Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 I figure someone on here has been down this road with their kids.... Remington 870 or Mossberg 500? Looking for my boys......I have had several Mossberg's and one 870. I'm leaning towards the 870. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 Either will serve your purposes, but I wouldn’t go with the 20ga. Ammunition is much harder to find and lighter loads like we use in CAS are nearly impossible! My grandson said that the 20ga recoil was worse than the 12ga for him. Both of those shotguns are fairly lightweight. That makes recoil more noticeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 870 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 18 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said: Either will serve your purposes, but I wouldn’t go with the 20ga. Ammunition is much harder to find and lighter loads like we use in CAS are nearly impossible! My grandson said that the 20ga recoil was worse than the 12ga for him. Both of those shotguns are fairly lightweight. That makes recoil more noticeable. THIS ^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 BIG PLUS for Blackwater!! You Betcha. Most all 20Ga ammunition will beat ya like a rented Mule. Best go with a 12Ga with Lo Nose Lo Recoil ammunition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 You can get either with a "Youth" stock, about an inch and a half shorter than a "Standard" stock. You could get a "Standard" stock "take off" on eBay to replace it with when he grows into it. Or... if you want to go "Tactical", you can get an M4, 6 position stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 I We* started my son, Sassparilla Kid, off with a standard-sized single shot H&R Topper in 20 gauge. He had no problems with it whatsoever; in fact, he did quite well with it, taking his first ducks and doves. *Baby shower gift from his Great Uncle Frankie. He had his first shotgun before he was born. Anyway, for his tenth Christmas I "upgraded" him to the 20 gauge 870 Youth Model, just as @Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 described. Although he's something like 6' 3" tall now, back then he was just a li'l kid and handled the 20 just fine. (Not so the H&R Topper 410 "Youth Model." That thing was brutal - even I didn't like it, and we happily gave it to someone else.) But his Remington he enjoyed for all his "growing up" years ~ still keeping an eye out for an adult size stock set. That said, I would not hesitate to start another kid with a 20 gauge. Oh... his "adult" favorite field shotguns are his O/U CZ Woodcock 12 gauge and his Winchester Model 12 16 gauge. Here's the Kid with his 20 ga Topper at about age 8, and the Model 12 some fifteen years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 My grandson had the same decision to make. He took a 12 gauge Maverick (Mossberg) pump gun. He traded is off about a year ago for a top of the line Mossberg 500. He got about $20.00 less than he paid for it on the trade in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 My son had a Mossberg youth 20 that did him fine service. He sure outgrew it fast. He sold it for what I paid for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 I split the difference. I grew up with the Browning A5 16 gauge. I loved that gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 OTOH, you could do the old "Buy a take off stock and cut slices out of it and replace them as he grows into it" bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 If he's right handed either is a great gun. If left handed, the tang safety on the 500 is a huge advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 17 minutes ago, DeaconKC said: If he's right handed either is a great gun. If left handed, the tang safety on the 500 is a huge advantage. True. I have been told that the safety on an 870 can be reversed. I have not done it, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 buy them a 12 ga , its a myth that the 20 kicks less - it kicks harder and with light loads a 12 will serve them better longer , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Graybeard Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 As a left hander...I have only had one left handed gun. And reversed one safety. All they did was mess me up. I don't know why anyone would think a top tang safety would mess up a left hander...my safety of choice. About the most ambidextrous safety there is. The only gun I ever fired that I didn't like was a friends 11-87. For some reason it would spit out unburned powder right into my face...and a Henry big boy in 45 colt. Every shot was like a smokey glaucoma test. It lasted two matches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted November 12, 2023 Share Posted November 12, 2023 870 Youth Mod. They used to come with coupon for 50 bucks of a adult sized stock as the lade grows... Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted November 12, 2023 Share Posted November 12, 2023 I just bought a 20 gauge 870 Fieldmaster. I bought the 12 gauge last year and really like it. I have not even cleaned the new one yet but I'm already impressed. It is a quality arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life Posted November 15, 2023 Share Posted November 15, 2023 20 double with light hand loads Then a 10 gauge double with light handloads. All with black powder More fun . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 Posted November 15, 2023 Share Posted November 15, 2023 On 11/9/2023 at 11:21 PM, watab kid said: buy them a 12 ga , its a myth that the 20 kicks less - it kicks harder and with light loads a 12 will serve them better longer , BS I have both, the 20 kicks much less, less shot less kick, just that simple. I can shoot 100 round sporting clays with a 20 no problem, with a 12 I'm done after a box. I've never had any more trouble finding 20 ga shells than 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted November 16, 2023 Share Posted November 16, 2023 On 11/14/2023 at 9:49 PM, Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 said: BS I have both, the 20 kicks much less, less shot less kick, just that simple. I can shoot 100 round sporting clays with a 20 no problem, with a 12 I'm done after a box. I've never had any more trouble finding 20 ga shells than 12. ok , i guess we all have our oppinions and depending on where you are availability ...ill stay with my thinking based on my experience , i have no issue with 300 sporting with my 12 in a day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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