If I remember right, Browning had a thing where if you bought a BPS youth model, you could later get a deal on a trade for the full size model. Don't know if that is still a thing, but it might be worth checking into. (And you can't go wrong with a BPS).

If they are not making new yourth 870s there are a lot of used out there. Depending on what you want to spend there are some nice youth models out there sold as Compacts. Beretta, Winchester, a Frenchie aand others with great quality semi autos most with 1/4 shims to add as they growmany with shims to adjust cast on and off and drop at comb also. Yes they are more money but also allow for a better fit that will grow with them.

I have heard some noise about the BPS is discontinued, besides IMHO they are heavy. Something a youth doesn't need and this short barrel (21 inch) trend is another thing that a beginner doesn't need. They are whippy and difficult to control plus the muzzle blast isn't good for said beginner.

Remington makes nothing any more , the name is owned by Vista Outdoors owners of Federal , CCI and the name is only on ammunition and products like Rem oil


Rem Arms , is making the youth model 870
https://www.budsgunshop.com/product...8877+870+field+jr+cmpt+20+18.75+rc+md+vt

we have one of the older 870 20ga youth with the laminated stock for 4-H shotgun

I like the 500 because it is more ambidextrous I encourage kids to shoot to their eye dominance and not their hand

both are good choices

I like the 500 the way the stocks are interchangeable 20 and 12 because the center of the socket is the same , 12 stocks are just wider

Not a 410!!! That is a gun for experts not new hunters. I just posted that my first rabbit with a 410 but no range and a lot of misses before I got my 16. 3 or4 years later. the 20 gauge back then was not popular but the 16 was king, not now. Nowadays I would start with a 20 .......jk

I agree with you on the short Barrel. A little weight in a pump gun is a good thing though as it seems to soak up some of the recoil, in my opinion.
And any model with the top safety is a better choice for kids as they (and you) can see it all the time.

Primary use will be for turkey hunting so I'm ok with a shorter barrel. They do make subsonic 20 ga TSS if we get that far. He's got a cricket .22 single shot that he's been practicing with a lot. Been out for squirrel a few times this past winter, not too much bird hunting around here.

I have slightly different opinions especially for youth. More so for very young youth. Weight Is good for recoil reduction but it's got to be light enough for them to handle at the same time. Same for short barrels they are lighter and easier to handle. Kind of the point of having youth guns that actually fit them and need scaled down. Nothing is more important than than fit especially for shotguns for youths.

For a youth shotgun

Get him. A. Winchester model 1887.

Getting hard to find but a Remington 1100 LT20 is hard to pass up. Buy a youth butt stock from Remington. What I did. Kid is now over 6'. Sold the youth stock on here about a year ago.

Great gun my cousin has had one since he was 11 I have an Lt 20 in an 870 with strait stock. A few of my favorites. The 1100 is heavier but much less recoil even with just a 20g and light loads very noticeable after a few hundred rounds.

There is a Rem 1100 LT-20 on Gun Broker right now.

Y’all’s 870’s 20ga Youth Model must kick a lot lighter than mine. Mine would rock a kid. I wouldn’t start out with a pump either. I haven’t met a kid yet that will keep their head down trying to pump another shell. My son’s shooting improved dramatically when I bought him a semiauto.
I’d go with one of the 3 B’s. I bought my son a Benelli Ultralight 20ga and watched this joker shoot a triple on ducks in Arkansas. He was 11 I think and he still has that gun, he’s 27 and now that’s generally his dove/rabbit gun.
No one wants to spend the money on something nice, yet complain when their kids become disinterested from hunting, and most of the time it’s from the gun they’re shooting.

Well, the Op has numerous conflicting opinions now to choose from...Lol there are a lot of good options out there, im sure youll find one that is suitable.

Both of my boys have no problem with pumps less recoil than the lighter single shots due to more weight. They moved to pumps by the time they were 10. Boys are not starting out at at 10 either that were shooting squirrel at 5 with their .22 single shot shotguns were shot by 7. Gas guns have less recoil than the spring guns due to more weight and bleeding some gas off to operate the action.

Yet I agree 100% with you the 3 b's have great compact models and might be the best due to coming with all the shims for adjusting stock length, cast, and drop at comb. All great guns. Yet the op may be in more of a budget if so pumps win with price point.

the youth 870s were definitely scope wreckers. My brothers seemed to be really bad about i, and they kicked pretty good,

youth Mossberg 500 22 in barrell comes with 3 chokes and a slug barrell two easy on the shoulder and super lightweight

Benelli nova youth is the best ive seen so far for young shooters

The bad thing about a 1100 or 11-87 is you can only cut off about 1.500 inches of the stock. The recoil spring tube is so close to the end of the stock.

The only thing I know for sure is that the kid has a great mom.