28 guage

03 February 2010, 22:48

Gerrypeters375

I knew a lady some years back in north central Canada (Nipissing District) who regularly shot ruffed grouse with a 28 ga. -much to the annoyance of me using a 12 -and missing more than her!

Certainly, on quail (a much less feathered bird than a ruff), it should be fine. What you are doing is substituting setting up a dense wall of shot for a smaller wall of shot. In other words, you are making it a more sporting arrangement between you and the bird. I shot a 28 at 16 yard trap some times (yeah, I said, trap) and did enjoy the challenge. You are making it deliberately harder for yourself so just go ahead and enjoy it when you win at using a 28 ga.

03 February 2010, 23:36

Shack

http://forums.accuratereloadin...871040711#2871040711

04 February 2010, 00:12

lal

A friend of mine has a 28ga. He loves it. Finding ammo is a nightmare! A very important consideration when it comes to high volume dove shooting.

04 February 2010, 03:29

Joe Hunter

No reason a 3/4 oz load won't kill dove or quail out to 35 yards with the right choke.

Remember, it's the load that kills not the gauge.

The only drawback is ammo cost and maybe availability. I would recommend you get a reloader if you are going to shoot it much. Factory ammo is pretty high and reloads are more reasonable.

Good luck.

04 February 2010, 05:19

Shack

We have a Bass Pro nearby and they carry just about anything including the 28 ga. For those interested in this, you have two choices. Stock up in a big way at such a place or handload.

I've been away from handloading for a long time but back then I found it easy with a MEC 600Jr. You just need the appropriate powder and shot bushings for 28 ga. I assume it's handled the same today. The 28's a real nice gauge for close range upland bird hunting, squirrel, rabbit and for skeet.

But all that's covered in detail in the link above.

Incidentally, when comparing gauges, width matters enormously for shorter shot strings at greater distances.

04 February 2010, 06:33

Peter

Unless you are really enamored with the 28Ga why not use a 20 ga for hunting? It may be more sporting (for you) but you don't want to let a wounded bird get away either.
Peter

04 February 2010, 06:37

collector

Just saw this post...28 gauge is ballistically superior to 20 gauge in every respect if you are using the 3/4 oz load. The pattern is very very solid. Actually 28 ga ballistics resemble 12 ga ballistics and you can fold birds harder with a 28 gauge than a 20 gauge. Do not overchoke..go with Light-Mod and you should be good upto 40 yards.

Ammo cost is high...you can expect to pay about $2.50 per box more of premier shells like Winchester AA.

05 February 2010, 19:55

eezridr

Have a 28 gauge SXS 28" barrels that weighs less than 6 lbs; choked IC & Light Mod.
It is about all I carry quail hunting. Just a sweet little gun you can carry all day long.
No problem hitting or killing birds.
Ammo can be pricey if you buy it off the shelf.

06 February 2010, 00:26

Gerrypeters375

I'm having second thoughts about what I should have said in my first post!

If the 28 is so great, why not also the 410? (I have fond memories of my Win.42 in 410 -the greatest looking pump shotgun I have ever seen. Sorry. No argument!

(I also had the experience of watching the 15 year old son of the trap field manager (public field) run off 25 straight at 16 yard trap. (Us other four oldsters with our 12s debated how best to eliminate him without being seized by the State Troopers)

Sad to say, he did it more than once! I know that the 410 killed woodcock and it did drop them like a stone. (The misses were probably because of poor shooting -although, not that often because anyone who figures out the spiral of woodcock to the top of the alders -and waits until when they pause as to which way thay want to go (You guys who have hunted them know what I mean) know that's when to shoot - and a 410 does just fine. Just my opinion -and I hasten to say that Iam not urging the use of a 410 on quail - a bigger bird and shot at farther ranges. I'm just saying that a 410 worked in my youth as something better than just to kill rats in the barn. (Oh, yeah, growing up in dairy farm country, I did that also with a 4i0)

07 February 2010, 07:21

collector

Gerrypeters375
I love to shoot .410 and it is a very challenging bore to master. I practice .410 for Sporting Clays and we are limited to 1/2 oz loads which are not as powerful as the longer hunting loads. Maximum size that we can shoot is 7 1/2 shot. Now if I place the pattern correctly my .410 will break a clay bird at 50 to 55 yards. I prefer tight chokes so if I miss it, I miss it clean. Occasionally I will connect with a 60 yarder and it will break them with authority.

