Looking at a compact/youth shotgun for my girlfriend. She is very small framed and my shotguns are much too big for her. She has been shooting an Escort youth model 20 ga and it actually fits her great, but the barrel is super short and it isn't exactly reliable...

She has really taken to hunting so I want to get her something nice. Something nice enough my kids could shoot it one day too.

I'm looking at 3 main models: Franchi Affinity Compact, Winchester SX4 Compact, and a Benelli M2 Compact

The franchi is nice because it gives you adjustable length of pull from 12 3/8" to 13 3/8" so we could really dial it in. My issue with the franchi is the poor excuse for a recoil pad and the fact that it is an inertia gun so there will be more recoil. I have also disassembled a franchi and a stoeger side by side and can't see any difference in the operation of the inertia system, so its hard to suffice paying $900 for a gun that is the exact same as a $500 gun.

The winchester is nice because it's gas operated and the recoil is minimal. This of course also means more frequent cleaning and more moving parts, but I really don't want to get into the gas v. inertia debate. The only issue is that the winchester is a heavy gun at almost 7 pounds. In the world of youth model 20 gauges, its the heaviest one. She likes a light gun, so that kind of puts this one out. If it was solely my choice I'd probably go with this one, but she wants something light.

This brings us to the M2....the most expensive option at around $1300 (both of the other guns are anywhere from $850-$1000). The M2 is the lightest of the three only weighing 5.5 pounds. It has the comfortech recoil system to drastically decrease felt recoil even though its an inertia gun. Of course the M2 is a proven platform and dang near bulletproof. The only issue you have with this system is the "Benelli click"... This option seems like the best of both worlds, light weight and light recoil, but dang is it expensive! I know I would get many years of service out of it, but I'm having a hard time talking myself into it. What do you all think?

I would not consider a Benelli M-2 anywhere near bullet proof. I shot a new one that would jam 4-5 times per box of shells. Trap loads or 3" heavy loads. The bolt would start forward after throwing the empty and stop dead about the time the loaded shell was being lifted to line up with the barrel. This was one of several new guns and over half of them did the same thing. You can get a spring that is stronger that goes in the tub in the stock that fixes the problem. But should you need to replace springs in a $1300 shotgun to make it function? I shot cases of shells thought that gun before I replaced the spring and it got to where it would only jam 2-3 time per box of shells. I am not a fan of the M-2

A shotgun is like clay in a pot...just waiting to take on any form you want. From your description, whatever you go with ain't going to just come right off the rack.

If the only thing you don't like about a gun is the recoil pad.....buy an aftermarket one. Cut down the stock if you have to. Sand away some of the stock if it keeps her mounting it properly.

That said, a modified gun (like all of mine) looses some of its market value. Understand that when you are laying out the initial cash. Heck for the money you are saving, you might even be able to afford a professional gun fitting.

Since I suck at fitting my own guns, I do the preliminary rough stuff and have it finished by a pro. Included in the fitting is a lot of shooting, and instruction. It's if fact so much fun, you could consider the cost as recreation, not an addition to the gun price.

solid reliable

Mossberg 500c 20ga

get the combo if she will ever need the slug barrel for deer , they shoot the Winchester and Hornady sabots slugs very well

extended Carlson's chokes make for very nice patterns

spend the rest of your money on ammo

my son bough his when he was 10 I liked it so much when I found one used I bought one for myself we have since added stock spacers to ours to make them fit 6'2" 14 inch length of pull

simple , parts available , chokes available all over the place

Check out Charles Daly youth line also

I too went through this for my wife. Long story short, we ended up with a Mossberg 20ga semi auto and made a custom walnut butt stock for it as she needed fairly short LOP with a high comb. The gas vs inertia deal has been beat more than the proverbial dead horse. A light 20ga is going to kick regardless of how it functions so decide if she's going to carry a lot or shoot a lot and lean whichever way for weight of gun. Get a soft pad and make sure you figure that into the total length of pull. That being said, it didn't break my heart that she chose actually about the cheapest gun to begin with from the 10 plus models we fit tested. I would have bought her any brand but this is what she chose for best fit. I think it's actually the same gun as the Weatherby sa20. Between practice, trap league, and hunting it's got probably 5-7K rounds through it and I can count the failures on one hand.

