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It is time for my son to move up to a 20 gauge. Thinking I am going to p/u the Mossberg Bantam. The price for the Mossberg at academy is pretty sweet. Anybody have experience with this? I know Remington has a similar model.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... g+&Ntk=All

I bought my son a Remington 870 youth a few years ago. Shortly thereafter, he hit a growth spurt and promptly outgrew it. We are holding on to it for my daughter.

I don't think you can go wrong with either the Mossberg or Remington. I still have and prefer my 870 my dad bought me when I was in fifth grade. It has been a great gun and lots of memories have been built with it including out-shooting a guy and his custom made Perazzi in a sporting clays tournament about 25 years ago.

The Mossberg 500 series is a great gun. Just make sure to buy a gun that has some weight to it to help with recoil. The Bantam 500 is 6.5lbs and the Remington 870 youth is 6lbs. In comparison, the cheaper Mossberg Maverick Bantam is 5.25lbs due to the aluminum receiver. I believe the Bantam 500 uses the same receiver as the regular 500. While lighter to carry around, the Maverick with aluminum receiver will definitely not help by absorbing the perceived recoil as well as the heavier 500.

Keith B wrote:The Mossberg 500 series is a great gun. Just make sure to buy a gun that has some weight to it to help with recoil. The Bantam 500 is 6.5lbs and the Remington 870 youth is 6lbs. In comparison, the cheaper Mossberg Maverick Bantam is 5.25lbs due to the aluminum receiver. I believe the Bantam 500 uses the same receiver as the regular 500. While lighter to carry around, it will definitely not help by absorbing the perceived recoil as well.

That is good to know. I'll have to research the recoil issue as I am sure the academy gun is the lighter one due to the price. I have the maverick 12 gauge and no way would put him on that..Cheap gun, but gets the job done. I know my boss was telling me the Mossberg can be switched to a larger stock as he grows? If my side jobs continue this month I'll be getting him one asap for dove season and practice.

Academy only shows the 500 and 510 online. 510 is very similar, all black adjustable synthetic stock, but weighs only 5 lbs. I would go with the heavier gun.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Keith B wrote:Academy only shows the 500 and 510 online. 510 is very similar, just all black adjustable synthetic stock

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think the black one is what I am going to get him. We both like those synthetic stocks. Just gotta get it on the QT w/o the other 1/2 seeing That and remember to carry my chl when I go get it to avoid the background.

texanjoker wrote:

Keith B wrote:Academy only shows the 500 and 510 online. 510 is very similar, just all black adjustable synthetic stock

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think the black one is what I am going to get him. We both like those synthetic stocks. Just gotta get it on the QT w/o the other 1/2 seeing That and remember to carry my chl when I go get it to avoid the background.

I edited my post. The black one is 1.5 lbs lighter, so I would go with the wood stock for recoil.

Keith B wrote:

texanjoker wrote:

Keith B wrote:Academy only shows the 500 and 510 online. 510 is very similar, just all black adjustable synthetic stock

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... =128727109" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think the black one is what I am going to get him. We both like those synthetic stocks. Just gotta get it on the QT w/o the other 1/2 seeing That and remember to carry my chl when I go get it to avoid the background.

I edited my post. The black one is 1.5 lbs lighter, so I would go with the wood stock for recoil.

Then I'll take your advice and get the wooden one.

Since you have the Maverick in 12, it weighs about 7 lbs. I would think the 510 in 20GA 5lbs would have about the same recoil as the Maverick 12GA with really light field loads. You might be able to gauge his ability by that.

Keith is right. Watch that weight. My 870 youth with 3in #2 buckshot has more recoil then my 500 persuader with low recoil #1 buckshot in 12 gauge.

If you at worried about recoil I would go with a 28 gauge. I have a Remington 1100 LW Skeet in 28 and it can be shot all day without getting a sore arm and I've been shooting it since I was 12.

If recoil is an issue, put a Limbsaver recoil pad on it. The limbsaver takes almost all of the "ouch" out of recoil. I have one on my Mossberg 500 12 gauge, 3" shells are tame.

texanjoker wrote:It is time for my son to move up to a 20 gauge. Thinking I am going to p/u the Mossberg Bantam. The price for the Mossberg at academy is pretty sweet. Anybody have experience with this? I know Remington has a similar model.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... g+&Ntk=All

Yep, I do have experience with that very gun, and probably mentioned it several times on this forum in the last couple of years. I'm 60 years old and deal with at least 50 years of having abused most of my joints in some way or another .... including both shoulders as well as my neck. For the last 4-5 years I could barely shoulder a normal length shotgun and get a full swing range to hit fast moving birds. Just as an experiment I bought a 20 ga Mossy 500 Bantam three years ago (even though it was a pump gun) to try the birds, and figured if the length worked, I might get a couple of my other "better" guns cut and fitted. The first dove hunt with that little thing sold me as it greatly increased my shot/kill ratio, so much so that I waited for the second year before spending money customizing other guns. In five more weeks that little 500 Bantam and a case or so of 20 ga shells will be making the 340 mile trip to dove heaven for the third year in a row with a 12 ga Beretta staying in the truck as an emergency backup (for the third year in a row).

A 20 ga gun, especially a light one, will smack a bit, although less than a 12 ga of the same size. I have found that some light 20's will pound you harder than a heavy 12 ga, but the Bantam seems to be well balanced for standard 20 ga bird shot. With the three standard choke tubes it's a very versatile gun. During the "off season" I also keep it handy with some #3 Buck shot around the house. And the 22 inch barrel seems to have little disadvantage on birds out to around 40 yards, even with the modified choke.


surv

Good info above thanks.

He is ready for the 20 gauge..He is soon to be 13 and loves the M4 so it's time for a new gauge for dove season.

texanjoker wrote:Good info above thanks.

He is ready for the 20 gauge..He is soon to be 13 and loves the M4 so it's time for a new gauge for dove season.

M4, as in Benelli M4 or M4 as in 5.56? I'm leaning towards the Benelli.

I also have thought about the Remington 870 for my daughter, but think I might start looking at some 28 gauges because of the recoil. This would be just for skeet, trap, or 5-stand. We might not end up getting her a shotgun at all. She's interested, but not that much. She likes the rifle and handgun more.