Thread: 20ga or 410 for beginners?

its been said for years,loading a .20ga up to magnum levels till its poking out .12ga payload will up recoil...an once of #5s in lead always killed well,a similar load of steel will be just as good,no need to push big payload and punish yourself with recoil..I know of quite a few shooters who have dropped back to 2 3/4" in .12 ga as they found they dont need the extra the 3 or 3 1/2" to kill majority of birds.

I have a yildiz 410 over and under and its the ducks nuts mate with a magnum cartridge it will take down ducks no problem and a walk around the forest on quail will get your youngster interested in all aspects of bird hunting and yes the ammo is more expensive but not as expensive as buying a gun that he won't want to use 410's hold their price.

The 410 is an expert's gun, the very small pay load means there is no margin of error. At least with a 20g and 7/8oz light loads there is some pattern density to help the kids hit something.
For all those advocating using a 12 gauge with light loads I hear you, but it will not work with smaller framed kids that have to lean way back to hold it up.
Better to have a lighter 20 gauge that they can learn good front foot technique.

3/4 Vs 7/8th..not much in it and you also need to pick load itself with care...the wee .410 can still use lead so loads will be much less on recoil than steel load of similar payload due to lesser velocity.
a cheap single .12ga can be cut down to size with less pain to pocket than a new gun.... heck there are many of them sitting idle and up for sale after kids grow .
agree with frame size though,even the wee .410 we have I needed to tootoo with so it fitted well/better,one bit folks miss is the hand size of younguns,creeping forward to find trigger isnt good for placing pattern in right place.
and again the trick with a light .20ga is light loads for it to keep recoil down....which then puts the difference to a .410 smaller still,steel shot SHOULD have much higher pellet count per once.

If possible wouldn't it be best to get a youngster shooting clay's first and maybe some rabbits etc? I think you can get 7/8 oz for 410's but it's going to recoil just as much even more than the heavier 20 ga shotgun, can't beat physics.

Interested to hear answers also.

Originally Posted by mikee

Has the lad shot anything before, what sort of range, close pond or passing shooting?

remember lightly loaded 12 will recoil less that a 20, my 8 1/2 12g with oz loads recoils less than my 6lb 20ga with oz loads.

A lot of people give their kids light 20ga's and then buy heavy loads for them and wonder why the kids don't enjoy their shooting.

dead right -get cheap pump or auto 12 gauge - cut butt/ stock back to suit young shooter and use light loads - best combo you get for younger shooter - 20 gauge with heavy loads could kick harder - forget 410 rats only

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

If possible wouldn't it be best to get a youngster shooting clay's first and maybe some rabbits etc? I think you can get 7/8 oz for 410's but it's going to recoil just as much even more than the heavier 20 ga shotgun, can't beat physics.

Interested to hear answers also.

nah 3/4oz is it and few n far between in these lawyer wary days,MOST IS 11/16th payload in 3" and 1/2oz in 2 1/2"

20g Browning Gold Fusion with 28" barrel, 26 would have been even better. I bought one of these for the Rat bag. My mistake was having a play with it myself. That meant needing two. Hence why this one has a spacer in the stock for my length of pull.
Gas auto means he can handle 1oz loads just fine.

After using this a 12g auto feels like a length of galvanized pipe.

At age 14 I would be starting him on 20g or 12g with light loads and as stated in other posts the single shots boot but also create better shooters as they only have one shot so do learn to make it count
My boys are 8 and 11 we all shoot with 410
The youngest a single shot 410 he has not got the hang of wing shooting yet he’s just happy to let a couple of shots off
The older boy is shooting a Mossberg pump 410 (started on the single shot) and has no problem taking mallards parry’s and even geese
I shoot an u/o 410 which I believe helps as the boys know they are not disadvantaged

Just an update. In the end I got a wee yildiz single shot 410. Had the old clay thrower out in the weekend. Once he had his eye the boy was using the wee gun well. In fact the little prick was out shooting me, and I was using my 12ga!

Originally Posted by Double tap

At age 14 I would be starting him on 20g or 12g with light loads and as stated in other posts the single shots boot but also create better shooters as they only have one shot so do learn to make it count
My boys are 8 and 11 we all shoot with 410
The youngest a single shot 410 he has not got the hang of wing shooting yet he’s just happy to let a couple of shots off
The older boy is shooting a Mossberg pump 410 (started on the single shot) and has no problem taking mallards parry’s and even geese
I shoot an u/o 410 which I believe helps as the boys know they are not disadvantaged

mm what loads he using on geese in the 410

We shot Canada's with 3"4s but we're in close...the mixed up sizes in shells helped.you fit 90#BB in the std .12ga shell so get 60 ish in .410.... Got to get in close.

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

If possible wouldn't it be best to get a youngster shooting clay's first and maybe some rabbits etc? I think you can get 7/8 oz for 410's but it's going to recoil just as much even more than the heavier 20 ga shotgun, can't beat physics.

Interested to hear answers also.

This makes a lot of sense, going out on opening morning with the old man, having a few shots probably with some I'll fitting cast off gun is no way to learn to shoot.
Get a clay trap and some one who knows what they are doing to teach the kids to shoot.
20g semi auto with 3/4 oz target loads nice and soft shooting,

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

We shot Canada's with 3"4s but we're in close...the mixed up sizes in shells helped.you fit 90#BB in the std .12ga shell so get 60 ish in .410.... Got to get in close.

ive shot them with 4,s to decoyin close but a lot more 4,s than a 410 holds.
it beggars belief that any one would let a newbee loose with a 410 on geese with whateva loads