I think I'm a bit different than most, but have shot all of those shotguns as a youngun.
If you start a kid or gal, start the poor thing on a gun he/she will actually hunt with and will actually kill somethin with. I can't tell yall how many of my sons friends stopped huntin for the simple reason that they couldnt hardly hit nothin with the gun. I've seen some 20 ga. guns that couldnt shoot a pattern 30 yrds from the barrel..no matter if it was 1's or 8's. Then I've seen em shoot 8's great and couldnt shoot buckshot.
I aint never seen a 410 shoot/kill anythin past 30 yards...
point bein...a kid or gf will lose patience and interest if they are forced to learn on a gun that wont do them nary an ounce of good when they hit the field/range except not make them cringe at the noise and kick.
If they are that mortified of noise/kick than they pose a danger to themselves and others as far as I'm concerned. They need confidence to handle a gun. Sure it's ok to be scared/nervous at first...but there's a big difference tween nervous and mortified.
I started out on a 16 dbl brl fox. I wanted to learn to shoot, so if my Pop was to hand me a bazooka I woulda tried it lol
He told me..." this here is gonna kick. but dont be scared of it, cause when you see that target in front of you and you focus on it, you wont feel a thing."
He was right and I was shootin a 12 in no time. My son started out the same way. I can honestly say that he can ALMOST outshoot his mama with her own 12 ga Winchester.....notice I say...almost
