RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

I'd go with the 20 ga. 870 thats what i had when i started....they're great slug guns

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

I'm in the same boat, looking for a gun for my son. I looked at the NEF/ HR singleshots. Great little gun, but very heavy IMO. I've looked at the 870 youth gun, no one around here carrys the 500 bantams. I'll probably end up getting him the 870 combo in 20ga.

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

Good choice!:)

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

I think you're going to have to wait a while. Unless your daughter is really big, any 20 ga. is going to be too big for her. My son has an 870 20 ga. He is ten years old, almost five feet tall and 108 lbs, and the 870 is a little too big for him. He can shoot it fine on a rest, and can even shoot skeet pretty well with it, but his position is all wrong on the gun. He has to hold the very back of the fore grip, which has caused problems chambering the next round during cold weather when he's wearing gloves.

I also have to disagree with the recoil being really low as mentioned previously. My son's 870 (pump) 20 ga. seems to have about the same felt recoil as my 11-87 (auto loader) 12 ga. Which isn't really bad, but for a 4 year old girl, I'd say it is excessive. She will develop a flinch if she shoots the 20 ga. at this age.

I have four children (two boys and two girls). This year I hunted deer with all but my youngest son who just turned two this week. My youngest daughter is five and she road in my pack as we stalk hunted, and I must say, it was really cool. We both had a great time. Even though she didn't have a gun, it must be cool to ride on the back of a hunter sneaking through the woods. We even came up with some hand signals for her to alert me with if she were to see some deer, since she was up a little higher than me.

My seven year old daughter came along a few times also, and we took a little four pointer (one I would have normally passed on, but we'd agreed four or more points was a taker for the day). She was too heavy for me to carry for hours on end and is a little too small an irresponsible to carry a loaded gun, so we took a different approach. I explained the property boundaries, activities associated with the time of day, the terrain and wind direction and she took control of the hunt, and made it happen. It was a great time.

And my oldest - well we had a great time too. Unfortunately we didn't take any animals on our outings, but passed on a few not so optimal shots, which I think was good ethics to pass on to him and we had a lot of fun together. He carries either his 870 or my sks.

My point is, don't rush it and you can still have fun without her carrying a gun. You could do some of the things I mentioned above, or come up with something new for yourself. She could always carry a toy gun, and then graduate to an unloaded gun and then finally to a loaded gun? Ride in daddy's pack or take control of the hunt. Nonetheless out hunting with dad, and I think that is what really matters. But if she really wants a gun, and you want her to have it, get it for her. Let her shoot it, but when you see what I'm talking about, just explain that you're sorry but it may be a while before she's ready to carry it while a field.

Good luck,
KP

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

not a good choice, and illegal in most places. a 20 is light years better

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

Sorry about that i didnt see that you was talking about 20 gauge, i just went by " what slug gun for kids"..... how much does a remmy like that run for??? Thanks

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

Howdy. The biggest mistake I've made so far in my hunting career is selling my remington 870 youth 20 gauge. Sure its a pump but it doesnt kick much and it was accurate with slugs. Its also a good all around shotgun for other hunting, and they are reasonalbly priced too!

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

Santa brought my son his 20 ga. 870 this year. The cheapest Santa could find it, was $229.

Good Luck,

KP

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

OK... .410 is small for deer in any state but it is illegal in IL anyway.

The 870 in my opinion may kick a bit much with that small of a child, for one any pump kicks more than an auto of same weight. Not to mention that children can't always pump the gun or reach the pump properly..

The single shot H&R is a good gun and very accurate BUT, it weighs a ton.. That helps with recoil but it will be tough for a child to hold.. And I know some say they don't kick but I have shot many of them and I'll tellin ya that the single shot really kicks also, no place for the gas to go except out the end of the bbl.

There are many options and working for a gun shop I get this problem quite often with youths and hunting..

In your situation here is my humble opinion..

I would buy a used remington 1100 in 20 ga. IF you want to shoot sabots order a fully rifled slug bbl for a couple hundred bucks, I would choose iron sights to start.

With an 1100 you get lighter recoil, reliable classic gun along with a wood stock that you can trim an inch or so off of for a youth and very easily put a full size stock back on it later when the child out grows the smaller stock. Stocks are easy to find, I've bought several off Ebay for 30.00 or so.

This way you have a gun that can be used for more than just deer, a reliable gun, less recoil, easy to change as the child grows, and really inexpensive for what you get in my opinion..

Just my thoughts, good luck...

RE: What slug gun for kids ?
 

Please correct me if im wrong, but in IL, don't you still have 8 more years before she can legally hunt? ( you said she's 4 right? ).

Either way, I do agree with the 870 Youth model. Thats what I started out with. Dad got it when I was about 10 or so to shoot and practice with, then started hunting at 12. I'm now 21, and still occasionally shoot that same gun ( little brother uses it, but he's not as much of an avid hunter. He's a "when it's not raining, snowing, or only the first 3 days of season" hunter ;) ). So when we're doing drives through the thick junk, i still to this day carry the 870 Youth. It's a lot shorter than my Ithaca, which is nice when going through a thicket, hah.

One thing I would say... for a first gun I would reccomend the pump over the semi-auto. Makes you wait. I know someone who started off with a pump, but got a semi-auto in his 2nd or 3rd year hunting, was maybe 14? Emptied his gun two different times fast enough that he never had a chance... I think having a pump slows down a young hunter's follow-up shot just enough to make them settle down. Thats JMHO!