Have looked at Mossberg and Remington shotguns for my 11 year old grandson. I don't want to get one that he will out grow too soon. Mossberg maverick looks too small to me. Remington at Dick's did not have any extra chokes with it while this mornings paper had an ad from cabela's showing the Remington with 3 chokes for the same price. $269. I think...what suggestions might you have?

Thanks!

Mossberg Bantam grows with them.

http://www.mossberg.com/product/shotguns-pump-action-500-bantam-all-purpose/52132

I started with a 12 ga H&R at 7 years..... Just teach him to hold it tight to the shoulder.....

I started with a 870 Wingmaster...still have it.

I just feel the 12 ga. would be too much now....maybe I am wrong. Already had a bad experience with H&R in a 243.

Id stay with a 20ga for an 11yr old. With a 12ga theres just too much of a chance they will develop a flinch and become scared of recoil. I started with a 20ga Mossberg youth at 11yrs old, and switched to a 12ga at 14.

If you can find a beretta 390 20ga youth I would opt for that. obviously they are a higher price($500+), but stocks and longer barrels are available so you can change the gun as he grows. Im picking up one for $320 on saturday...id buy a dozen at that price if they had more.

Nothing wrong with a 20ga at all, could also look at 16ga.

At 11, I would think the bad experience with a .243 would be more about the gun than the round. I would think that H&R produces more felt recoil.

jbd76266 The problem with H&R 243 was the gun being defective, twice. He shoots a Remington 700 243 now without a problem.

get a quality 20 or 12 and purchase extra butt stock from manufacturer, if the standard model is too long. swap back when he's older.

curious what happened with the h&r

Railhead,
The H&R 243 was a single shot break-open, the first problem was with the trigger assembly. The second problem after being sent in for warranty work twice, the gun would not fire accurately. Was eventually returned directly to Remington and received a full refund. They were very helpful gave the refund without any hassle.

The Win SXP is nice. My 13 year old brother could shoot it when he was 12. May be a bit big but he will adjust over time and never outgrow it.

Oh yeah, its only $299.99.

For an 11 yr old of average size, I would stay with a youth gun. A standard size gun will have a too long length of pull, and if you cut the stock down, it is still too much weight out front for them and will cause them to lean back to support the gun instead of leaning forward on their front foot. The wrong size gun will just cause poor technique and bad habits.

My son shot a Mossberg Bantam 500 20 gauge up until he was 14. At 14, we bought him a Beretta A300 Outlander and it fit him right out of the box.

I've got a Mossberg 20 gauge camo youth bantam shotgun for sale on this forum. Posted it today if anyone is interested.

AJ

Youth 870!

I had one in 12, 20, and 16 guage my parents gave me growing up. I would get a new one every Christmas. I still have the 16 but the others were stolen when I left for the military. From my experience there is no way in hell I would start my little crumbsnatcher on a H&R 12. That was my start and that thing would kick like a mule. The upside is I didn't shoot at something unless I REALLY wanted to.


I would say a Youth 870 because then they get older you can just upgrade the gun as they go.

Get a 20 gauge Charles daly pump. I am 13 know and got it when I was about 9 and still love it. I use it for anything I hunt with a shotgun. It interchanges most parts with a 20 gauge 870.
Let him try a 12 gauge when he is ready.
Best of luck on your shotgun search!

This

20ga definitely, 870 youth, or Mossberg w/top thumb safety if LH. The H&R .243 was the WORST acting one ever made, vs 30-30 which was always a tack driver.

I believe in starting kids out with a youth semi. It is pretty easy with most of them to make a plug that renders it a single shot until you feel they are ready for multiple rounds. The perceived recoil is so much less with a semi. And definitely 20 gauge.

I started out with a Montgomery Wards 16 gauge SxS when I was 12 in 1971. A semi would have been much more enjoyable.

Wish I could ship one to you. Have a 20 gauge youth Remington.