I dont want him to have a 20 gauge or 410 just because they seem to puny i remember when i was 10 when i couldnt his sh1t with a 20 gauge then i turned 12 i got a 12 gauge and it was a beauty. That was 25 years ago.
But back on topic do you think he could shoot one when i was 12 i could only shoot 4 shells and i want him to be comfortable with his gun but i really want to get him a 12 gauge.
The one person who can BEST answer that question for you is your son. Take him out and let him actually fire a 12 gauge. Ask him what he thinks. If he wants to, let him fire it a few more times and then ask him again. If he agrees with YOUR decision that he wants a 12 and NOT a 20, buy the shotgun. If he doesn't feel quite up to it, wait another year or so and try it again. In the mean time, do not underestimate the game-getting ability of the .410 or 20. At one time, I owned the third largest licensed hunting club in California. We stocked our own birds and had a 9 month pheasant season because of that. I had an uncle who lost most of his left arm in an industrial accident. He shot a Stevens single barrel .410 with deadly accuracy and would usually finish the day with as many birds as the rest of us. The best friend I lost in Vietnam received NUMEROUS awards and medals in the Marine Corp. We grew up hunting and trapping together in the pheasant-rich farmlands of Northwestern Iowa. I used my grandfather's Winchester Model 12, and Bob used an H&R single-shot 410. He had NO trouble bagging his share of upland birds, waterfowl, and small game. It's all about making the best of what you have to work with. Bigger is NOT always better when it comes to shotguns and high-powered rifles. Know what I mean?
Yeah, a 20 gauge isn't the answer. My friend bought one for his wife and it still hurts her so she won't shoot with him.
One solution. A company called Knoxx (now owned by Blackhawk) makes a stock called the Knoxx Spec Opps Stock that greatly reduces recoil, has a pistol grip, and has adjustable length. The recoil will allow him to have much more control over the barrel rise of a 12 gauge, as will the firm grip he can get on the pistol grip. The adjustable stock length will allow you to fit whatever size his body frame is. I put this on my Remington 870, and now I can shoot all day without a sore shoulder and I hardly feel any muzzle rise. It's amazing. It reduces recoil more than any of those fancy Benellis or other guns that claim to have "built in recoil reduction."
I think that after breaking this stock in (takes a couple of shooting outings for the springs to relax), a light-weight 13-year-old could handle a 12 gauge no problem. NOTHING will reduce the pain of a 12 gauge like that Knoxx Spec Ops stock. (they also make a more normal looking stock called the Blackhawk Compstock that is supposed to use the same spring system... but then it won't be adjustable or have the pistol grip for added control).
A normal size 13 year old boy can handle any load in a 12 gauge.
If given proper instructions he can fire this without any problem.
Making him shoot a 410 is cruel, as it is very difficult to hit any moving target with it.
Let him practice with the 12 using light loads and once his confidence is good give him the real ammo.
if he can handle a 22 then he should be able to handle a 12
