Starting a kid on a shotgun deserves a gun that fits, is simple, and shows exactly when it is loaded. This Henry youth model is a single-barrel .410 with a 22-inch blued barrel and a 3-inch chamber, so it takes both 2-1/2 inch and 3-inch shells.

The break-open single-shot design is about as safe as a shotgun gets for a beginner. You can see right away whether the chamber is empty, and there is no magazine to confuse things. The Invector choke system lets you swap choke tubes as the shooter improves, tightening patterns for doves or rabbits and opening up for close birds.

A .410 has little recoil, which keeps a young shooter from flinching, and it is a great gun for squirrels, rabbits, and breaking clay targets at the club. Parents will like that it stays light enough to carry through a field without a fight.

Teach muzzle control first, then talk about pattern and range. This shotgun ships to your FFL dealer, where the background check is completed when you pick it up.