I'm not too familiar with the Stoeger but I'm pretty sure it's inertia driven. A gas operated gun will likely result in much less felt recoil that an inertia driven gun of similar weight. Some very good gas operated shotguns are the Remington 1100, Winchester Super X, Browning Gold and Beretta 391.

When my son got serious about shooting at the age of 12, I got him an 1100. It kicked considerably less than the pump 20 ga. that he had hunted with. He was always the smallest kid in class but he could shoot a hundred rounds of trap at a time with no recoil issues.

When he outgrew the 1100, we traded up to the Browning Gold. It has been a great gun.

Auburn,

Here is a partial post from a similar question I answered from last week.

I have a very good opinion of the Stoeger 2000. I bought one 3 years ago at Bass Pro for an incredible price ($315 out the door). The model I bought is the blue/synthetic with a 26 inch barrel. It came with 5 choke tubes (Skeet, Imp, Mod, Full and extended turkey). It will use any choke tube threaded for a Benelli of similar gauge. It weighs in at just under 7 pounds. I originally bought the shotgun for use as a client/friend/loaner gun for upland, turkey and goose hunts and also for hunts requiring air travel. As I said I've been well pleased as have the folks who have used it. Several of those "borrowers" have purchased their own Stoeger 2000.
As you know it is made on the Benelli patent in Turkey. It differs from the Benelli mainly in that the recoil spring is located in the fore end rather than the butt stock. This arrangement allows the fairly light gun to balance well in my opinion. According to a company rep the internals are the same as those used in the Franchi I12 selling for much more. It is easy and simple to disassemble for cleaning. Because no gas is involved the gun stays clean and does not require adjustments for each load fired. It will feed any load I've tried 1 1/8 ounce and heavier all the way up to 2 oz turkey loads. The company recommends no loads lighter than 1 1/8 ounces but it even fed some high speed one ounce loads. It will pattern well with most any load and is a pleasure to shoot even with heavy loads.
When first introduced 10 years ago the gun had a few problems, since then the issues have been dealt with and the guns are now quite solid. The 2000 is in my opinion an incredible value. A poor man's Benelli if you will.

As far as recoil the inertia guns are not as bad as a pump but not as light as a gas operated gun. I'm well satisfied with the Stoeger, I also own a Benelli. FYI, I chose to use the Stoeger 2000 on a dove hunt yesterday. Good guns in 12 and 20 gauge, black synthetic, wood or camo. Stoeger has a mercury recoil reducer available as an acessory for the 2000 but I see no need in it even with 3 inch waterfowl loads.

You can buy this gun for over $1000 less than a Benelli. If you have $400 to spend buy the Stoeger, if you have $1500 or more to spend, buy which ever you prefer, you won't be sorry!

Cheers!

http://www.stoegerindustries.com/firearms/stoeger_model_2000.php

stoger ,a. uberti , franchi are all owned by benelli . the stoger is just a cheaper version of some of the upper benelli's .

beekeeeper, your right the finest shotgun stock in the world could splinter and break. But what burned me was their terrible customer service....I had to pay the shipping($65)to have that piece of junk restocked and when they shipped it back, the stocks stain drastically didnt match from side to side, and the factory recoil pad was overdrilled and wont stay on. When i opened the orginal box it returned to me in, the buttpad was rolling around in it loose. I called stoegers headquaters and they bluntly told me that the stock finish wasnt covered by warranty...i swear to god that stock was stained and inspected by a blind man, or worse by an employee with not sense of quality or company pride

If the Stoeger Condor is still for sale, what are the specs and price you're asking?