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Gun for 8year old
whats a good gun for an 8 year hold to hunt everything with? Deer,turkey,rabbit,etc.? should I go single shot or pump?
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RE: Gun for 8year old
Umm ....... This is a hard one. I would say a 22lr. You could hunt most things with it. Im not sure how much recoil the person could handle at 8 years old to be shooting deer or turkeys. You could also try a 20 gauge. I woudl go for a semi auto for someone that young. It still might have too much recoil. You dont want the recoil to hurt them. They could decide they dont like just because the gun hurts them when they shoot it.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
For a youngster just starting out I reccomend a single shot .22 to start out with. They are usually light in weight and can be had in youth models. They is also good as a trainer as the single shotis very simplistic and IMHO safer for the beginners than other types of actions. Let the lad learn the basics of the gun and firearm saftey and then proceed to a shotgun or CF rifle. Key manufacturing makes the Cricket, Henry makes a small .22 , CZ makesthem. as does Marlin and others.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
I killed my first 6 deer (the first when I was 9), nearly every rabbit I ever killed, and a few turkeys with an 870 Express Youth Model 20 gauge. It's light enough I can hold it out with one hand and shoot it with small shot. My dad's actually got caught with his pants down and done that. Funny story. Killed the rabbit too. A .22 would make a better first gun, but it's definitely not a deer gun, and questionable as a turkey gun for somebody inexperienced if it's even legal where he lives. My 870 will drop a deer at 50 yards with #3 Buckshot, and will blow a squirrel out of just about any tree around here with #4 fine shot.
That being said you know your kid better than anybody here. My dad started me with a single shot Stevens 20 gauge and stayed real close, cause he felt it was better not having the extra stuff to worry about (pumping, push button safety, etc...) that the pump has on it when I was learning. After my first year with the single shot squirrel, and deer hunting (never got a shot at a deer) my dad felt I was ready for the pump, and that's what every shotgun I have had since has been. I've never had a problem with recoil, and personally would not want to have to deal with the extra problems associated withsemi's such as not cycling if not held exactly right, and jamming while also trying to teach somebody new to shooting how to shoot. |
RE: Gun for 8year old
At 8 I would put him in a gas operated semi-auto. True they are a bit more expensive, but you get your moneys worth. Most single shots KICK. A lot of pumps have the pump too far forward for short arms to reach it, and they are either very heavy or they KICK. Recoil is a big consideration for kids.
I shot (and killed) my first deer when I was 6 1/2 years old (thats young... and I was LITTLE). I remember sitting between my Daddy's knees, holding my 20ga SxS Ithaca bird gun stoked with 3" #2 buckshot and that big doe with hounds hot on her heels running out of the only opening in the cutover and locking eyes with me at about 15 steps. Without really aiming I snicked the safety and shot her right in the head, an unbelievable testiment to my marksmenship... or perhaps it was plain old dumb luck ;). I was as shook up as I've ever been, and I still remember how bad that gun kicked me. I was subsequently afraid of it, and didn't want to shoot it anymore. Wouldn't shoot anything but the Chipmunk (.22) until the next fall. Didn't want to have anything to do with a shotgun. Dad cracked and bought me a remington LT-1100. That gun has recoil so slight that you could shoot it with one hand, even with a magnum shell. Dad limited me to ONE shell in the gun at a time until I could prove my worth for a season. I shot two more deer that year, and some small game. The next fall I was dove hunting, and then Dad cut me loose with three shells. Started with the 12 gauge when I was 11. Never had the slightest bit of a flinch or gun-shyness since. I still bird hunt with the Ithaca... and it still kicks. Seriously... a gas auto 20 is the way to go. |
RE: Gun for 8year old
I think the Encore is a real dandy for a young shooter. The youngster should be taught to keep the action open at all times. That makes it very easy for the adult to keep an eye on thing's. You can not be shot by an Encore that has it's action open.
You can get any type of stock you would like for a youngster. You can also get any type of barrel, and replacement barrels are not that much. It is a rig that a youngster can grow up with. Tom. |
RE: Gun for 8year old
I would have to agree with the crowd that says single shot of some type or another. a 20 ga would do the trick nicely IF you are set on getting a shotgun, though I do also suggest starting with a .22 LR for more reasons that I am going to discuss here.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
I know the .410 isn't as popular these days for a kids first shot gun as it used to be, a 20 ga. single is a good choice. Teach him that he has one shot, make it count.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
id say a youth 20ga but I think that might be too much gun for him, in IL slug deer you have to have at least a 20ga. and I wouldnt recommend much less than that for deer. but the ole .410 sounds like the rabbit gun/ birds, not sure about turkey though.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
ORIGINAL: SwampCollie At 8 I would put him in a gas operated semi-auto. True they are a bit more expensive, but you get your moneys worth. Most single shots KICK. A lot of pumps have the pump too far forward for short arms to reach it, and they are either very heavy or they KICK. Recoil is a big consideration for kids. I shot (and killed) my first deer when I was 6 1/2 years old (thats young... and I was LITTLE). I remember sitting between my Daddy's knees, holding my 20ga SxS Ithaca bird gun stoked with 3" #2 buckshot and that big doe with hounds hot on her heels running out of the only opening in the cutover and locking eyes with me at about 15 steps. Without really aiming I snicked the safety and shot her right in the head, an unbelievable testiment to my marksmenship... or perhaps it was plain old dumb luck ;). I was as shook up as I've ever been, and I still remember how bad that gun kicked me. I was subsequently afraid of it, and didn't want to shoot it anymore. Wouldn't shoot anything but the Chipmunk (.22) until the next fall. Didn't want to have anything to do with a shotgun. Dad cracked and bought me a remington LT-1100. That gun has recoil so slight that you could shoot it with one hand, even with a magnum shell. Dad limited me to ONE shell in the gun at a time until I could prove my worth for a season. I shot two more deer that year, and some small game. The next fall I was dove hunting, and then Dad cut me loose with three shells. Started with the 12 gauge when I was 11. Never had the slightest bit of a flinch or gun-shyness since. I still bird hunt with the Ithaca... and it still kicks. Seriously... a gas auto 20 is the way to go. Can't say I have had the same experiences as SwampCollie, but I would have to agree with him. Gas operated semi-auto 20 for pretty much anything. Keep the shots on turkeys a little closer than you would with your 12. Pattern the gun to see what it does. As for deer, I would probably wait until he can handle a .243 I can't really advise you as to which one. I'm looking into a H&R single shot. |
RE: Gun for 8year old
My son is getting ready to turn 8 and this was his second year deer hunting. He carried a single 20 guage and while he never noticed the kick, I sure could notice it. Plus I never let him shoot a high brass shell in practice for fear of him disliking the recoil and becoming afraid of it. With that said, this yearafter doing alot of research I am going with the Charles Daly youth 20 semi-auto. It is super lightweight because of the alloy receiver and doesn't kick much.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
For Deer, Turkey and smaller game. I would say a 20 Guage.. Like VA dk said above.. Look at the Charles Daly 20 guage auto.. I have one and I really like it.. My nephew who is eleven killed his first duck with it this year..
