By Bill Elderkin
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
There are various schools of thought when it comes to buying a first gun for a boy or girl just starting out shooting.
The most pressing concern will be over what calibre of gun to buy.
I am very much of the 'old school' and started shooting at tin cans with a .410 side-by-side before progressing onto pigeon and eventually moving on to a 20-bore.
Things are a little bit different these days, however, with most youngsters learning how to shoot at clays.
Clearly, having proper instruction can only be a good thing, not only in terms of teaching safe gun handling but also the more abstract ideas of lead and swing.
Because the shot can be the same every time, they can also build up a big library of sight pictures.
Whether to start with a .410, 28-bore or 20-bore depends largely on the stature of the youngster.
A .410 has always the starting place for the young shot due to its small size, low weight and limited recoil.
But you should think carefully about how often the youngster is going to shoot before heading down this route, as the limited size of the shot pattern can make shooting a disheartening experience if it proves difficult for them to learn the line and lead of the shot.
However, this is a very good bore size to start with, not just for ease of shooting but also for learning about the responsibility of carrying a gun, safe handling, cleaning etc.
When it comes to fitting guns for youngsters, we usually find the cast and bend very rarely needs to be altered.
We usually recommend the length of stock, the cast and bend to be altered at a later date once they have got more into the rhythm of shooting.
Bear in mind that their shape will change radically and rapidly as they grow, so they should have a gun fit session fairly regularly.
We are finding more and more that 28-bore and 20-bore guns are the preferred gauge for youngsters to start with.
Though heavier than a .410, they are considerably lighter than a 12-bore and recoil can be reduced to a minimum with careful cartridge selection.
Of course, this also gives the youngster more fire power, meaning they are more likely to hit their target and stick with it.
Whether to go for a side-by-side or over-under is again a purely personal choice.
Over-unders do tend to kick slightly less and they can be slightly easier to learn to shoot with as they have only a single sight plain.
Of course, over-unders do tend to be heavier than side-by-sides.
You might want your son or daughter to shoot with a side-by-side for tradition's sake, and a 28 or 20-bore would be ideal for driven or duck shooting and is certainly what I would recommend.
However, if they are likely to be shooting more clays than anything else then an over-under is the one to go for.
The three guns I have selected fall into three price brackets, and all would suit most youngsters at the start of their shooting careers.
My suggestions for a first gun for a youth.
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