My 5 year old has come with me on a dove hunt and really wants to do a duck hunt with me. He has also come and pulled the lanyard while we shoot clay pigeons. I’m thinking the best way of starting him is with a youth single shot shotgun and maybe bring him on a duck hunt once he can shoot a paper plate at ten to fifteen yards. My little 10/22 has a length of pull that is too long for him to effectively use, plus I think shotgun shooting may be easier and a bird hunt may be better than small game for the attention span and patience of a five year old. Just looking for comments and or ideas.

Also I’ve been looking and have been having a hard time finding a 410 youth gun. Perhaps they don’t make them any more. A used one may be my best bet, possibly I could sell it for about what I bought it for after he put grows it... any idea what these usually go for?

I bought my daughter a JR rossi single shot that had a switch out barrel so it could be .22 or .410; she never cared for the .410 but wore out some rabbits with the .22; I still have it as I am sure i will pass it down to my youngest when she is able to shoulder it.

I forget what I paid for it, but it wasn't much, surely you can still find them somewhere

Just my .02 cents. 5's a bit young to be on a shotgun of any size, unless he's a really big mature kid for his age. Worst thing you can do to a kid is install a recoil flinch in their early years. Once you think he's ready, a 20ga is a better gun to start him on. Not a huge difference in kick from a .410, but a higher probability of hitting the target. I'm one of those guy's that considers a .410 more an an expert's gun than a kid gun.

Couldnt have said this better myself.

Totally agree. Five is too young for a shotgun and 20GA is a better bore for a youth than a .410.

I am with the others, a bit young. I grew up in a different time, started with a BB gun at 5, had a 22 my next birthday and shortly after a 20 gauge single shot. When we were in the country, we could roam the pastures all day, only showing up for meals with the BB guns, but until we were about 10 had a lot of supervision with the 22s and shotguns.

Well Pilot, I started my son with a 410 when he was six. While I wholeheartedly agree a 20 is a lot more effective, it was too heavy and had too much recoil for a little feller. At that age, even a 410 is going to jar him pretty good. Whether he is too young or not is your call. If he is a rough and tumble kid, that doesn't pay much attention to bumps and bruises he will probably be fine. If he is timid or has a low pain tolerance it might be best to wait. As mentioned in prior posts, the 410 requires the shooter to have some skill if he is going to be successful with it. My advice is to teach him to handle it well enough that he is in the game before you take him hunting so he does not get discouraged. I taught my son a proper mount that he practiced in front of a mirror in the house till he grooved it. Then he mounted and shot stationary targets till he could mount and put the pattern where he wanted quickly. Then we practiced with a skeet thrower. First straight away, then little by little working his way 360 degrees around the thrower till he learned all the angles. Doing that first he experienced enough success with the 410 to really enjoy bird hunting. He also still missed enough to build up a pretty good grudge. Learning to hit with the little 410 fast tracked his skill. When he did get big and strong enough to handle a 20, he was hell on wheels and got some payback.
I started him with a single shot JC Higgins 410 that I cut down to fit him. One more bit of advice: Take the butt plate off and drill pilot holes before you cut the stock. When he grows, you can screw the piece you removed back on and it will line up perfectly.
Be patient bringing him along. My hat is off to you for wanting him with you.

I'm in pretty much the same boat with my boys but have decided to wait until they're large enough to handle a 20 gauge with light loads. I think the frustration factor is just too high for a beginner with a .410 given the size of the shot pattern

get him a little crickett .22 single shot and get some rat shot for it. He would never hit a flying bird and probably would not if he had a .410.
But he can finish off dove you have wounded.
I did this with my kids when they wanted to hunt when they were to little and they had a blast.

I've used a friends 410 rossi for my son and it was so short and light that it kicked harder than the 20 o/u he shoots now