Originally Posted by
SCCY Marshal
Reloading is a good point. Don't know how many hours I've spent with one to three 20 or 16 gauge shells between my left fingers. Priced out some snap caps for the kid to practice. I prefer the colorful anodized aluminum for differentiation between live and inert to help avoid a buffalo-sized mishap.
Going back to this, picked up the gun, last night. It weighs 6lb 10oz with three cartridges in the partially filled generic stretchy butt cuff and 3-9x glass. Overall length, including recoil pad, is a hair shorter than my Winchester 94. Length of pull about 1.5" shorter than the levergun. I'll be curious to see if any of the NECG banded front sight bases will directly fit the muzzle or can be fit to it. Then to weigh it with that, Skinner rear, twin cartridge holder, and buffalo leather sling. Might come out lighter but will definitely be trimmer to carry and allow wrapping a hand around the chamber.
Kid'll run as many slugs as you let him to tear apart milk jugs at the range and his Mossy 510 is already a lightweight. My target bullet weight and velocity for the 45-70 don't just happen to very closely mimic 20 fauge foster slugs. They're intended to be a game-capable starting point with recoil he should handle just fine with the traditional specifications a side bonus. Turning the box of Hornady LeverEvolution into brass may be a different story, however.