I know this isn't what you asked but as a woman shooter, I really like the older pump model shotguns with the round forearms. For example Win model 12 or 1897 or Rem model 31. They just fit me wayyyy better than any of the newer guns I've held. Maybe hit some pawn shops and let her try one of those on for fit.

Winchester Parker Repro in 28 ga

I think she would rather have a lighter gun that kicks a little more. I did let her shoot my friends Stoeger M3020 with 1 oz dove loads and she made the comment that it punched pretty good though. That's why I'm looking more towards guns that are gas driven or have some sort of recoil management system.

I have heard lots of good things about the tri stars/weatherby/mossbergs (basically all the same gun) but I am looking to skip this price point and get something a little nicer. I have a tri star 28 ga and it is not a gun I will still be shooting in 15 years. Looking to stay out of Turkey if possible. Her turkish made Escort is giving us enough headaches as is.

Heck, with as much as I hand load I may look more into getting her a compact 28 ga. Even with 1 oz of 7.5's none of my 28 ga's have noticeable recoil. I'm not sure if there are as many compact options on the market for this platform though

Haha!! Keep dreamin!

Recoil, schreecoil.

It doesn't exist in my wife's ~6 lb 12ga Beretta 686. I load 7/8 oz shells to a velocities up to around 1100fpm. She has had a severe shoulder injury, and is very sensitive to recoil. She can shoot these all day.

Mace in Mebane had one a while back, if I was a rich man !!!

Well, sometimes circumstances make your decision for you. Talked to several local gun shops and one of them actually has the sx4 compact in a 26" barrel in stock. They all said good luck ordering something, no guarantee when they will get it. One store owner said he has had some M2's on backorder for over a year now. Looks like she may have to get used to the extra 1 pound. I think she'll appreciate the lack of recoil though!!

well that is true in this market , you can have whats on the shelf and anything else is a gamble of when in months or years

last fall my son was looking for a 308 bolt action , the store owner said I have what you can see nothing in the back room and nothing can be ordered and gotten any time soon.

got lucky and he liked one that had actually been sitting in the back row for a few years and still had it's 2017 price tag also

Little rem 870 youth...

X2 Ordered the camo kit on line for 30 bucks. Kills everything that walks crawls ,climbs, or flies. Mine is the 12 gauge . If ammo wasn't so hard to find I'd get me a 20.

I have a Mossberg 500 .410 that was my first ever shotgun my grandpa got me. It still functions perfectly. I'm taking it to Texas in December crane hunting

Also a big fan of 870's. She just has not done well with the function of a pump. She does well on the first shot, but anything past that is wasted ammo.

I'm sure with enough practice she would get it, but she's done very well with her small semi auto (when it cycles)

Can't judge kick in a dove field. What do you hunt that you will shoot that many times in a row. Of course if you do a lot of dove hunting that's different. I hunted 2 days in a row this year and had a whopper of a bruise . Used my buddies bennelli first day . Hated it . Went back to my Mossberg with modified choke in it and killed my 15 dove limit in 21 shots.

You stated "when it cycles" THAT is why you need to get her a pump.

I stated "when it cycles" because her current gun is a cheap Turkish P.O.S.

We do more dove/duck/goose hunting than the average joe. Over the 3 legal hunting days of the Labor Day weekend our group killed 469 birds (doves and geese)

This isn't a toy gun that will be used for a round of skeet on the weekend. That's why I want something nice for her, and something mindful of recoil. 3" 1 1/8 oz loads of #3 bismuth are not soft shooters, even if it is only a 20 ga, but they sure put the honkers down