28 gauge youth?

Axle2010

Axle2010

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Does anybody know where I can find a 28 gauge for my daughter to start in? I found a 410 Mossberg mini bantam that will fit her but I'm reading that 410 is a really difficult gun to hit with and I can't 410 shells ANYWHERE. I'm reading that the 28 is a great starter gauge but can't find a gun small enough for her in stock. I know at 6 she's a bit smaller than most youths but she's having a fit to shoot pheasant and hopefully turkey with me. Thanks for any leads or hints guys.
 
Try Bass Pro and Cabela's. I bought both an O/U and semi auto at Bass Pro.

As for 410 ammo several of my nearby lgs and Walmarts have 410 shells about half to twice the cost of 28 gauge ammo on their respective shelves.
 
I shoot 28 gauge and it’s a blast. The Tristar semi auto is a decent gun for the money. Some on Gunbroker. You can have her single load one in the magazine if she needs to gain some experience first. Walmart almost always has 28 Gauge. The AA Sporting Clays 7.5 at 1300 fps works great for Quail as well.
 
I started out with a 410 but yes was very limited on sucess with it, once I got a 28 it was a game changer Pheasants and turkeys were in trouble. Do you know what the lenght is that your looking for?
 
McKenzie Sims said:
I started out with a 410 but yes was very limited on sucess with it, once I got a 28 it was a game changer Pheasants and turkeys were in trouble. Do you know what the lenght is that your looking for?
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I think she needs a lop of around 11-11.5. The mini bantam goes down to 10 but it's only available in 410 and even that's scarce.
 
Savage has a 28ga Compact in their Stevens 555 line. They also have a 410 and 20ga. I personally love a 28ga and think starting someone with that over a 410 is a much better idea since you'll have a bigger shot pattern and hopefully build confidence with more hits.
 
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BTW I know it's not a shotgun but here's my little hunter with her first kill.
 
Mtn_Infantry said:
Savage has a 28ga Compact in their Stevens 555 line. They also have a 410 and 20ga. I personally love a 28ga and think starting someone with that over a 410 is a much better idea since you'll have a bigger shot pattern and hopefully build confidence with more hits.
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There is one on GunBroker located at a shop in Locust Grove, Georgia which is the state the OP appears to be from .
 
Yildiz makes a 410 and a 28 over and under for around $650 I think. I bought the .410 years ago for my son and had it cut down to a youth stock length. He’s an excellent shot today. I know the .410!shell costs an issue but the key issue I think is no fear of recoil at that age. Academy used to carry them. Good luck!
 
ShaneLyle said:
Yildiz makes a 410 and a 28 over and under for around $650 I think. I bought the .410 years ago for my son and had it cut down to a youth stock length. He’s an excellent shot today. I know the .410!shell costs an issue but the key issue I think is no fear of recoil at that age. Academy used to carry them. Good luck!
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450 Dakota said:
There is one on GunBroker located at a shop in Locust Grove, Georgia which is the state the OP appears to be from .
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Depending on where he lives in GA there's likely several shops around with them or that can get him. I know of multiple stores here in Texas with them.
 
Axle2010 said:
Does anybody know where I can find a 28 gauge for my daughter to start in? I found a 410 Mossberg mini bantam that will fit her but I'm reading that 410 is a really difficult gun to hit with and I can't 410 shells ANYWHERE. I'm reading that the 28 is a great starter gauge but can't find a gun small enough for her in stock. I know at 6 she's a bit smaller than most youths but she's having a fit to shoot pheasant and hopefully turkey with me. Thanks for any leads or hints guys.
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Axle2010: Good idea on the 28 gauge and several light semi autos made by Beretta & Benelli …although you’d need to cut the stock or buy a shorter one and install it. You can have her “only load ONE shell” or even fully Plug the mag until you are comfortable of her abilities. If you can afford it - buy a quality gun from the start because a 28 ga can be used & enjoyed for a lifetime, it’s worth having to buy 2 stocks if needed. A used over & under would also be a good choice - “if” you can find one - but stock would still need to be cut or better buy a 2nd shorter Youth length stock For it. When she grows you can add “spacers” and eventually a longer stock. For my Son I started him out at 12 with a Mossberg Youth 20ga pump and it was “heavy”, he was strong and could handle it but years later his Sister could Not handle the weight….bought her a .410 single shot (big mistake) that was very hard for her to hit anything with. If I was doing it again - 28 ga semi auto or O/U with appropriate stock length.
 
