My son is 10 years old. I purchased him a 20 ga Remington model 1100 lt. It has a fixed choke (Improved Cyl). He's taken upland birds and a coyote & Deer with buckshot. I plan to take him turkey hunting this spring. I know he will not be able to kill a turkey the traditional way (head shot) as the IC choke does not pattern properly.

I was thinking about the following options:

1 - Have him shoot buckshot and aim for the body. I believe this would be effective out to 40 yards. With the auto action, he can take a follow-up shot if necessary. North Carolina regs do not give shot restrictions for turkey hunting as long as your using a shotgun.

or

2- Purchase a $200 mossberg 20 gauge youth model with the adjustable chokes and have him take the traditional headshot. He'll be shooting a 12 gauge in the next 4-5 years, so I don't want to purchase a second 20 ga if I don't have to.

What would you do?

I'd go with option #2. Teach him the traditional way and it will be imbedded in him for a lifetime. Besides, you can always sell it to another "soon to be hunter" when their age is right.

I'd go option #3. Buy him a 20 guage that he won't have to worry about upgrading in 4-5 years. The new guns, chokes/loads have made 20 guages effective killing machines for anyone, not just women and kids. Check out the last issue of Turkey & Turkey Hunting and I believe the issue before. They covered quite a bit on this.

A good set up and I bet he could have his 20 guage for years to come hunting turkeys. It will not be money wasted.

Sell the Remington fixed choke. With a new 20 and screw in choke option it will become redundant. That will reduce your cost on a new one.

Like has been said, get him started shooting them properly. To be honest I think blasting them with buckshot to the body is possibily irresponsible. I say possibly because my thought is the wasted meat. I just have this vision of breast meat blasted with buckshot. Idea is we eat what we kill. Again I'm not sure what the result of that shot might be but in any event I'd teach him to jellyhead them.

Good on ya for getting him out there. Sure must be fun. My kids are still too young but I'm looking forward to what you're going through.

I would choose option #2. There is nothing worse than not having confidence in your gun/sights/pattern. Buy a gun that is set up just for turkey hunting. So either go with a cheap 12 or 20 ga.or buy him a nice gun he won't have to upgrade. That part is your call.

I agree with ontELK, I would sell the fixed choke barrel and get the one with the screw-in-choke. He will be able to hunt with all the animals he's been doing and now turkey with the same gun, that heis acustom to. I know I made a mistakeby buying another gun in the same gaugefor mykid and he didn't like the new gun because he is not use to it, didn't get the same accuracyand plus a pump will kick more than an auto. Sometimes a little more recoil will get the kid gun shy and start flinching everytime he is going to pull the trigger.

teach the kid right get hima new gun

I would just buy him a new gun, personally I would buy a remington 870 express magnum that can hold a 3" shell. Just wondering, is it legal to use buck shot on turkeys?

I like OntElk's suggestion. He worth the extra money.

I would get him the moss. and get him a extra full turk. choke for the gun and use 3 in shells i hunt with a guy in his 40s thats what he uses but in the 870 20 ga dont take 12 ga to kill turks good luck and be safe

I would buy a new barrel with choke tubes.

What I did for my daughter and her 1100.

And you say the boy is 10 - I would still use the 20 ga. make it fun to shoot and not punsihment as he is not ready for a 12 ga turkey gun. 20's will kill birds just fine at our given range of 20 to 30 yds.

Don't like Mossbergs....

JW