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RE: Gun for 8year old
My son used a single shot 20 gauge until Christmas this season and when Santa brought him his 870 pump he finish off the season with it. He had to prove to me that he could shoot and shuck the shell and keep the gun pointed down range before I let him take it in the woods. We shot many shells at the range until he was confortable with the pump. My son is a big 8 year old and I think that he was just on the fence for handling the recoil. If I would have let him shoot the buck shot at a target he probably would not have wanted to hunt with it. We shot 7 1/2s at the range except for me checking the pattern with turkey loads and the buck shot. With the Kick's Industry Govlin Thunder he has got a great little turkey gun. I might use it if he lets me. He carries a .22LR for squirels and coyotes. He shoots every Fri. night with the rifle team at our gun club so he is very comfortable with the gun.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
This is why god made single shot 410's! The slugs will take deer to 35-40 yds. He will outgrow it in a couple years, then you can play with it a few years, then later he we appreciate the challenge of hunting with one. I say a single shot 410 first and a semi 12 when he is about 13-14.
edit, this in addition to a 22, he needs to be a good rifleman too! |
RE: Gun for 8year old
T/C Encore. Good luck.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
i think a .410 would be good for a first gun, with turkeys they would have to be within 20 yards IMHO, and for deer, if you could get slugs to shoot out of it accurately, you could use it for deer. and it would be good for small game, but if you want to use a 20 gauge, try finding light recoil loads (i think remington make em) they will reduce the kick on the 20, and i would go with a single, that is all i got, it will never jam on me:D
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RE: Gun for 8year old
For those of you that advocate a .410, when dove season rolls around, you try using one. Just ain't practical. A young person is already handicapped just for being young and inexperienced.I use buckshot to hunt deer and with a .410 you only get 3 pellets. Some of youmight say use a slug, well alot of clubs here in Virginia only use buckshot for safety reasonsplus when hunting deer with hounds you want buckshot anyway. My 2 cents worth for advocating use of a 20 gauge for youngsters.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
2years ago I bought a Rossi Single Shot Youth Gun Combo for my 12 year old Daughter in the 3 barrel combination of a 22 LR,a .243 barrel and the 20 Gauge Shotgun.You simply take off one barrel and put another one that you want them to shoot with.I put a Tru-Glo Red Dot scope on the 22 LR for her to practice with,then when the Youth Deer Season came around I put another Tru-Glo Red Dot scope on the .243 and let her shoot it.She got a nice Doe and was able to handle the gun really well and the recoil wasn't too bad for her small petite frame to handle.I lined up the 20 gauge shot gun with the 3 inch Turkey load shells and after 3 shots at the target I had one helluva bruised shoulder....so I'm not so sure the 20 gauge with the short youth barrel is a good idea for a Youth to be shooting?......maybe a lighter loaded shell or switching to the .410 would be better for a young shooters first shotgun or like everyone mentioned it would be better to get a good 20 gauge shot gunthat is gas operated or even with a longer barrel would be better than the short barreled gun on the Rossi?My old Mossberg 20 gauge shotgun doesn't have 1/2 the recoil as that dang Rossi Youth Gun has!
P.S. on the Rossi Youth Gun the 22 LR barrelhas a real nice open sight with the optic type bead on the front end of the barrel and it came with a nice carrying case for the extra barrels.The company NEF (New England Firearms) had some nice looking Youth Guns also that I looked at. |
RE: Gun for 8year old
I dont know too much about shotguns and stuff but i've had my 22 hornet since i was 6 years old. It has no recoil and you can hardly hear it.
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RE: Gun for 8year old
8 years old? You're like me...when my girls hit 8 I will be asking the same questions...22LR for sure....next I would do a 410 with a cut down stock....I would do a pump...the single shot may rock'em a little bit.... to each his own...:)
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RE: Gun for 8year old
My kids will start with an Encore in either .44 Mag with subsonic handloads (for sound reduction) or reduced hand loaded 7mm-08 (since I already load for both). For clays I will handload lite 20 gauge. Has anyone tried the Browning little sketters to reduce barrel size (much cheaper than tubes or a second gun)? You could get a 20 gauge for deer, but still use .410 for smaller game.
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