my son has a 20 gauge Rem 11-87, but it's too heavy for him to handle well.

I'd like to pick up something lighter for him to be able to shoot skeet with in the next couple years. My old single shot 20 gauge would thump you pretty good, and I'm not a fan of the patterns in a 410.

I've never shot a 28 gauge, but I would think with the right gun it may be what I'm looking for. Any recommendations on a lighter weight single shot or over/under that's reasonably priced? How's the recoil?

Yes, the 28 has very little perceived recoil and might be less frustrating for him to shoot than a .410 since it will throw a better pattern. Shells would be slightly cheaper than .410 too.

Remington made the 870 in 28 gauge years ago. I have one and it has a fixed modified choke. I think they make youth stocks for that shotgun, so a look on Gunbroker might be worthwhile. Obviously an O/U would be better for skeet, though, with chokes he could change out.

You would probably need to find him something a bit scaled down. Have you looked at the ATI Cavalry? I don't know what the reliability reviews are on it, but they make it in a scaled down youth version and it is priced very well ($400-500). I've seen them for sale everywhere, and they are nice-looking. I think it is a Turkish-made shotgun imported by ATI. Huglu was making some small frame shotguns as well (CZ, Bobwhite). Might be worth a look too. Doesn't Academy have a Turkish brand? Yildiz? Does that come in a youth size in 28 gauge?

If he could get away with shooting an automatic for a few years, the Franchi AL in 28 gauge would be a nice option. Those are very light shotguns and I want to buy one every time I handle one. I think the last time I was in the LGS, there was a Benelli or some other brand with a scaled down automatic for youth as well.

If you want to go a little nicer, look at the Franchi Instinct L in 28 gauge. The barrels would be a bit long for him, but maybe he could grow into it. It has a great warranty, is owned by the Benelli group and has a way more attractive price than Beretta. I put one side by side with a Beretta silver pigeon and could find little difference.

I love toting the 28. Favorite shotgun, hands down.

Get him a light weight gas operated semi auto. You can find one at 6 lbs or slightly under. He needs one with a youth length stock and the ability to add an adult stock later.

It needs to have adjust ability in the stock for LOP,drop at heal and cast. That way it can be fitted to him.

A gas operated auto will shoot softer than a pump,O/U,or inertia operated semi.

I would go 20 ga and make sure it will handle light loads rather than 28 just for ammo cost difference. He will grow fast. The addition of a good recoil pad like a Limbsaver-Sims pad. I would also add a mercury recoil reducer before I went to 28 ga.

Nothing just wrong with 28ga but he needs all he can get for confidence and he will quickly grow. A gun fitted properly to him won't recoil as bad either. You could also get him a good shooting vest with a shoulder pad. I had my daughter shooting skeet like this with a 20ga when she was 7.

What about a Remington 1100? They make it in .410, 28 and 20.

That'd be a gun he could use the rest of his life.

Don't know how it compares as far as weight, but aftermarket chokes, stocks, etc. would be easy to find.

Nothing wrong with a 28 gauge, but R.H. is right. You should try to get him in a 20 gauge if you are able. Shells would cost way less.

Weight is the main concern. RHClark, what type of gun was she shooting. He's shot his 20 ga Rem 1187 a fair bit, but just can't hold it up. He's shot his cousins little 410 single shot just fine though.

my 9yo shoots a stoeger 3020...it's less than 6lbs unloaded and points great.

Compact sx3 20ga by Winchester would be a solid solution to your problem

Is the gun a youth model? If it isn’t, I would get a youth model 20. I have a 1100 in 410, 28, 20 and 12. The 410 and 28 are the same fun as the 20 as far as barrel length and weight is only slightly less.

My son has a youth model 870 in 20 and it is a great little gun. You can get a youth 1100 and 1187 as well.

She was actually shooting the Franchi Affinity compact. A gas operated would have shot softer but that gun was all we could find at the time that she could get her hands on that had a stock short enough to fit. It is also just under 6 lbs. I just added some extra shoulder padding to a small bird hunting vest and she was fine as soon as she got over being afraid. My 8 year old son shoots it now.

It is an 1187 compact

I don’t know if any 28s that are going to be lighter than that 1187 compact. I don’t think anyone makes a 28 youth shotgun.

According to a Google search, the 1187 compact 20 ga weighs 6.5 lbs...I have a 28 ga Franchi al48 that weighs 5.4 lbs and shoots fantastic

I bought my daughter a Tristar Viper 28 gauge. We cut the stock down and put a recoil pad on it. It's a nice gun, but to be honest, the recoil is sharper than expected with turkey loads. It would probably be ok with dove loads, but I honestly think my franchi Affinity shoots with lighter felt recoil.

I had a Remington 1100 28 gauge that was a sweet shooter and had extremely low perceived recoil.

First dove shoot I ever went on, I toted a single shot 28ga that a friend of ours let me use. knocked a couple down, I think.

Relevant to the conversation maybe?
http://www.armslist.com/posts/7667658/montgomery-alabama-shotguns-for-sale--franchi-720-youth

The Franchi Affinity is a very light 20 ga. (Well, at least the one I have is light; much lighter than an 1100 or 11-87). Light recoil also.

I bought a Beretta A400 20 last year and really like it. Lightweight gun no recoil.