20 gauge recoil?

[USMC03Grunt]

OK, so I've never really been into 20 gauge shotuns. I grew up with a 12 gauge (a model 12 Winchester is what my dad had, it was the first shotgun I fired and never used any other gauge) and have zero experience with a 20. Right now my boy is going to turn 3 and he already has the mandatory Red Ryder BB-gun as well as a CAR-15 and a couple AR-10 lowers that are going to be built up over time as well just waiting for him when he gets older. I've been thinking of getting him a Remington 870 Express synthetic 7-round shotgun in 20 gauge but I've got no idea what the recoil level of a 20 gauge is going to be. Can anybody familiar with a 20 gauge give me an idea what the recoil level would be like?

[Glockmeister40]

Personally I would get him a .410 as the 20 gauge seems about the same as a 12 to me. I believe most of that comes from the 20 ga. gun being lighter.

[MrMurphy]

Depends on the gun. In a single shot it's gonna kick as hard as a 12. A pump, with a fitted (bantam/youth) stock and bird loads.... it's still gonna kick hard. At the speed kids grow a recoil pad and light loads might do it, but 3 is awful young. Most skeet shooters start kids at 9 with a 28 gauge single shot. I think a 20 is kind of large for a kid that young.

[vafish]

Skip the .410 for kids, most of them have full chokes and they don't throw that much lead out.

I started my kids on a Mossberg 500 20 Ga Bantam model. Kick isn't too bad with light target loads and the gun is light enough that a 9 or 10 year old can hold it up easily. With heavy loads like buckshot or duck hunting rounds it kicks about as much as a 12 ga because the gun is lighter.

If you are worried about recoil I suggest you pick the young fellow up a Remington 1100 or 1187 youth model in 20 ga. The gas action really soaks up the recoil.

[ked]

i just bought my 10 yr old a Beretta AL2 20 guage semi for $300.00. gas operated with a good recoil pad. should be a very light kick, especially with dove loads.

ked