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Contemplating introducing my eight year son to a scattergun later this year (he'll be nine in January), and wanted to get some input on sxs's for him. In the interest suitable gun weight, dimensions and ammunition selection, including non-tox, I am focusing on 20s.

A friend has offered me the use of a Stoeger youth model, however I've shot it and with those stubby 22" barrels and crappy triggers it is an unpleasant gun to shoot. Most youth models are repeaters, again with shorty barrels.

I understand the need for a light, easier to handle gun for a child, but shotguns of any gauge shorter than 40 inches make me cringe. It is far easier to keep those muzzles safe, especially in close quarters like a duck blind, with longer tubes. The lightest guns are great of course until the shooter develops a flinch from recoil.

My initial thoughts were to find an inexpensive sxs with the stock already shortened (plenty of those) around 6lbs, and open the chokes to skeet/IC.

Anyone, but especially those with experience in this area please advise. Thanks.

During my 20 odd years of coaching I was presented with a huge number of children, ladies and young adults and a whole catalogue of inappropriate guns!
I appreciate the difficulty of finding a gun for a child of only 9 but I think many parents expect their pride and joy to hit the ground running and start shooting game and clays when IMHO they are far too young.
If I had a child of this age I would be offering him only the briefest experience of shooting with a gun and target that he can not fail to hit. Less is more at these early stages and the thought of putting him in a duck blind at this age with a gun would be an anathema to me.
Only when he was physically strong enough to handle a 'real' gun for considerable periods of time without undue fatigue would I consider introducing him to situations where he could fail yet continue to work on the target until he achieved consistent success.
At what age this all takes place is for the parent/guardian to decide but I beg you, don't rush into it. I have seen keen youngster's confidence and enthusiasm utterly destroyed by a parent's over-confidence and -enthusiasm.
The only other piece of advice is to use as big a gauge gun as can be accommodated. 410's are a blight on the inexperienced, 28's are only really suitable for experienced shots or a brief taster, 20's are better but a compromise for the learner, 16's are pretty good but the 12 rules as king.
One of my best lady clients @ about 60 yoa stood about 4' nothing in her socks, built like a straw, weighed less than 90lb, suffered from various ailments but shot a 28"/12g Miroku like a demon! She had started with a 28g but had always struggled. The 12g was a revelation to her. Sure, she got tired but she cracked 75-85% of her targets and loved it.
My other piece of advice is not to impose our love of S/S's on the learner. Don't misunderstand me, I adore S/S's and would never shoot with anything else (and I have a cabinet full of O/U's and semi-auto's to choose from) but for the beginner I strongly believe that an single site plane helps enormously for them to get to grips with targets.
Once they are competent shots with confidence in their ability move on to a nice S/S but start with a O/U or S/A.
I hope this advice is taken in the way it was offered, with hope for a wonderful life time experience in shooting.

sir

i have helped my nephew and others learn to handle guns safely
and shoot but still don't feel qualified to advise

Bob Brister ( Shotgunning The Art and Science) and others have written on the subject

the NRA also has info I believe

hope you both have a wonderful experience

I started my kids and grandkids on shotguns when they were large/strong enough to handle a 20ga. For the most part that was about 12. I do not share Toby's enthusiasm for 12ga guns on beginners. At skeet or sporting clays where you select the targets for training purposes the 20 is indistinguishable from the 12ga as far as success goes. I also hand loaded light 3/4oz loads for them. Select open chokes like skeet or IC. The biggest detriment to a young/small shooter is ill fitting stocks. If your 9 year old is of normal size, you might want to consider something you can purchase replacement buttstocks for cheaply as you are going to need to cut it way down and grow it back about every year. And a beginner certainly doesn't need a double or repeater. I hunted on a single shot until in college and don't recall ever being short on game- usually the opposite as I knew one shot had to be carefully used. Many of my hunter education students do well on the remington junior model 870 with magazine plugged completely so gun is single shot. My grandson was started on a Charles Daly (Miroku) 20ga but he was a large kid and could handle the gun. Watch out for cross dominance in the eyes. Trying to shoot shotgun right handed and left eyed will generate a very poor start for youngsters. Just switch the gun to the dominate eye side they will pick it up just as well.

My thought is that a 9 year old should be shooting only a single barrel gun. Maybe at 12 something else. If you have him shooting, let him shoot cans or whatever on the ground. Not things, at least , when he constantly misses. Maybe a good first experience is taking him to a private area and shooting a 22 rimfire at some inanimate objects. Then you can teach him about gun safety and he can become comfortable with guns firing. Also, the single barrel should not be one with an outside hammer, that is too hard for his young hands to cock and handle. BB guns are wonderful trainers and just as fun for the shooter as any others.

I only have my own experience and my childrens to draw from. My Father started us on 28gauges and it was a disaster. They were light, but we shot heavy loads through them and got kicked. I was so glad to move up to a 20 gauge.

My own kids were started on 5-1/2 to 6 pound 20 gauge SxS with 3/4oz loads. I purchased a spanish 20 gauge for cheap with a short stock, intending to cycle it through the kids.

Ok, for a youth side by side, get an extractor gun, 26 inch barrels. The ejectors require too much strength to set.
A Richland 20 gauge IC/MOD should do nicely.
Here is an ad for a 12 gauge, but look around
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=226210212

or a Zabala

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=226158133

As for Daryls comment, I kinda agree, For my childern
the first year, they could have a pocket full of shells but ONLY ONE in the gun!!!!!!!!! When they matured, and I agreed, they could have more than one. They had to prove maturity and safety.

But, best I find is a Rem 1100 20 gauge and get two stocks and forends, one wood, and the other youth synthetic like the SpeedFeed youth stocks, Yes, I know the sxs was your quest, but I find the 1100 works best.

Mike

There is a ton more selection in 12b. The key is to go with the lightest ammunition possible. Fiocchi Training loads, Win AA Featherlites or RST Maxilite will be much more pleasant for a youngster. The extractor gun with 26" barrels is a great idea. If necessary, cut down the LOP and keep the cut off piece for re-installation later. Might add a good soft recoil pad at first as well. If you do go with a double, I would load only one barrel for him at a time until the kiddo gets more than enough experience to avoid an accidental discharge of the second barrel.

These are the ones I set up for my partner (she is a waify 50kg and has a petite head)Top pic of Beretta silver pigeon and my nine year old girl - bottom pic of Baikal u/o.

I have a press and can load nice light shells with 3/4oz wads and 13 grains of AS30 (like red dot) I didn't see any point getting a smaller gun as the shells I load are very soft to shoot.

The Beretta is fine, but the problem I have with the Baikal is twofold. Its too front heavy but if I take 4 inches off it it will only be a cylinder choke, and with the stock shortened the comb is too low and needs lifting.

Love some suggestions for the baikal to keep some choke about it, and reduce the barrels without spending more than the gun is worth.

I appreciate all of the feedback. No need to worry I have no intention of putting a firearm in his hands before he is ready. At this point, just getting prepared.

The point made about a single sighting plane is well taken, after training with BB guns and rimfire rifles it could be hard to get used to something radically different in profile. Singles without the hammer are a little more difficult to find, though.

After a few years of shooting clumsy, over-choked singles, at 12 years old I was handed a well-used Parker 16 to shoot ducks. It was a glorious experience. I can remember every bird I killed with that gun. Learning to shoot with a gun thought of as special, I believe increases one's awareness and respect for the firearm and the sport.