rochelle

I'm looking to get a 20g nef single shot for my son this spring but the gun has a fixed modified choke. Is there anyway to change that or is it possible to still achieve a decent pattern out to 30yards?

deerdust

A couple years ago I was going to get a gun for my daughter. My boss told me to try the one(20ga NEF)he had gotten for his son. Holy cow, My 12ga 870 kicks like a mule, but that thing was worse. I ended up getting her a 20ga 870. It works fine for her and was less than $250 w/sites and a slingon it as well.

But if he can handle the kick, it should pattern well enough at 20-30yds. Personally I didn't like it. It was a very loose pattern.

learningturkeys

I got a 12g nef for my son a few years ago and it was very nice to carry for him, but I handloaded very light loads for trap shooting or upland game. It was very tough to shoot with factory slug loads, and would not have been manageable with turkey loads either. I agree with deerdust, use a heavier gun!

Ky Turkey Hunter91

My dad has an old 870 with a modified chock and it will out shoot some 12 ga turkey guns.

Bobgobble2

My oldest son killed his first turkey with a 20G single shot with a modified choke at 20 yards.Its max wasn't much over 25 that I felt comfortable with.My other two boys shot 12's when they killed there first birds(12years of age)and they handled them quite well...

Hick442

I own a NEF single shot that groups good out to twety yards but if you want more proformence out of the gun your can go to Hr1871.com and get a barrel with a full choke for like 42 more bucks.

dawei

My wife has the same gun & choke combo. Here is a pattern using Hevi•Shot® at 30yds; you be the judge. http://thehunterslife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5466

deerdust

dawei, if you could put the pic in here for them to see, it would bemuch better. Otherwise you have to actually join the forum and log in to see it.
Thanks

deerdust

This is the pattern from Dawei's wifes 20 ga

JW

deerdust is right - please shoot that gun if your son is small in stature. Those single shot can really kick.....worse possible thing yo can do with a young hunter if they can not handle it.

Start with very light loads. Low brass dove loads would be a good choice or if you reload use only 1 oz of shot in a light trap load. Goin right to a turkey load may be too much for any youngtser starting out. Build up to it.

We have a few youth models we have used in both pump and semi-auto at o9ur Hunter Education classes. As you might imagine the semi-auto kicks less than thepump and thepump will kick less than a single shot. It is all matter of force and what the gas from theround used as it helps with the action. For signle shots the gas is just for propulsion of the shot.

Just foodfor thought.

Now a SSwith a modified choke will do just fine at 30 yards based on the post deerdust did for you. Then try for a set-up where your youth hunter has a few visual ques such as a stick in the ground to help judge distance.Make it fun.

Good luck

JW