# youth escort 20 gauge semi autos



## dla415 (Mar 26, 2008)

Anybody out there have any input on the Howa, Legacy Escort as youth semis auto 20 gauge??????

Looking for a decent gun with-out spending 11-87 money


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## wardsc (Jan 26, 2009)

dla415 said:


> Anybody out there have any input on the Howa, Legacy Escort as youth semis auto 20 gauge??????
> 
> Looking for a decent gun with-out spending 11-87 money


I bought a Legacy Escort Youth 20 gauge in October 2007 for my grandson to use in 4-H Shotgun competition. It worked almost trouble free until the first competition. A part broke and he had to borrow a gun to finish the competition. Before, we did have some problems with rounds chambering and firing. It was like the bolt mechanism would not push the shell all the way into the chamber.

I replaced the part and it worked OK (with a few chambering malfunctions) for the next competition.

Now we consider it a triumph if we make it through a practice session with only one malfunction and at this last Saturday's practice, the same part broke again before he finished one skeet round.

The part is a spring clip device that holds the bolt mechanism to the piston and I think it is a weak link, but made worse by a rough chamber. I'm not a gunsmith, but I spend a lot of time trying to clean the chamber and it never seems as smooth as other shotguns I have.

So, for occasional shooting, the Legacy is probably OK. But shooting a hundred rounds a month might be too much for the little gun.


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## dla415 (Mar 26, 2008)

Thanks for info........I plan to use this as a Turkey / Waterfowl gun for my 11 year old..............3 inch shells ............have not bought it yet.....


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## wardsc (Jan 26, 2009)

New update on the Legacy.

After replacing the part I had mentioned previously, I found that the root cause may actually be the ammo we were using. It appears that the Remington Heavy Dove loads are very tight in the chamber and sometimes will not seat all the way.

We are now trying Rio shells and they drop right into the chamber and I can pull them out with my fingernail (when the barrel is off the receiver for the test). With the Remington, they get tight a half inch before the base even enters the chamber and have to be pushed the rest of the way in. To get them out, I have to get a cleaning rod and push the shell out from the muzzle end.

Several people have told me they have the same problem with Remington shells. We used them because they patterned pretty good in my grandson's gun. We may still use them on trap until my supply is gone, since they only shoot singles. The misfires and other bad stuff only happen on doubles.


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## dla415 (Mar 26, 2008)

THANKS FOR THE FOLLOW UP........I ASKED THIS QUESTION ALL AROUND AND AT FIRST I GOT MOSTLY GOOD REVIEWS, HOWEVER THE MORE I ASKED THE MORE NEGITIVE INFO I RECEIVED..............I FINALLY DECIDED TO GO WITH THE 11-87.....$600.00.........LONG AND SHORT WITH A YOUNG HUNTER I WOULD HATE FOR A FAILURE TO HAPPEN ON OPENING MORNING.......TIME WILL TELL


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