I have one of the Mossberg Bantam 20 ga. pumps that I loan to junior shooters. Recoil seems less with Federal target loads for some reason. The best answer I have is to load 3/4 ounce loads at about 1150 fps. Ron

 

Ron: Does your Bantam pump have just the factory pad on it? At the very least I'd put a Kick-eez on it if I went this route, but I'm still concerned that it wouldn't reduce recoil enough. The stock is pretty small so I'm not sure how many of the recoil reduction systems would work on it. Maybe a low-end Graco and a Kick-eez pad? I could install that myself and might stay within budget.

-Gary

 

I put a Kick-Eze on it. The original pad was pretty hard. Ron

 

These light guns kick the poop out of a young shooter. Either buy a used gas pipe such as a Remmy 1100, or reload 3/4 oz loads at the aforementioned 1100 or so FPS.

 

Shooting Coach: Again, average sized 4th & 5th grade kids have trouble with Remi autos because the kids need to lean back to counterbalance them. Even if it's not a strength problem, it's still a physics problem (bodyweight insufficient to balance w/o leaning back). What do you think of the Graco + Kick-Eez pad on a Bantam pump?

-Gary

 

I realize you have tried the LT-20 but wonder if you are familiar with the Upland Special models of the 1100 LT-20? Mine is an early one with a 21" barrel but I have a 24" barrel also that I use hunting. If anything they are a bit butt heavy. Just recently put a monte carlo Rem. 74 rifle stock on it and it looks like a shrunken 1100 Trap.

 

I started out with a Mossberg 9200 youth bantam. Great semi. See if you can find one!

 

No, I haven't seen an Upland Special LT-20 or the 9200 youth bantam. I'll keep my eye out for one, though. Thanks for the info.

In the mean time, today I looked at a Remington 11-87 Sportsman Synthetic. My son could handle its weight if it had a shorter LOP. Based on the Remington website, I think that's what the Sportsman Synthetic COMPACT offers -- the synthetic stock has spacers beneath the butt pad which can be removed. So this might be the perfect starter trap gun for kids. The problem is the price -- about $650-$700... IF you can find one with the LOP kit.

But unless I can find one used, I'm not sure there's a better option for my 93 lb. son.

-Gary

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/compact/shotguns/model-11-87/model-11-87-sportsman-compact-synthetic.aspx

http://www.remington.com/sitecore/content/Remington/products/accessories/gun-parts/adjustable-length-of-pull/adjustable-length-of-pull-system.aspx

 

Thanks but I'm looking for a 20ga.

-Gary

 

Do not use "DOVE LOADS". Use light target loads to get him started and he will do fine. Don't talk about the gun kicking, so he won't fear it. Have him shoot it from the hip if need be to see that it isn't so bad. One shell at a time. JIM

 

So would 4 dram loads in my 10ga goose gun be completely out of the question?

-Gary

 

You are missing the boat if you don't grab that 9200 mossberg for $295. I am a woman that shot that as my first gun....I paid $395 used. WHY do you want a 20 ga? A 12 ga will shoot ducks, geese, trap, skeet and sporting clays for a kid and you'll be able to sell it in a minute. There is no recoil....believe me! I shot this gun so well, I wonder why the hell I sold it! This one has 28" barrel! I shot mine with a 24" barrel. If you shoot trap, you're reloading 12 ga anyways.

 

Yvonne -- it's for a little kid for whom the weight of a 12ga is too far forward. Thanks for the input though.

-Gary

 

Mossberg makes a 12 ga Bantam pump, it has a 24" ported barrel w/choke tubes. I put a mercury recoil reducer in the stock and a Kick-Eze pad on it. I load 7/8 oz of #8's over 14 grains of promo. I have a 60 pound 8 year old shooting it, and he says it doesn't kick any harder than his 22.

Browning also had a BPS micro trap out a few years ago, it was a shot show special. I just sold my last one, two weeks ago, to a young lady. I load 1 oz of #8's over 14.5 grains of promo for her and from the 16 yard line she can smoke the targets with it.

Both of these shooters say the 12 ga with the light loads have less recoil than the 20 ga. guns they were shooting before.

 

Big Dave: Sounds like you've got a good set-up But the junior league my son wants to join is 20ga only and they shells are supplied by the club as part of the cost.

-Gary