need advice for an 8yr old small game gun

[GeauxLSU]

Guys,

I have an 8 yr old who REALLY wants to go with me for a small game (squirrel/rabbit) hunt and be just like his older brother. He has experience with a .22 off a bench but I am struggling to find a gun that he's going to be able to carry and use in a 'woods walk' type of environment. The combo of weight and LOP makes his older brothers youth model 20 gauge and the .22 too much for him.

I am considering .410, 22LR, and even just a 800 FPS pellet rifle. Budget max would be around $300 and I don't want to give him anything that will literally knock him on his butt.

For reference, I found a shop that had a Mossberg 510 that fit him well, but the 20 gauge barrel was borderline too heavy.

Thanks

My first 'hunting' gun was a Sheridan Silver Streak in 5mm (still have it). Then it was a Stevens in a .410 with 12.5" LOP. (Still have it). You couldn't hunt small game with .22s where I grew up so I actually didn't get one until I was much older.
My 11 year old loves to shoot his .22 (Anschutz Woodchucker, good luck finding one) and has for years but does NOT like shooting the .410. He is however very timid when it comes to noise and recoil.
A .22 would teach your son patience and markamanship but no doubt a .410 is more 'fun' especially if he can bust some skeet with it year round. I
remember the first rabbit I shot with that .410. I shot it at point blank range right in the mid section. It was quite a cleaning job.....

 

[chucklenut]

mosin nagant

 

[Buck119]

Guys,

I have an 8 yr old ....

One year difference can be a lot at this age but my oldest son, who is 9, can manage both a youth lever action 22 and a single shot 410 easily and he is already asking for a 20. One year ago the lever action was already OK for shooting while standing while I think that the shotgun would have been too heavy for him to shoot comfortably, with the right stance.
We have a semiauto (NEOS carbine, which is light and compact) as well but for going in the woods I am more comfortable with 'manual'.

Anyhow, they grow faster than we can imagine....

 

[Buck119]

I forgot to mention that the 22 is a Henry Lever Youth, while the single shot 410 is a Remington SPR 100

 

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thx