If she's learning to shoot start with a single shot 20 gauge.
Go with that at least one season.

It's a good way to teach safety and shot selection.

Started my daughter out on a Beretta 20 ga 303 youth model w/ a 24" barrel & mobile chokes at 11 years old. Finally moved her to a Beretta RL3901 12 ga 26" barrel when she graduated high school. She's had her eye on my O/U for a couple of years now.

glad you got her a shotgun rooster!

Bought the SA08 youth 20 for 399.00 two years ago. Its been a great gun. I keep asking him to let me use it. I put a recoil reducer on it and extended the stock a little. Fits me great now!

I think you made a great choice. 28 is my favorite of all the bores. It is a fantastically deadly weapon on birds. I am going to take mine to the duck blind this year.

I know where a 1100 20ga is with choke tubes. It will need the stock cut down though. If your interested let me know.

3901/390 20ga
1100 20ga
SA-08 20ga

or a cut down 12g with a 24" barrel and 2 3/4" loads will get the job done with about the same amount of recoil as a light 20ga shooting 3" loads

David, thanks...we got her a H&R Pardner 28 ga.
I appreciate the thought though.

What happened to the Remington 1100 28 gauge?

My buddies wifes gun. Couldn't bring myself to spend what he wanted, she liked the 28ga. so I went with the H&R for 1/2 the price.

+1

Yeah thats the logic we went with, just a little less kick with the 28ga. With girls and hunting it has to be fun and fairly painless. Turned my oldest girl off with one dove season and a 870 12ga. As much as she wanted to spend time with me she just couldn't get over those first years experiences of shooting and getting pretty banged up. I started to make the same mistake with this one and stopped till I got her a gun that fits. Even if she only uses the 28ga. for one season, I'll be glad to keep it.

SA-07 20 gauge youth. My daughter loves it!

well done Rooster good choice So I guess you won't be needing this 1100 I offered to let you use so she could try it?

Man, I really appreciate that. I'm sorry I didn't see the post but that was very generous. She did shoot a buddies auto28 and loved it,I just didnt want to go $600 for a gun and a case of shells for her. Thanks for the offer!

yes Sir,no problem I've been there and done that a couple of times myself, so now I keep a couple extra shotguns around

I have a Winchester sxp 12 ga, and with 2 3/4 shells, i hardly feel a thing?! But may be a sxp in 20ga would be the ticket?! My 2cents?!

Get her a youth charles daly 20 gauge. That's what I shoot ALL of the time and I hunt turkeys to dove with it. I'm 12 and I've been shooting it for 2 years. Good luck on your search!

Thanks Turkeyslayer! Good luck this year.

Thanks, and to you and your daughter!

I agree with extreme tracker. Single shot lower recoil and teaching her to load each shot and to make it count cause there is no follow up shots will be good for her.

My sister shoots a benelli M2 20 ga at dove and ducks. Really an awesome gun and super durable if you plan to use it in saltwater

Kendall has been popping cap with an old H & R 20 crack barrel for 4 season now. She shot her first bird with it at age 8 and is busting dubs on the wing now. She is finally strong enough to handle an auto/pump safely with regards to barrel jump. She is getting a Weatherby Youth syn SA-08 in a few weeks. I will start her out slowly with only one round at a time for a while so she can get the feel of it and most likely let her move up to 2 shells when I feel her worthy...which won't be long I'm sure. She is stoked and ready to toss some lead. I'm sure by the youth opener of duck she'll be ready for all 3 caps to pop if need be.

Kendall's first bird



Kendall's first sprig...and it was a hoss




Kendall side by side droppin sight with her old man



Kendall with her hunting buddy on a youth only opener



last years early teal season..her first full limit. and look close, her first band too



last season on an afternoon tank hunk hunt ( notice how she has outgrown this crackbarrel)



And finally a pic from last season with her old man and our limit of greys.




yessir...been a joy watching her grow. she'll be outshooting me one day I'm sure. Started with 20 ga single shot..worked for us

Great pics there Homey! Love the first one.

Good Times, thanks for the pics Homey.

My daughter was 11yrs old when she really got serious about clays and wing shooting. I got her a Beretta 391 Urika 2 w/26" barrel and she hammered whatever she was shooting at last year. The 391 has such little recoil, on top of being light, that it's perfect for the young ones and women too. If a 391 is out of the price range for a starter I would highly suggest the Weatherby SA-08 in 20ga. I just recently picked up their 28ga in this model and so far I am very impressed with the gun for as little $ as I paid for the gun. Hoe this helps and hope she has a great season.

jrg