Lightweight gas 20 gauges...

tod osier

tod osier

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I'm looking to get Gus a youth sized gas 20 gauge. Looking for a compact, light gas gun.

Beretta a400 Lite compact seems like the option for me. It is a little heavy over 6 pounds and has the heaviest price tag, but seems to be best of the bunch. There are the Turkish options from Mossberg (SA-20 youth) and Weatherby (SA-08 youth) that are light and inexpensive, but i'd rather avoid a headache, but they are light.

Very intriguing are the inertia guns from Benelli / Franchi that are light, but obviously will have more recoil due to being light and inertia guns. Montefelatio and Affinity 3 both come in under 6 pounds and come in compact models. Monte comes with a 2 stock version in wood and the Franchi has a nice spacer system. Anyone have comments on these for recoil?

Not interested in pumps or doubles. What am I missing? He isn't a big kid and I've seen how lugging a heavy gun dampens enthusiasm in both adults and kids - so not interested in anything heavy. Kid had eleventy-five dozen guns already, but he is outgrowing his .410s and needs a 20.
 
Cousin has the Benelli 20. It is a very light gun and the kick wasn't too bad. My son shot it and didn't complain about the kick. He did complain about the kick of the single shot 20 he was shooting. My son, at the time, was a smaller kid for his age (skinny).

Mark
 
Mark W said:
Cousin has the Benelli 20. It is a very light gun and the kick wasn't too bad. My son shot it and didn't complain about the kick. He did complain about the kick of the single shot 20 he was shooting. My son, at the time, was a smaller kid for his age (skinny).

Mark
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Good to hear on the recoil, that is really the gun I'd gravitate towards. I've shot an inertia gun for 20 years, so it is in my comfort zone. Prettiest of the bunch too.
 
Picked myself up a Win SX3 20 guage this summer and have been shooting doves teal & woodys with it. Good little gun. I think they,re available in youth models as well. Tried & tru gas system in them as its been around since Browning brought out Gold & win.SX2 shotguns. The Benell M2 20 guage is a great little gun if you decide your inertia bound and the comfort tech stock system does reduce recoil greatly in them. Its available in youth models as well.
 
Whatever you get,don't go cutting the stock like I did !!
They grow out of it so fast you'll be regretting doing it
 
Lots of Remington Youth model 1100 20's kicking around. Maybe not as slick as more modern designs but easy on the recoil and a new stock can be had for peanuts. Very pointable guns.
 
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The single shots do kick like a mule. I teach shooting and do not recommend those. Recommend at Rem 1100 20 ga. They are all around the place. Buy a used stock on line a cut it for a good fit. Later when the kids grow, put on the old stock, as they have grown. Even Dad can use it. Smaller investment...
I cut one down really small with a 24" bbl for the tykes and used it for years, teaching. One of the parents bought it to lend it around in the large family... Start off light with shells also, newbies don't like recoil.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Lots of Remington Youth model 1100 20's kicking around. Maybe not as slick as more modern designs but easy on the recoil and a new stock can be had for peanuts. Very pointable guns.
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Both myself and a colleague tried to find a Youth 1100 for our kids, not luck down here, they are scarce as hens' teeth!
 
I had same thought about an 1100, but they are a little on the heavy side compared to some of the more modern offerings. I wish I'd bought one instead of the 1187 I have in 20.

A lot of upland hunters swear by the Franchi AL48's. Said to be the lightest auto there is, though I have no idea if that is objectively true. Like the 1100, there are a pile of good used ones out there. But I think they are a little heavier in recoil than the Benelli M2 or Benelli ultralight.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Lots of Remington Youth model 1100 20's kicking around. Maybe not as slick as more modern designs but easy on the recoil and a new stock can be had for peanuts. Very pointable guns.
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I considered them, but long ago decided to never own a gun that has an o ring as a part of the action. Maybe I?m a snob. Ok, I?m a snob. I also have a policy against buying used autosloaders.

They are also a heavier option, depending on model.
 
roy brewington said:
Picked myself up a Win SX3 20 guage this summer and have been shooting doves teal & woodys with it. Good little gun. I think they,re available in youth models as well. Tried & tru gas system in them as its been around since Browning brought out Gold & win.SX2 shotguns. The Benell M2 20 guage is a great little gun if you decide your inertia bound and the comfort tech stock system does reduce recoil greatly in them. Its available in youth models as well.
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Haven?t looked at them other than to see price. I?ll check them out.
 
