Youth sized .410

[Gatsby]

Years ago, Bill Poole said you should have one gun for every year of age, and I took that to heart for my granddaughter. I've bought her a gun every Christmas. I was thinking of getting her a .410 this year but I'm utterly inexperienced in that realm.

Something youth sized; single shot, SxS, or O/U I would think. No semi-autos. Since it's just for her starting out, I would like to keep it simple to operate. I would prefer (but it wouldn't be a show-stopper) something with kind of a classic styling (wood and blued). I realize that may not be practical; I just happen to like pretty guns.

Any thoughts or suggestions? She won't be using it for skeet or trap of course. Any input would be appreciated!

Thank you, gentlemen
Joe

 

[kenpoprofessor]

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/category.cfm/sportsman/shotguns/of3/410-ga/order_by/min_price

https://www.guns.com/news/2012/12/07/cant-miss-with-410-youth-shotguns



Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[Gatsby]

That article was excellent. Thank you. The H&R Pardner looks like what I wanted.

 

[Bill Poole]

I said that? or someone with the same name as me?

My guns vs age theory is that if you have fewer guns than your age in years you have a small collection...if you have more guns than your age in years, you have a large collection.

I'm not sure what its called when you have more guns than your weight in pounds

for serious shooting, .410 is an expert's gun. Perhaps shooting tin cans (but not in Tonto) or rabbits or squirrels it might be OK for kids. But try a round of sporting clays with a Model 42 sometime....

I do like your one-gun-a-year for the grandkid idea.... lemme see, I'm up to 5 grandkids now, ranging from 9 last month to turning 2 next week....

Poole

 

[mtptwo]

Go with the mossberg 410 pump. It has some growing room for the kid.

 

[792mauser]

A 410 is hard to hit with without being really good or practiced. A youth sized 20 is better to learn on. You have more fun when you hit something instead of missing constantly with the 410s tiny payload.

 

[pneuby]

I get tempted every time I see one of these in an LGS....

https://www.keystonesportingarmsllc.com/product/crickett-pump-action-my-first-shotgun-410-bore/

 

[jledman]

Everyone I know starts them out with a single shot mostly so you won't get shot more than once. Depending on age either a .410 or 20 gauge if they are a little older. Usually a .410 pump works and Mossberg's are easy and cheap, but the ammo gets expensive fast. I remember Junior going through 4-5 boxes at a time, so I knew it was time to get him on the 20 gauge. Also it's hard to hit anything with a .410 as a kid which worked for me so I got all the birds. My uncle always said they would get discouraged with a .410. Problem for me was, he got to be a really good shot and now that he's on a 12 gauge regularly outshoots me, which makes him happy.

 

[AZ_Five56]

Everyone I know starts them out with a single shot mostly so you won't get shot more than once. Depending on age either a .410 or 20 gauge if they are a little older. Usually a .410 pump works and Mossberg's are easy and cheap, but the ammo gets expensive fast. I remember Junior going through 4-5 boxes at a time, so I knew it was time to get him on the 20 gauge. Also it's hard to hit anything with a .410 as a kid which worked for me so I got all the birds. My uncle always said they would get discouraged with a .410. Problem for me was, he got to be a really good shot and now that he's on a 12 gauge regularly outshoots me, which makes him happy.

I'm a big fan of starting them on 20 gauge. A semi-auto is softer to shoot, but you can still just dull out one round at a time so you don't get shot more than once. :lol:

 

[iammaxwell]

I split the difference and went with a 28 gauge for my fam. Not the cheapest for shells, but its not like it gets shot 1000s of rounds a year either. So not really any discernable added drain on the finances.

Funny thing is that's the only gauge I've been able to find semi-reliably at my local wally world since the rona thru the world into a tail spin. Been able to stock up at normal prices.

 

[BigNate]

I'm late to the game here - but thought I'd chime in for the sake of future readers.

When my kids were young and I thought that they were ready to learn to shoot (6 and 8 at the time) I went looking for a "youth gun" for that purpose. I settled on a Rossi breach break rifle that came with an exchangeable barrel set - 22LR and 410. In my opinion the .22 was the perfect gun for the first couple of hours of shooting. Dad with a pocket full of .22lr - only one round in play at any time, youth sized gun, etc. That said - the youth sized 410 was, in my opinion, pretty much useless. Most of the 410 cartridges that I found at the local big box store were "express" rounds and honestly that little 410, weighing nothing, with it's narrow butt-plate was really not fun for them to shoot. I shot it first and was really surprised at the recoil (I'm not recoil shy - but it was sporty enough that I decided that it was not going to be a good experience for them on the first few shoots).

