 28ga O/U.

September 8, 2012, 03:59 PM	#6
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Southern Arizona Posts: 3,888	Find a good used 20ga Remington 1100 if you can. As BigJimP said it's gas operated and he should be able to handle the recoil on one.. Design has been around a long time and they're very reliable.

September 8, 2012, 09:46 PM	#7
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	If I were going to get a semi, I would be tempted to get that A400 that Slugo just got, but the anodized blue receiver makes me want to puke. It is also kind of pricey for a kid's first gun. Heck, it's pricey for me!

September 15, 2012, 08:56 PM	#9
mxsailor803 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,344	Correct me if i'm wrong, does mossberg have a maverick series o/u and so does savage? Just throwing other manf. out there.