I have five boys, ages 11, 9, 7, 5 and 3. I want to purchase a shotgun for them to use as they grow up. I have a 12-gauge and wo

[outdoorlife-editor]

I have five boys, ages 11, 9, 7, 5 and 3. I want to purchase a shotgun for them to use as they grow up. I have a 12-gauge and would like to get the same for the boys. Can you tell me what to look for in a youth-model gun? I imagine things such as weight are important. This will be mostly for trap shooting. -Gary Vawdrey, Highland, UT

[outdoorlife-editor]

A With five sons, it appears you're raising your own trap-shooting squad. You don't mention your financial means, but I'm going to assume that you'd like to get all of your boys into shooting with minimal financial stress.

Having said that, the bad news is that you're going to have trouble trying to get along with fewer than three shotguns. The problem isn't just having shotguns with reduced stock lengths to fit shorter arms, but being able to change the length of pull as the boys grow. There are a number of ways to do this; one is simply to start out with a youth-dimension shotgun and add spacers between the stock and buttplate to increase the length of pull as the boys grow.

A quick way to increase length of pull is to put on a slip-on recoil boot. Also, there are commercial buttplate assemblies that let you change the length of pull, but none that I'm aware of would give the extreme adjustment for the requirements of, say, 7- and 16-year-old shooters.

-Jim Carmichel, Shooting Editor

[dodgecummins]

when i was 8 i got my first shotgun it was a remington model 70 20 gauge it is a very good gun i still have it to this day and it is the best shotgun i ever had

[herbie57_57]

I know it easier to buy ammo if you sons have the same gauge that you do but your younger sons are going to be pretty sore if you make them use a 12 ga just so you don't have to buy 2 kinds of shells. You should consider a 20 ga for your younger kids at least.

[bear hunter]

try 870 remington juinor it has a 19" barrel gun only about 3' in all

[CCMJS]

If I was in your situation I might buy one youth gun. Let each boy have it for two years then get him the gun of his choice and hand the youth gun down again. When you get to the end then just trade up.

[PigHunter]

If I was in your situation I might buy one youth gun. Let each boy have it for two years then get him the gun of his choice and hand the youth gun down again. When you get to the end then just trade up.

That's a great idea!

[PigHunter]

I know it easier to buy ammo if you sons have the same gauge that you do but your younger sons are going to be pretty sore if you make them use a 12 ga just so you don't have to buy 2 kinds of shells. You should consider a 20 ga for your younger kids at least.

If you do chose different gauges, please teach your boys about the dangers of using a smaller shell by mistake in a larger bore.

[PigHunter]

A With five sons, it appears you're raising your own trap-shooting squad. You don't mention your financial means, but I'm going to assume that you'd like to get all of your boys into shooting with minimal financial stress.

Having said that, the bad news is that you're going to have trouble trying to get along with fewer than three shotguns. The problem isn't just having shotguns with reduced stock lengths to fit shorter arms, but being able to change the length of pull as the boys grow. There are a number of ways to do this; one is simply to start out with a youth-dimension shotgun and add spacers between the stock and buttplate to increase the length of pull as the boys grow.

A quick way to increase length of pull is to put on a slip-on recoil boot. Also, there are commercial buttplate assemblies that let you change the length of pull, but none that I'm aware of would give the extreme adjustment for the requirements of, say, 7- and 16-year-old shooters.

-Jim Carmichel, Shooting Editor

Those are good comments concerning length of pull. Thanks for mentioning that.

[PigHunter]

try 870 remington juinor it has a 19" barrel gun only about 3' in all

I like the 870 but it may be too much for the smallest shooters...

[PigHunter]

when i was 8 i got my first shotgun it was a remington model 70 20 gauge it is a very good gun i still have it to this day and it is the best shotgun i ever had

I looked for that model and couldn't find anything about it. Are you sure that's what it is?

[Buckshott00]

Hmm, in order to accommodate all those different sizes without multiple guns, you'll probably need a modular system similar to mossberg's Flex system