kev74
20×102mm Vulcan
If the kid weighs 80 lbs., its not really a matter of manning up. He's physically going to have issues with a turkey gun, both in gun handling and recoil management.
.410 kick
- Thread starter Saltwater60
- Start date
Exonautic
.308 Win
I'm with Dayten on this one. I picked up a 30-06 as my first gun. Having never fired a gun before i didn't know what to expect, difference is, i intended to continue with it no matter what so when i picked up a 223 ar for the first time, it was easy as cake to me. The biggest difference is mentality. recoil doesn't scare people who are intent on being shooters. If you're trying to get him into it he needs to know what's going to happen and not be surprised. especially if his main interest is in turkey. Those 12g 3 1/2" turkey loads are not friendly beings.
GuyMontag
.44 mag
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
I agree. I'm going to hold off I think on anything for him. I'm going to see if he will get his hunting license over the winter.
He's just so damn stubborn that he will be 60 and be like I'm not shooting a shotgun. Nope.
I have pushed him a bit into trying the light 20 gauge loads again since I think he can handle them at this point. Maybe I'll try again in spring.
Thanks guys. This was a great discussion and helped a lot. Even though I won't be moving forward at this point it will help me with my younger son. I have held him off on shooting the 20 gauge. I think I'll let him in spring. He's more determined and tougher. Maybe if he sees his younger brother the older one will say ok I'm ready.
He's just so damn stubborn that he will be 60 and be like I'm not shooting a shotgun. Nope.
I have pushed him a bit into trying the light 20 gauge loads again since I think he can handle them at this point. Maybe I'll try again in spring.
Thanks guys. This was a great discussion and helped a lot. Even though I won't be moving forward at this point it will help me with my younger son. I have held him off on shooting the 20 gauge. I think I'll let him in spring. He's more determined and tougher. Maybe if he sees his younger brother the older one will say ok I'm ready.
Exonautic
.308 Win
May i suggest also getting the kid a cheese burger and a gym membership.
Bananabandit
.338 Win Mag
No you may not. Cheeseburgers are for me
kev74
20×102mm Vulcan
There's always archery if he wants a turkey.
@thewheels
.308 Win
Maybe go with a PCC. A 9mm or a .40 will have nothing more than a snap and they aren't loud. A lever 357 can take 38 special and that has kick like a 22 with a little more report. When's he warms up to it, give him some 357 mag to run through it. Louder for sure but more than manageable recoil.
The felt recoil equation has a lot to do with the weight of the gun. Youth firearms tend to be smaller/lighter and exaggerate the felt recoil for kids. It's a balancing act when buying for them.
I'm always a little surprised when I run an Ithaca Featherlight 20 gauge and then right after grab a tac'd out 870 12 gauge that weighs probably 2 pounds more. My mind is telling me to expect more recoil and the weight difference mitigates it to a large degree.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
I tried the gym membership because my wife and I have been going. He won't come. As for the cheeseburger add bacon and pickles and he's all over it.
HighlandLofts
6.5 Creedmoor
You can pick up a older mossberg 20 gauge bolt action pretty cheap, they shouldn't kick that much with the dove & quail shot low base.
I take my six year old grandson out shooting just about every weekend. He shot an old Iver Johnson single shot with the Aguila mini-shotgun shells a month or so ago and was hitting water filled coke cans set up on a tree stump.
Last weekend he shot a old Springfield 410 single shot, He was shooting eggs set up on a dirt bank.
All kids develop at different ages, don't rush it.
All of my kids started out shooting at 5 & 6 years old on 22lr then onto 410 then 12 gauge.
The grand kids start out at the same age, Take the out as often as you can and go home when they start getting bored. Don't over do it.
I take different types of targets, Ice cubes with holes drilled in them & suspended on a string, Same thing for Charcoal briquetts, Bollons on a string, Clay pigeons set up on a stump or bank, Soda cans filled with water.
The list goes on & on. It keeps their interest longer then just shooting paper.
I take my six year old grandson out shooting just about every weekend. He shot an old Iver Johnson single shot with the Aguila mini-shotgun shells a month or so ago and was hitting water filled coke cans set up on a tree stump.
Last weekend he shot a old Springfield 410 single shot, He was shooting eggs set up on a dirt bank.
All kids develop at different ages, don't rush it.
All of my kids started out shooting at 5 & 6 years old on 22lr then onto 410 then 12 gauge.
The grand kids start out at the same age, Take the out as often as you can and go home when they start getting bored. Don't over do it.
I take different types of targets, Ice cubes with holes drilled in them & suspended on a string, Same thing for Charcoal briquetts, Bollons on a string, Clay pigeons set up on a stump or bank, Soda cans filled with water.
The list goes on & on. It keeps their interest longer then just shooting paper.
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
Yes I have to set up a better range. Problem with going too much for me is I can't take them to a range locally because my younger one is under age. I go to my parents property and it's 2 hours away. So I only get them out a few times per year. I did enroll them in a air gun/.22 league locally. It's twice per month through the winter.
HighlandLofts
6.5 Creedmoor
I live in town so it's back yard pellet gun & bb gun shooting a lot, We set up soda cans & beer cans filled with water. The Gamo Bigcat pellet gun destroys the cans, the red ryder bb guns don't do anywhere near the damage the pellet gun make. We use soda and beer cans because we don't have the deposit BS here.
Where we go to actually shot the real guns is a drive. The closest place is about 15 miles away, but we are limited on shooting distance, maybe twenty five yards or so. It takes about twenty-five minutes to get there.
The other places we shoot at are thirty-five to fifty miles away from the house and take an hour to an hour & a half to get there. These are the places we go to the most because it's way out in the mountains and it's peaceful there. The one place is about four miles back in the woods.
The other place is farther out of town and is six miles back in the woods.
We have another place about four miles back in the woods we go to. Here in this video he is shooting the Ruger 77/357 magnum with 38 special bullets.
Where we go to actually shot the real guns is a drive. The closest place is about 15 miles away, but we are limited on shooting distance, maybe twenty five yards or so. It takes about twenty-five minutes to get there.
The other places we shoot at are thirty-five to fifty miles away from the house and take an hour to an hour & a half to get there. These are the places we go to the most because it's way out in the mountains and it's peaceful there. The one place is about four miles back in the woods.
The other place is farther out of town and is six miles back in the woods.
We have another place about four miles back in the woods we go to. Here in this video he is shooting the Ruger 77/357 magnum with 38 special bullets.
Last edited:
Sorry haven't read through all of the posts so this may already have been covered. I'd personally take him out again with the 20. Have him "stretch" the gun as if it was a bow pulling back hard with trigger hand and pushing forward hard with support hand. This alone should absorb most of the felt recoil. You could also have him shoulder gun closer to center of chest than in shoulder pocket... more mass behind gun. My guess is he became afraid of gun because he was holding it lightly and was a few years younger. Explain everything to him before even going to a range and see how he takes to it. You could also use lighter target loads and a semi auto if you have access to one. Good luck!
Edit also make sure his stance is good. Trigger side leg should be set back a little and he should be leaning forward a bit. Stand behind him and place your hand on his back/shoulder behind gun and push in slightly as he fires. Again more mass to absorb any felt recoil...
Edit also make sure his stance is good. Trigger side leg should be set back a little and he should be leaning forward a bit. Stand behind him and place your hand on his back/shoulder behind gun and push in slightly as he fires. Again more mass to absorb any felt recoil...
Last edited:
Saltwater60
.950 JDJ
That was my plan. He just won't agree to shoot it again. My younger son is dying to shoot it and I think will be ok shooting it. I think then maybe he will shoot it.