You won' t be sorry if you buy a 28 gauge for your son. About 15 years ago I did the same for my boy and it was a great purchase. On the surface one wouldn' t think 3/4 oz. of shot would pattern much better than 1/2 oz or 11/16 oz of shot but there are a couple of key differences that play an important role that makes the 28 a better choice than the 410.

1. The shot column itself is a huge difference. The .410 caliber is longer and narrower than the .28 gauge. Check out the bore size and you will see what I am talking about. This factor alone helps in a tremendous way when it comes to patterns. For this reason I have never found that the 3 inch shell (11/16 oz.) in the 410 patterns that much better than the 2 3/4 inch shell (1/2 oz.).

2. I think the wads for the 28 are also a key. The 410 wad has no padding as it sits on the powder. Everything is crammed in real tight and because of this and the narrow bore you potentially have a greater chance of shot deformation and bore scrub with the shot column. This of course decimates patterns.

Recoil for the 28 is also very light. Of course it is greater than the 410 but very manageable even for younger shooters. It is certainly noticeably less than the 20 gauge.

I haven' t had a problem finding ammo at any gun shop.

Good luck.