Stick with an autoloader. An O/U that is light enough for her to carry comfortably will also kick like a mule.
Your experience with the Beretta 390 is not really a good indicator of what will work well for her over the long haul because of the magnum loads you used. The gas-operated auto system of the Beretta is the softest shoot auto available because the gas driven recoil redirects gasses that would otherwise cause a greater kick. Obviously there are limits, if you stuff 3.5 inch goose loads in the hopper, no amount of recoil reduction is going to make that shotgun kick as it would with a trap load.
Let’s address the gauge first. You say longer shots are common. Well, that may be true for you, but let’s think about her for a minute. A fundamental skill that every wingshoooter needs to learn is how to shoot within one’s effective range. If you’re shooting outside of your effective range, it’s skybusting, not shooting. It doesn’t matter what load you stuff in the pipe, magnum loads are NOT a substitute for skill and judgement.
Also, you WANT her to succeed, right? Letting a young shooter blaze away at 45+ yard roosters is NOT a recipe for success. She’s going to miss and the implication (to her) is that if she shoots and misses, it’s her fault for not hitting. It’s much easier for kids to accept that a bird was out of range and no shot was available than it is for them to put up with constant long range misses that they think they should have hit.
So IMO, the way forward with a young, recoil-sensitive shooter is a 20 gauge with a 3 inc chamber. Start and build confidence with light 2.75 inch loads. Use heavier 2.75 and eventually possibly even 3 inch loads with her experience and sensitivity to recoil both allow it.
I have shot a 20 gauge on pheasant my entire life. My father shot a 20 gauge auto since he was 8 and he has never in his life even owned a 12 gauge.
A lot of guys have a totally mistaken belief that the 20 is not enough gun for pheasants. Bull cookies. Let me be blunt. If you can’t stone a rooster with a 2.75 load of 20 gauge 6 shot out to 35 yards, the problem ain’t the gun. A 12 isn’t going to shoot them any deader.
Yes, the 12 is better in some conditions, wind, etc, but all of these are overweighed by the fact that to a young shooter, recoil matters. No young shooter is going to enjoy shooting and hunting if their shoulder is getting turned into hamburger, no matter how many birds or targets they hit.
Bottom line is get her a 20 so she ENJOYS shooting. Let us all hope that she loves it so much that in 3 years she’s begging you for a high-end 12 to add to her collection.
Here’s what I’d suggest you look at:
– Beretta A400 or A300. I believe there is a short LOP version available. Gas operated will maximize recoil reduction.
Now we venture into the recoil-activated autos… None of these will reduce recoil like the Beretta, but they are still better choices than an o/u and with light target loads the difference is minimal.
– Franchi Affinity Youth as mentioned.
– Stoeger 3020 compact. You can replace the stock with a 14 LOP later if needed.
– Nothing wrong with a Benelli if cost is not the primary concern. Benelli, to their credit, makes a “compact” in the SBE and Montifeltro line that has a 13.x LOP which, unless your daughter is likely to be very tall, would be nearly ideal.
Grouse