Carl said:
SJ Fairbank said:
Lots of Remington Youth model 1100 20's kicking around. Maybe not as slick as more modern designs but easy on the recoil and a new stock can be had for peanuts. Very pointable guns.
Click to expand...

Both myself and a colleague tried to find a Youth 1100 for our kids, not luck down here, they are scarce as hens' teeth!
Click to expand...

Wow, just looked online...right you are Carl. Guess I'm old and out of touch.
 
tod osier said:
SJ Fairbank said:
Lots of Remington Youth model 1100 20's kicking around. Maybe not as slick as more modern designs but easy on the recoil and a new stock can be had for peanuts. Very pointable guns.
Click to expand...

I considered them, but long ago decided to never own a gun that has an o ring as a part of the action. Maybe I?m a snob. Ok, I?m a snob. I also have a policy against buying used autosloaders.

They are also a heavier option, depending on model.
Click to expand...

I understand completely about the O-ring, and I don't care for used anything if I can avoid it. And in the interest of being agreeable, yes, you are a snob. [;)]
 
Tod,

I've got a Benelli Montefeltro and an M2, both in 20 gauge. They have been great guns and the M2 has suffered through mountains, prairies, marshes, fresh and salt water and has brought down birds ranging in size from dove to turkey and the occasional hog. It's a good thing it's a synthetic stock because if it were wood it'd be in serious need of some love. The Montefeltro (wood stock) I pretty much use now as my upland gun and I love toting it for hours and miles on end. I love them both but I gotta say that if you are using a 3" shell in them, their kick lets you know the gun is there because of how lightweight they are. Lightweight is nice for hauling around in the field on long treks but if you and Gus are going to do a lot of shooting with 3" shells, I'd consider something a bit heavier to help absorb some of that felt recoil. Unless I'm hunting for divers on the Gulf or chasing turkeys, pretty much all I use now are 2 3/4" shells and that is partly because of the recoil and partly because 3" isn't necessary for most places I hunt these days. I have developed a pretty nasty flinch that rears its ugly head from time to time (to be fair, I had the flinch before I got my M2 and I shot a 20 ga 870 prior to that). You can also get the spacers for the Montefeltro, though it doesn't come with them (or at least mine didn't). I love the inertia guns. They're very easy to take apart and clean and put back together. And I've never had issues with the guns cycling when I switch from light loads to heavy loads.

I will add that when I toured the Mossberg factory up in CT, their foreman told us straight up that they build cheap guns and as a result, have to deal with the problems associated with cheap guns. So if you go a Mossberg route, I'd check to make sure parts are readily available or their customer service is very good. You may never have issues but it sure made me feel "great" about the Mossberg product when the foreman told us that. In case work that comes in, when we get shotguns in (granted they are most always pumps) that have problems, inevitably they are Mossbergs. For me, I'd say stay away from Mossberg even though I know that plenty of people have said they never have issues with their guns.

I don't have any experience with the Beretta.

Dani
 
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Dani said:
Tod,

I will add that when I toured the Mossberg factory up in CT, their foreman told us straight up that they build cheap guns and as a result, have to deal with the problems associated with cheap guns. So if you go a Mossberg route, I'd check to make sure parts are readily available or their customer service is very good. You may never have issues but it sure made me feel "great" about the Mossberg product when the foreman told us that. In case work that comes in, when we get shotguns in (granted they are most always pumps) that have problems, inevitably they are Mossbergs. For me, I'd say stay away from Mossberg even though I know that plenty of people have said they never have issues with their guns.

Dani
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Everyone I know who has a Mossberg semi likes the gun, thinks it points and shoots well and goes bang whenever they pull the trigger, loves the low cost for a beat around saltwater duck gun, and bitches about lots of small issues. For example, one guy has a stock that consistently loosens over the course of the season, no matter how tight he cranks the stock bolt or how much loctite he puts on it. (Try shooting with a loose stock, or fixing one in the blind.) Another consistently lost the bolt handle while firing, and replacements were wicked expensive. He jury rigged with a something from the local hardware store, but it's ugly and tough on his hands when unloading. Would not be my choice.
 
