Girls first gun

T

Tom Hickman

Active member
My 15 year old daughter will be hunting with me this year. She is only 5'2". I was leaning towards a 20 gauge over and under for her first gun. Top tang safety seems a safer way to go. Any thoughts or help appreciated.
 
My daughters first shotgun was also a 20 gauge but a pump. Just instill good gun safety habbits. I thought about a single shot or SS but ended up with a pump. I started with her just loading one round at a time then progressed to more. Safety first...
 
If you are hunting in a boat an overunder isn't the best,
it takes a lot of room to break it open and actualy must be pulled into boat
to do this.I have O/U's but never take them out there
Like john said a pump is good, there is Mossberg and Escort that can be had very cheap
 
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Thanks guys, a Mossberg 20 pump it is. I do like the top tang safety, I think I will also start her off with 2 3/4" shells also. Looking forward to the upcoming Virginia season
 
I got a mossberg last season and love the top saftey. Good luck hunt with your daughter this season
 
The first gun that I purchased for my daughter was a Remington 20 ga. pump. On opening morning 3 GW teal swung over the coys and she dumped two. A few years have passed and she has shot my 12 ga. Remigton 11/87 premier at the trap club with much success. I am just in the process or purchasing a Beretta 12 ga. A400 Xplor Ultralight for her.
 
I teach shooting and would recommend a pump in 20ga as suggested before. The one shell is a good idea until gun safety and fimilarity are good. After that, a auto loader is good. Hard to pump in a duck boat. I shoot a one man boat and had difficulty pumping on left to right birds, got a auto loader.
 
Might want to consider one of the Maverick 88 20 gauge pumps. They're a little cheaper than the Mossberg and have better stock than the Mossberg's for some reason considering they are made by the same company. That's what my girlfriend is shooting and she has become pretty deadly with it. You can pick thos up for less than $150 new.
 
a 20 ga autoloader is nice for young females. The recoil is not horrific, nor the kick and they won't get flinchy with an auto gun. The 20ga SS, OU, pumps I have shot are lightweight and give a push comparable to my 12ga dependent on model. you can still easily one shell it with an auto. two of my three daughters have shot our Chuck Dailey 20ga youth gun without complaints. when they shot the SS 20ga they did complain
 
One thing you may want to look at is how much more will she grow and what is her reach. As she gets older being able to adjust/ customize the gun may be something that becomes a question. If you have other children, for sentimental reasons would you keep it for her children to use. What ever brand you go with being able to easily purchase and change out stocks, forearms,etc. Could be in the future. good luck.
 
My daughter started with a 20 ga 870. She later moved to 12 ga 870. After shooting the 12 ga a while she commented on how it didn't kick as bad as the 20 ga. Gun fit and weight reduced the felt recoil. You also have a wider choice of shells in 12 ga.

Tom
 
20 gauge single shot or 870...Wait for the semis till later...I am a guy of short stature and use a 20 gauge youth model 1187 synthetic...Shoot 2 3/4 2s through 6s. Skeet or improved cylinder choke...Hunting almost 10 years with the gun...But started out with a single, then pump, and did not shoot an auto for almost 20 years into my hunting career.

Regards,
Kristan
 
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