Hello
Shotguns are great, I like them a lot.
But, how is the 28 gauge one to use today? Better of with a 16 or 20 gauge?

Within 30 yards a 28 will do just about anything a 20 will but with a lot less recoil. 28s make great guns for quail, forest grouse, rabbits, and similar game. The shot string of the 28 tends to be shorter than that of the 20 so the 20 is the better choice for longer ranges.

Thanks.
Well, thats not bad. I just think,, the average shots in the woods here are closer to 10-25 meters.
And the weight of a 28

I shoot South Dakota pheasants with a double 28 gauge all the time. It is about all I hunt with anymore. I love it 5pounds on the nose and dead birds and it's pretty too.

I love my stable of 28's and have killed plenty of pheasant, chukar, doves and quail with them. As you get older the small gauges have a lot of appeal and make the hunting much more enjoyable! In fact, I just purchased a new 28 gauge in the new Ithaca Model 37 pump shotgun and love it!

Thanks for the reply.

My next shotgun will be a s/s Spanish gun in 28 cal

A lot of the "improvement" of the 28 bore is due to modern quality crimp closure cartridges with quality (3% antimony or even plated) shot.

Certainly with the right shot size it can hold its own at up to twenty-five or even thirty yards with any modern 12 bore.

Where it may be disappointing is on long "going away" shots at over thirty yards on small birds - think quail or in Europe woodcock - or long shots with large size shot.

But for most sensible ranges I see no disadvantage and one BIG advantage...others in you shooting party can't "borrow" your cartridges!

With non-lead shot I would have doubts about the 28 bore however.

Thanks for the reply and help.
Yes, I am sold, I HAVE to get a 28 bore.

28 is a great round. Not alot of ammo available in stores, but Im going to start reloading to defer that. I have 2 small [stature] sons that I put on 28 doubles [S/S and an O/U] and they can shoot the poo out of them. I have a pretty little Italian one, so we can all shoot teh same ammo