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Mtn_Infantry said:
Savage has a 28ga Compact in their Stevens 555 line. They also have a 410 and 20ga. I personally love a 28ga and think starting someone with that over a 410 is a much better idea since you'll have a bigger shot pattern and hopefully build confidence with more hits.
Click to expand...
That Savage looks good but is a 13" lop, I don't know if that's gong to be short enough for her
 
Axle2010 said:
Does anybody know where I can find a 28 gauge for my daughter to start in? I found a 410 Mossberg mini bantam that will fit her but I'm reading that 410 is a really difficult gun to hit with and I can't 410 shells ANYWHERE. I'm reading that the 28 is a great starter gauge but can't find a gun small enough for her in stock. I know at 6 she's a bit smaller than most youths but she's having a fit to shoot pheasant and hopefully turkey with me. Thanks for any leads or hints guys.
Click to expand...

I started my son at age 7 with a Remington 1100 special field 20 ga.. I bought an extra stock and cut it down for him, keeping the original stock for when he was older. There is significantly less felt recoil in an 1100 20 ga than a fixed breech 28.
 
Axle2010 said:
Does anybody know where I can find a 28 gauge for my daughter to start in? I found a 410 Mossberg mini bantam that will fit her but I'm reading that 410 is a really difficult gun to hit with and I can't 410 shells ANYWHERE. I'm reading that the 28 is a great starter gauge but can't find a gun small enough for her in stock. I know at 6 she's a bit smaller than most youths but she's having a fit to shoot pheasant and hopefully turkey with me. Thanks for any leads or hints guys.
Click to expand...

Ballistically, you're spot on that a 28 bore is way more effective than a .410. Unfortunately, 28 bores are the scarcest, and most expensive gauge so you don't get a lot of gun for the money.

Can I give you an alternative if you have an $800-$1500 budget? Get her a side by side Spanish 20 gauge. It will suffer loss of value (a bargain) if its short already. You can add a 1" pad instead of a 5/8" to get it to grow with her into teen years. You'll spend more on ammo in the short run, finding her 2.5" english 7/8 ounce shells, but it will be a mild recoiling gun. In a few years, you can just switch to off the shelf 2.75" 20 gauge shells.

That's what I did for one of my sons. We got a lovely sidelock ejector 20 bore Spanish gun for about a thousand bucks. It will grow with him and will hold its value.

I would also caution you as a parent trying to introduce your kids to shooting sports. I detest unsafe shooters. I don't particularly like children unless they have very good manners and safe practices in the field. Pumps and autoloaders are rude tools. I don't enjoy watching kids struggle to load them on the lines. (or adults). I don't like getting hit in the face with hot hulls. I don't like getting them pointed at me which happens all the time at clubs because people can't keep their muzzle 100% in a safe direction.

Get a gun that breaks open. It's civilized, safe, can feed and fire diminished loads, and can shoot short shells for less recoil as well. Oh, and again, they don't lose money if bought used.
 
rookhawk said:
Ballistically, you're spot on that a 28 bore is way more effective than a .410. Unfortunately, 28 bores are the scarcest, and most expensive gauge so you don't get a lot of gun for the money.

Can I give you an alternative if you have an $800-$1500 budget? Get her a side by side Spanish 20 gauge. It will suffer loss of value (a bargain) if its short already. You can add a 1" pad instead of a 5/8" to get it to grow with her into teen years. You'll spend more on ammo in the short run, finding her 2.5" english 7/8 ounce shells, but it will be a mild recoiling gun. In a few years, you can just switch to off the shelf 2.75" 20 gauge shells.

That's what I did for one of my sons. We got a lovely sidelock ejector 20 bore Spanish gun for about a thousand bucks. It will grow with him and will hold its value.

I would also caution you as a parent trying to introduce your kids to shooting sports. I detest unsafe shooters. I don't particularly like children unless they have very good manners and safe practices in the field. Pumps and autoloaders are rude tools. I don't enjoy watching kids struggle to load them on the lines. (or adults). I don't like getting hit in the face with hot hulls. I don't like getting them pointed at me which happens all the time at clubs because people can't keep their muzzle 100% in a safe direction.

