Questions about H&R Topper Jr. Classic

[Starslinger]

I just purchased a used H&R Topper Jr. Classic 20 gauge single shot shotgun. I have been wanting to get a simple little shotgun for my mother to use because she is interested in shooting clay pigeons but has trouble loading and handling a larger gun due to arthritis in her hands. The price was reasonable and the gun appears to be in good shape, so I snapped it up.

The serial number is 170855. Can anyone tell me how old this gun is and whether it would be safe to shoot lead and/or steel shot and perhaps even shoot buckshot or a slug? Or can anyone tell me how to look up this information?

It has a 22 inch barrel, a wooden stock, and a recoil pad. Markings on the barrel say 3" and FULL so I assume it will take a 3-inch shell and has a full choke (fixed?) Pretty spiffy-looking little gun - I hope it's not too old to shoot safely. Thanks for any help!

[WMG]

I doubt the given age of that shotgun has anything at all to do with how safe or unsafe it is to shoot.
It shoots 3 inch shells so it isn't THAT old.
At least to some people
And that model of scattergun is found very often still in use.
In good shape with a good lock up ..... it would be fine.
I could promise you my buddy hunts more than anyone I ever met with a most likely older Revelation 20ga. and will fire boxes of shells in one fall/winter season.

If using slugs , you'd want rifled slugs , they will tell you a cylinder choke is best but the fins "rifling" on the rifled slugs are cause folks will shoot them through all sizes of chokes.
Buck shot would be fine , lead would be fine ...... steel shot I "assume" so.
I will say however that I have seen many people who were tasked with shooting the same or similar gun because of their age/size and most didn't like it as they felt it smacked them harder than the person who gave it to them expected.
Your mom may differ but don't be surprised if she don't like it , heck my wife who fires a 20ga pump all day hates the recoil of my 20ga NEF and growing up my oldest daughter had a dislike for it in her late teens and she thought she was a recoil hero , I on the other had consider it a pop gun.

[G-Man WC]

For all things Handi and NEF head on over to GrayBeard Outdoors.
There are some very knowledgeable people there that can answer your questions.

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/111-h-r-shotguns.html

-g

[Thefeeder]

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The Topper is very light and tend to be rough on the shooter.

But since you have it already do your mom a favor and get her some light recoil shells like these below to see if she is comfortable enough with them before going to anything stronger, shop around for best prices.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1836961884/fiocchi-exacta-low-recoil-target-ammunition-20-gauge-2-3-4-3-4-oz-7-1-2-shot

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/winchester-aa-low-recoil-12-gauge-shotshells

If you have some knowledge of shotgun fit, tuning the stock for her will do a lot to reduce felt recoil

[Spyder]

That was my first shotgun, which I hunted and killed a LOT of dove, pheasant and quail dinners with. Still have it, still bring it out to hunt with occasionally for nostalgia. Mine is a full choke. I wouldn't shoot slugs out of mine because of that.

Great little lightweight gun, but don't have her firing hot loads, as they are light shotguns and recoil may affect her greatly.

[Starslinger]

Thanks for the replies, folks. Someone over on Greybeard told me that the Topper Jr. Classic was produced from 1991-2011. I will test out the gun with low recoil shells before letting my mom shoot it, as y'all suggest.