It’s hard to beat a youth 20-gauge for a young hunter in any shotgun application.
For turkey hunting, the 3-inch magnum No. 4s are a good choice.
But pattern the gun with different shells and choke tubes to determine which combination works best. Keith Brunson likes the Hevi-13 Magnum Blend for Connor’s Remington 870 Youth Model, and you can’t argue with success.
The Winchester Double X 20-gauge 3-inch in No. 4 or 5 shot have long been a favorite turkey buster.
Dane Humbles had no problem handling his dad’s Benelli Super Black Eagle 12-gauge, and kids large for their age or teenagers will handle a 12 without any problem.
My son used my old Remington 870 in 12-gauge with 2 ¾-inch magnum No. 4s to kill quite a few gobblers.
If your young hunter has problems sighting with the bead or open sights of a shotgun, take a look at one of the red-dot sights. Bushnell, BSA and TRUGLO all make reasonably priced models that make sighting on a gobbler’s noggin much easier.