It took me until I was about 35 years old to realize that each time you purchase a firearm it should be “in addition to the one I already have,” instead of trading in the one I already had.
It was more a case of having enough funds so I could afford the new gun without the price offset of trading in the one I currently owned.
I visit all the time with parents who are considering a gun purchase for a youngster in their family. There is the temptation of buying the kid an adult-sized gun and hoping they will grow into it. This is a poor path to choose.
Young would-be hunters and shooters do not have arms long enough in most cases to properly hold and handle an adult-size gun. The first gun needs to be a youth model unless the youth is 6 feet tall at the age of 14.
Parents often opt for a single-shot shotgun. This is a break open style action that only holds one shell. No follow-up shot makes the young gunner pick their targets more precisely and makes safe gun handling a little less intimidating as the gun is empty after that lone shot.
These types of guns have a hammer on the back that requires the shooter to pull it back with their thumb. There is usually no manual safety on a gun of this nature.
The biggest problem with this setup, and the big reason I don’t recommend parents purchase one, is that if the hammer is cocked into the shooting position, and the decision to shoot has vanished, the only way to lower the hammer into a safe non-shooting position is to pull the trigger and use your thumb to slowly and gently lower the hammer back into a resting position.
Many adults even have a hard time doing this.
If the hammer slips, it will discharge the gun. Now add cold hands and fingers and a bulky pair of gloves, and this issue is magnified.
The answer is a youth pump shotgun. These firearms have a manual trigger safety and no exposed hammer. They can hold up to four rounds, but you simply load only one shell at a time. With no exposed hammer there is no need to pull the trigger to release the hammer to a safe position.
Youth guns are usually purchased in a 20-gauge version, which is smaller and lighter than a 12-gauge. The smaller gauge also has less recoil, kick to the shoulder, than the bigger gauges.
I have had lots of experience with both the Mossberg and Remington manufacturers in the youth category.
The Mossbergs are slightly cheaper and work fine, but the Remington version can last through the hand-me-downs of 30 years or more and still work.
I bought my first youth gun for my son, Brandon, from a guy whose kid had outgrown it, and that gun has passed through at least five other kids who each used it for two to three years. Come to think of it, I’d better figure out who still has it.
They should not be all that hard to buy used as the life span of the kids in your family that it fits normally doesn’t last more than about 10 years.
Here is a fact that most people don’t know: Recreational shooting is the safest school sport your son or daughter can participate in. Even golf and tennis have more high school student injuries than trap shooting.
Thousands of kids in Minnesota participate in trap shooting every year, and to date there has not been one single accident or injury. This is testament to the coaches and staff and well-trained gun safety students.
As we parents grow older, we cannot play football or soccer or many other traditional sports with our kids into our older ages. Recreational shooting requires no special physical skill and can be enjoyed by kids and parents alike.
I know 85-year-olds that shoot well and on a regular basis.
Next time you think a new electronic gadget for your child is the fad of the day, pause and consider an activity you can enjoy with your kids for decades. It might very well begin with a youth shotgun.
Scott Rall, Worthington, is a habitat conservationist, avid hunting and fishing enthusiast and is president of Nobles County Pheasants Forever. He can be reached at scottarall@gmail.com. or on Twitter @habitat champion.