Escort WS Youth: A New Kid-Friendly 20 Gauge

Looking to get a shotgun that’s made to fit a young hunter or some other small-framed shooter? Escort has a new option for your hard-earned cash. The new Escort WS Youth has just hit the market, built for kids on a pattern we’re already familiar with.

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Pump-action primer

The Escort WS Youth is a pump-action that the PR describes as “gas-operated.” Uh, that’s probably something lost in translation. It looks more or less like Escort’s Fieldhunter line of shotguns, which appear to be modified takes on the classic 870 action. The Fieldhunter lineup also has a Youth shotgun, but with cheaper synthetic stocks.

Wherever the brainwave for the action design ever came from, Escort pump-actions generally have a decent reputation, and the controls are certainly similar to an 870. That means that a young hunter who learns on this pump-action will be familiar with the classic Remington pump gun if they want to move up to a full-sized gun in a few years. And with the wood stock, they might be a little happier if they’re shooting clay games at a range than with the more budget-looking Fieldhunter with its synthetic stocks.

The Escort WS Youth comes chambered for 2.75-inch or 3-inch 20-gauge shells, which will mean a lot less recoil than a 12 gauge. That’s important for a new hunter, and the wood stock has a soft rubber buttpad to soak up the kick. With a weight of 7 pounds, this shotgun isn’t exactly ultralight, but it’s light enough for a younger hunter to handle.

The barrel length is 22 inches, and that means this should also be easy for smaller shooters to swing in a controlled manner without being so short that there’s excessive muzzle blast.

Installing a red dot is possible; the receiver has an 11mm groove for scope mounts, which isn’t an ideal setup. Look around, and you may be able to find a saddle-style mount that fits the receiver instead. However, the fiber-optic front bead should be enough to satisfy most young shooters and their parents anyway.

As you would expect, magazine capacity is 4+1; the chrome-plated barrel is threaded for removable chokes, and the gun ships with F, IM, M, IC and CYL chokes.

Looking at the specs (see below), it’s obvious the Escort WS Youth is aimed directly at the same market filled by the Mossberg 510 Bantam. The big difference between the two is that the Bantam weighs a couple of pounds less; perhaps the synthetic stock makes a difference. The other potentially big difference is the price, but we have not seen an MSRP for the Escort WS Youth listed yet. See it listed here at the Escort website.

Features:

• 20 GA, Gas-Operated, Pump-Action Shotgun
• 22″ Barrel for optimal balance and accuracy
• Multi-Choke System – F, IM, M, IC, CYL for customized shot patterns
• Oxidation-resistant Chrome-Plated Steel Barrel
• Aircraft Alloy Receiver for lightweight durability
• Turkish Walnut Stock and Forend
• 13 3/4” Length of Pull for a comfortable, youth-friendly fit
• Checkered Grip Surfaces for better control
• Soft Rubber Buttpad
• 7mm, Checkered & Ventilated Anti-Glare Raised Rib with Fiber Optic Front Sight
• 11mm Groove for Scope Mounts
• Tube Magazine holds 4+1 or 2+1 with migratory plug
• Mounted Sling Studs for easy carrying
• Manual Cross-Button Trigger Safety
• Overall Length: 44”
• Weight: 7 lbs