So - if it were me - and my child or grandchild was interested in shooting shotguns, I'd probably do this:
1) If they are not already a competent shooter, start them out with a single shot .22lr. Shoot this, then other rim fire stuff until safety competence is achieved and they are comfortable shooting.
2) Buy a shotgun appropriate to their size - and if possible a semi-auto. In my mind a semi-auto 20 gauge is a much better tool than a single shot .410. Reason being that even a .410 can be "harsh" and the semi-auto platform helps reduce felt impulse - and the 20 gauge will provide a better experience when shooting clays or birds.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[h8pvmnt]

I'm late to the game here - but thought I'd chime in for the sake of future readers.

When my kids were young and I thought that they were ready to learn to shoot (6 and 8 at the time) I went looking for a "youth gun" for that purpose. I settled on a Rossi breach break rifle that came with an exchangeable barrel set - 22LR and 410. In my opinion the .22 was the perfect gun for the first couple of hours of shooting. Dad with a pocket full of .22lr - only one round in play at any time, youth sized gun, etc. That said - the youth sized 410 was, in my opinion, pretty much useless. Most of the 410 cartridges that I found at the local big box store were "express" rounds and honestly that little 410, weighing nothing, with it's narrow butt-plate was really not fun for them to shoot. I shot it first and was really surprised at the recoil (I'm not recoil shy - but it was sporty enough that I decided that it was not going to be a good experience for them on the first few shoots).

So - if it were me - and my child or grandchild was interested in shooting shotguns, I'd probably do this:
1) If they are not already a competent shooter, start them out with a single shot .22lr. Shoot this, then other rim fire stuff until safety competence is achieved and they are comfortable shooting.
2) Buy a shotgun appropriate to their size - and if possible a semi-auto. In my mind a semi-auto 20 gauge is a much better tool than a single shot .410. Reason being that even a .410 can be "harsh" and the semi-auto platform helps reduce felt impulse - and the 20 gauge will provide a better experience when shooting clays or birds.

Just my 2 cents.

Old Thread but i totally agree. I bought my kids each a cricket single shot .22 at 8 years old. My son went on to compete in JR small bore at Rio which was a great thing for him to learn both safety and discipline.

Eventually we built custom Ruger 10-22's together for each of them, custom colors features they wanted etc. My daughter never wanted to hunt but she now has a Mossberg 590 in 20 GA.

When my son was old enough to Hunt with a shotgun we went with a Charles Daly youth stocked 20 Ga Semi Auto (Probably Turkish), much better choice for a small stature 10 YO turkey hunter or bird hunter. The single shot .410 guns are all terrible for kids in my opinion. Terrible for anyone really.

For his first years big game hunting i got him a Ruger m77 youth stocked bolt gun .223 (great rifle not made anymore). He never killed with it but he got to carry it a lot and learn to handle and shoot a bigger scoped rifle. He graduated to a Savage 111 .308 Bolt gun with a muzzle brake and youth stock that he still hunts with today. In those days they Savage guns came with a coupon for a free adult sized stock for when they grow up. He's killed Elk and Pronghorn with it.

We decided together to not sell any of the youth guns and hold onto them in case grand kids come along. That has not happened yet. So the youth guns are waiting in the safe.

 

[BigNate]

We decided together to not sell any of the youth guns and hold onto them in case grand kids come along. That has not happened yet. So the youth guns are waiting in the safe.

The Rossi 22 was "my gun" - for them to learn with. I really thought it was the perfect gun for the first hour or two of shooting - after which the 10/22 and other things became appropriate and were much more fun. So it would get used at the very beginning - then back to the safe until the next kiddo was ready.

I'm the oldest of 4 children and my kids are generally the oldest of the "cousin" group - so that little Rossi in a canvas bag has been "sold" (for $1.00 - for whatever reason I'm nerdy about that - I won't lend them a gun - but I'll sell it to them for a buck and buy it back when they are done with it - but while they have it they own it and are responsible for it) to my brothers and sister (brother in law) and one cousin cousin over the years. I'd bet that its been the first gun fired by 15+ of my nieces and nephews. My oldest is 23 and we expect the next round of babies will start in the next 5 years or so... so it'll sit in the safe for a few years - coming out when I take a new shooter shooting - waiting for the grand babies. It's a cheap little gun - but it sure makes me happy to imagine it being used by some great, great grand kid in 2092 on an outing with their dad who got it from grandpa...