Folks, I'll shortly be in the market for a shotgun for my eldest daughter, who is now 14. I suspect she's about as tall as she's going to get, thus now is a good time to get her set up. She's been shooting a small Mossberg pump 20. I'd like to stick with a 20 for now, and am considering an autoloader. Would like like your thoughts on one suited for a young lady with an LOP of about 12 to 12.5 inches. I wouldn't pass on a good pump gun, but don't really want a double at this point. I'd like to keep the cost less than about $500. Thanks for any input.

Remington 1100 LT 20. Buy one second-hand to stay within your budget.

1100 LT20 is your best bet.

Fine as starter gun with the magazine plugged to hold no shells.
This yields a low recoil light weight single shot.
I have one that has been just the ticket for 6 youngsters.
My five year old grandson is now in the waiting line, to use the gun I taught his dad and uncle with.
I bought mine years ago with a spare full size but stock.
the youth stock was cut and a Kick Eaze pad added to a 13" pull.

I sold a youth 11-87 camo with choke tubes last week for $575... I see regular 1100's that can be cut to size for $450 or less...I don't want or own a LT model...

The Remington 1100 in 20 is super soft shooting, too. Plus they're beautiful guns.

browning makes a micro that is a pretty slick gun.
you can get a longer stock set for it for like 50$ extra.

there ain't no reason not to get a 12 ga. and just shoot 7/8oz. or 1oz loads. [24gram and 28 gram loads]
they have the same amount of shot as a 20ga. and cost about 1/2 the price.[generally at a lower velocity too reducing recoil even further]

the extra little bit of weight of the 12 ga gun will take the recoil better too.

PM sent.