gun for youth (need advice)
 

I need advice on what kind of gun to get for my 12-year old for Christmas. He is most interested in deer hunting, and secondarily turkeys. Something appropriate but not overly expensive. Also any advice on the best place to purchase this type of firearm.
Thanks!
Nancy

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

i would suggest a 20 gauge,maybe a remington 870(its a pump)u can find this and other guns at stores like cabelas, wal mart, gander mountain, k mart, dicks sporting goods, and prolly an other sporting goods stores

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

id go with the remington 870 in 12ga. they make some combos that should fit what you are looking for. i would go with the 12ga because it is actually cheaper to shoot it shoots more shot(turkeys) or a heavier slug(deer) and that way when he gets bigger you wont have to upgrade him to a 12.

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

I was using an 870 12 guage at 12 years of age and recoil was manageable for me.I was average sized for my age.

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

Yep go for a 12gauge!
Itis often a heavier gun wich also helps reduce recoil.

Being a synthetics fan I still would recommend a wooden stock and a saw to adjust length.

Congrats to havinga son thats want to go hunting with you!

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

A shotgun is probably the absolute best first gun a kid can have.

I would suggest a Winchester 1300 black shadow deer combo that will come with a rifled slug barrel and a 28" vent rib barrel. He could literally hunt everything from squirrels to bears with a single gun.

My first gun was a Winchester 1300 I got when I was 11 years old. It has been a flawless workhorse. I still have it 20 years later and it works as good now as it did new.

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

Welcome aboad Nancy.
A question if you dont mind- Do yall where you live have to hunt deer with a shotgun? If not i personaly wouldnt unless forced to by law, regs& conditionsetc.

Nothing wrong with those 12 guage shotguns mentioned - It was also my first gun at 10& what i used for deer first few times too.(it was the law)

Many firearms will come in youth models no sawing off of the stock needed to fit& you can get a fullsize stock later if need be .( there ussallyjust a little shorter a inch or so-so they do fit adults too with shorter arms etc also)

If i was buying for my son where i live his first gun think id go for one of those Nef single shotrifles in 270. 280. or 25.06 & i would get a 12gashotgun barrel& a 22. barreletc that would give him 3 guns or more on one frame.( the barrels are interchangable/switchable)

They can be had at walmart at very reasonable prices( about $200.00) with the other barrels extra cost add ons/also reasonable in price)

If ya do a net search for nef rifles or h&r rifles you can check them out on there websight& see what the extras cost etc too.

Good luck , im sure he will injoy whatever you decide on.

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

http://www.walmart.com/guns?path=0%3A4125%3A4155%3A170080

http://www.hr1871.com/



If those linkswork above-maybe they will help some shopping- one is to order firearms from walmart that they have for sale& will get for you, with prices etc.

The other is Nef,s page- If im not mistaken i think warlmart sells a plain nef single shot 12 ga( cant put rifle barrels on that one i dont think)

Santa already left me a nice henry lever action rifle[:o];):D

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

I agree with the NEF youth model but it's only available in .243 win and 7mm-08 ( as a youth offering ) My son just out grew his .243 and got his first full sized gun this year. When all was said and done he got a .45-70 NEF as his gun. ( now I can have mine back)

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

I am with the dudes reccomending the NEF .243, you can buy the .243 NEF rifle for 199 and then send off for the 20 or 12 guage interchangeable barrell for $40.00 so he can have both. I used a NEF in .243 to take a white tail at 160 yards this year. Accureate and fast handling. EJ

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

I agree with the NEF recommendation. You should also look at Rossi. They have a tripple play that comes with 20 ga, 243 and .22 barrels. It was on sale at Cabela's in UT for @ $260 or so. It's on their website.

Spud

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

Nancy,
I agree with Knightia. A shotgun will most certainly kill deer, but it has limited range and will kick like the dickens with a slug. Compare this to a 243 with a very mild recoil, more accurate, and much longer effective range.
Of course as also stated you need to know if a shotgun is required by law in your state.

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

I love these threads. I have two boys, one4 and one 19 months. It's real early for them, but I don't mind planning for the future.

For your deer/turkey hunting concerns, I'd say buy a pump action shotgun with two barrels (rifled and smoothe bore), probably a 12 guage youth model. It may be useable into adulthood depending on the size of your child, and depending on how easy swapping out the stock might be.

I'd say it shouldn't have to be a magnum model. The kid prolly wouldn't want to shoot that anyway.

As far as the NEF's go, I like them. I'll prolly start my boys out plinking and small game hunting a little earlier than 12 yrs old. My thought has been a NEF .22lr, .410 combo, youth model. The older one can use it intil about 12 or so, then the younger one can have it. Buy then the older one will get something new...

Rossi has similar products, and cheaper too, but have you ever handled one? The barrel feels like copper tubing -- very light and thin.

In my book, NEF is a little better at only about 10% more in price, and in buying one, you'd be supporting an American company.

I do have an older Rossi .22lr pump -- looks like a Henry pump. It's the first gun I ever bought, and it feels solid and top quality. They just don't make them anymore (that I know of). Now, it's all cheap single shots and revolvers.

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

being about his age (14 years old) i would say get the mossberg 500 12 gauge bantam and buy him a limbsaver recoil pad for it. i got a remington 1100 12 gauge that i shoot sluggers with. it has the limbsaver pad on it and i cant feel recoil at all. i think the 870s are expensive. i like the mossbergs better.

RE: gun for youth (need advice)
 

I bought my 12 year old son a MOSSBERG 20 gauge pump YOUTH model. It comes from the factory with the shorter stock. It also comes with a coupon for the adult stock. Once he is big enough for the adult stock, you send in the coupon to Mossberg with (I think) $12 and you get the longer stock.

I personally do not recommend the 12 gauge.

Kev