Dani said:
Tod,

I've got a Benelli Montefeltro and an M2, both in 20 gauge. They have been great guns and the M2 has suffered through mountains, prairies, marshes, fresh and salt water and has brought down birds ranging in size from dove to turkey and the occasional hog. It's a good thing it's a synthetic stock because if it were wood it'd be in serious need of some love. The Montefeltro (wood stock) I pretty much use now as my upland gun and I love toting it for hours and miles on end. I love them both but I gotta say that if you are using a 3" shell in them, their kick lets you know the gun is there because of how lightweight they are. Lightweight is nice for hauling around in the field on long treks but if you and Gus are going to do a lot of shooting with 3" shells, I'd consider something a bit heavier to help absorb some of that felt recoil. Unless I'm hunting for divers on the Gulf or chasing turkeys, pretty much all I use now are 2 3/4" shells and that is partly because of the recoil and partly because 3" isn't necessary for most places I hunt these days. I have developed a pretty nasty flinch that rears its ugly head from time to time (to be fair, I had the flinch before I got my M2 and I shot a 20 ga 870 prior to that). You can also get the spacers for the Montefeltro, though it doesn't come with them (or at least mine didn't). I love the inertia guns. They're very easy to take apart and clean and put back together. And I've never had issues with the guns cycling when I switch from light loads to heavy loads.

I will add that when I toured the Mossberg factory up in CT, their foreman told us straight up that they build cheap guns and as a result, have to deal with the problems associated with cheap guns. So if you go a Mossberg route, I'd check to make sure parts are readily available or their customer service is very good. You may never have issues but it sure made me feel "great" about the Mossberg product when the foreman told us that. In case work that comes in, when we get shotguns in (granted they are most always pumps) that have problems, inevitably they are Mossbergs. For me, I'd say stay away from Mossberg even though I know that plenty of people have said they never have issues with their guns.

I don't have any experience with the Beretta.

Dani
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Great info. I have not shot a 20 much at all. I know that the recoil on pump 20 gauges is pretty stiff in the very light guns marketed for kids, especially with 3" shells and that would follow with an inertia gun since they don't seem to soak up as much recoil.

On the Mossberg, they are right down the road, so it is a shame the issues they have, but they are working to a price point. The 20 gauge auto I'm talking about is a Mossberg branded Turkish-made gun based on the older Beretta gas designs. They are supposed to be pretty decent... so not out of the Mossberg factory, but I'm not sure if that is a good thing. Anyway, I'd be surprised were I to go that route. Thanks!
 
The 1100's are scarce cuz no one wants to give them up. They pass em down.

The O ring on a 1100 is a lot easier to replace (I always had/have extras) than the little rubber gasket on a Benelli bolt (also have extras).

Having shot 1100's since the 1960's and a Benelli since 1990's, there is a world of difference between the two. Both do the job, but recoil is the big difference. That is where the 1100 shines. That's why the world champion skeet teams used them for so many years.

For a youth auto, you cannot beat a 1100 in 20,16, or 12 2 3/4.

just my 2 cents
 
Vince Pagliaroli said:
The 1100's are scarce cuz no one wants to give them up. They pass em down.

The O ring on a 1100 is a lot easier to replace (I always had/have extras) than the little rubber gasket on a Benelli bolt (also have extras).

Having shot 1100's since the 1960's and a Benelli since 1990's, there is a world of difference between the two. Both do the job, but recoil is the big difference. That is where the 1100 shines. That's why the world champion skeet teams used them for so many years.

For a youth auto, you cannot beat a 1100 in 20,16, or 12 2 3/4.

just my 2 cents
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You would think such an awesome gun as the 1100 youth would be In current production and those that owned them wouldn?t use anything else.
 
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1100,s kind of went by the way side for waterfowling because of problems occurring with function when 3" chambered guns were called upon to shoot target loads. Those guns gas chamber ports weren,t designed to shoot loads below standard 2 3/4 " heavy loads. Hence they brought out the 11-87 to shoot anything. I own an original 11-87 primere which I shot case upon case of everything thru. Did have to have a new receiver after blowing mag tube loose for second time years ago. When the stock drop still fit me it was my killer. Latter production 11-87,s weren,t famous for reliability and they,ve become undesireable to many folks. Not a lot of difference to the way the 1100 or 1187 handles and shoots and bulk of parts interchange. There are better guns being built now by several companys. The older ones have become desireable because quality control once upon a time was great at Remington. Not so on last few remingtons I,ve owned.
 
My daughter shoots an AL391 for clays and hunting. She is on the petite size and handles it with no problem. You can find them on Guns International for around $1000.00 . Good solid guns. The Montefelatio would be my second choice.

Zane
 
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