Get a gun that breaks open. It's civilized, safe, can feed and fire diminished loads, and can shoot short shells for less recoil as well. Oh, and again, they don't lose money if bought used.
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ROOKHAWK - lots of young kids (under 12,under 100 lbs) have difficulty opening the SxS or O/U actions especially on New or cheap guns - they can be “stiff”. I started on a 20ga SxS at 14 and it was certainly No safer or easier then starting on a Pump or Semi auto - for safety “plug entire magazine”. As far as “getting hit in the face w/Hot hulls”….people can “move their face” a few feet back. Now, regarding your other comment “I don’t particularly like children etc..”. Can’t argue that one !! Unless they’re your own they are often “annoying“ !!
 
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It's at my ex's house .. I can still snag it. @Axle2010
20 gauge 870 youth? There's Pink 12ga Shells pictured, just for novelty though.
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never shot.
 
HankBuck said:
ROOKHAWK - lots of young kids (under 12,under 100 lbs) have difficulty opening the SxS or O/U actions especially on New or cheap guns - they can be “stiff”. I started on a 20ga SxS at 14 and it was certainly No safer or easier then starting on a Pump or Semi auto - for safety “plug entire magazine”. As far as “getting hit in the face w/Hot hulls”….people can “move their face” a few feet back. Now, regarding your other comment “I don’t particularly like children etc..”. Can’t argue that one !! Unless they’re your own they are often “annoying“ !!
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I've not found that to be the case. All my children use break actions and have since they were 6 or 7. Buying a used one whether a Spanish/English side by side, or a used Beretta 686 O/U, they open by gravity. One of my clan struggled to overcome the southgate ejector resistance when he was little, but figured out in one day to put the stock under his arm and get a bit more leverage.

As to getting hit in the face by hulls, its almost always the kids. The entitled, unsafe, kids. I pay good money to join private clubs and almost all the grown ups figured out that you can't shoot five stand without hitting your neighbor with hulls using pumps and side by sides, and its very annoying watching them gather their ejecta between rounds which holds up the game. (IF they pick up the hulls at all)

As it pertains to the exceptions, people that claim they or their kid is very safe with their pump or auto, I find most of them unaware of their lack of safety. I've been pointed at and swung through hundreds of times by people that have no comprehension of their muzzle. It makes me want to turn their gun into a "Break action" in front of their very eyes.

So as pertains to me, remember I'm a curmudgeon. I don't like badly behaved dogs and children. (most of them) There is nothing cute about them to me. Most people feel the same way but aren't so blunt and direct about it. Everybody at the club is thinking it, I'm saying it. Get kids a break action gun and raise young ladies and gentlemen.
 
rookhawk said:
I've not found that to be the case. All my children use break actions and have since they were 6 or 7. Buying a used one whether a Spanish/English side by side, or a used Beretta 686 O/U, they open by gravity. One of my clan struggled to overcome the southgate ejector resistance when he was little, but figured out in one day to put the stock under his arm and get a bit more leverage.

As to getting hit in the face by hulls, its almost always the kids. The entitled, unsafe, kids. I pay good money to join private clubs and almost all the grown ups figured out that you can't shoot five stand without hitting your neighbor with hulls using pumps and side by sides, and its very annoying watching them gather their ejecta between rounds which holds up the game. (IF they pick up the hulls at all)

As it pertains to the exceptions, people that claim they or their kid is very safe with their pump or auto, I find most of them unaware of their lack of safety. I've been pointed at and swung through hundreds of times by people that have no comprehension of their muzzle. It makes me want to turn their gun into a "Break action" in front of their very eyes.

So as pertains to me, remember I'm a curmudgeon. I don't like badly behaved dogs and children. (most of them) There is nothing cute about them to me. Most people feel the same way but aren't so blunt and direct about it. Everybody at the club is thinking it, I'm saying it. Get kids a break action gun and raise young ladies and gentlemen.
Click to expand...

I can assure you that my son was very safe with his 1100 20 ga. If he was not, he would not have been shooting it.
 
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