To be good at a .410 is quite an accomplishment and whenever I feel like banging my head against concrete I pick up my Krieghoff K-20, slap in 32" barrels in .410 and go after clays....humbles me up real fast

07 February 2010, 07:30

AzGuy

Not counting the 2 turkeys/year that I shoot with my Ithaca 12 ga. SxS..... I shoot 90% of my birds (quail/sage chicken/pheasant) with a Parker SxS 28 gauge.....the other 10% are shot with a 410 SxS.....you will not regret getting a 28 gauge..

08 February 2010, 19:35

SESOLINC

Thank ya'll very much for the help! I have seen the ammo issue[s], but am about to start looking for a reloading set. Any guidance on good solid reloading equipment manufacturers would be appreciated. As to why not a .410, if I could shoot better, I could use one.... Thanks guys!

08 February 2010, 19:54

collector

@SESOLINC
Here is the Rolls Royce...the Gold...the Platinum standard for shotgun ammo reloading...SPOLAR

Here is their website

http://www.spolargold.com/spolar.htm

They make fantastic equipment...not cheap...but it will probably last you a lifetime.

08 February 2010, 20:09

Shack

http://www.mecreloaders.com/

That's what I did all my reloading with. Inexpensive, solid, reliable. The 600JR is what I used. I did a lot of comparing and shopping around before I bought it. Fellow shooters I knew had the same outfit. When I exited shotshell reloading I gave my equipment away along with the powder and shot bushings. I had quite a collection of them in all gauges except 10 and .410 ga. You can probably find these in good used condition cheap.

If on the other hand you want to get into high volume reloading for competitive trap and skeet I'd get a progressive type with all the "bells and whistles".

I'd also ask around on this at your local gun club/range if you have one nearby.

08 February 2010, 21:12

RaySendero

I have a beautiful Remington 1100 28 gauge Tournament "Skeet-T" and a MEC grabber 28 ga reloader. I reload 3/4 oz of soft #9 shot for skeet and 3/4 oz of hard 7 1/2s for doves. I don't use it more than 2 or 3 times a year any more, but its pleasant to use on the skeet field and fun to use on a dove shoot!
I find the factory ¾ oz 7 1/2s to be very expensive so I’ll buy a case quantity of skeet loads in #9s, practice with them and reload either for skeet or doves.

12 February 2010, 01:53

Alberta Canuck

Up until about 1972, Winchester loaded 1 oz. charges for the 28 gauge. I still have about half a case of them. I often used the 28 gauge in Saskatchewan for jump shooting greenheads off of ponds.

It is my favourite of all the gauges, especially for grouse. I like it so much I bought a Ponsness-Warren loader specially for it....and still load my own 1 oz loads.

Have never used it on anything larger than ducks though. For geese I mostly use an LC Smith SxS 16 gauge.

14 February 2010, 03:23

byf42

the 28 gauge is a wonderful gauge for rabbits, squirrel, and upland birds. I have a 1100 skeet-T as well, and I use it for pheasant, chuckar, and huns. It points and handles like a dream. I have nothing but good to say about the 28 gauge. If you come across one, by all means BUY IT!!!!

21 February 2010, 05:24

Sambar 9.3

My old Beretta 687 28g was a very nice gun indeed. Lightweight, low recoil, patterned very evenly.
A nice gun for an afternoon walk after rabbit, quail or pheasant.
Unfortunately, it had to go, however now I have tracked down a Browning Citori in 28g. Does anyone have any experience with these?
If so, what can I expect from it, handling, longevity, etc?

Thanks in advance.

21 February 2010, 05:27

Sambar 9.3

quote:
Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
< Up until about 1972, Winchester loaded 1 oz. charges for the 28 gauge. I still have about half a case of them. >

That load is about all you can get for 28g here in OZ, and works beautifully. I have several cases of it (stocked up when rumour got around that production was ceasing) and am casting about for a press to ensure that the HP hulls don't go to waste.

22 February 2010, 05:05

Vol717

I always laughed at 28GA shooters because I couldn't see a niche for the gauge. Usually the guns aren't any lighter than 20s. But a fellow traded me a Weatherby Athena D'Italia and I can't put it down. It is great on doves with #7.5s and squirrels wit #6s with its M/F chokes. It weighs 6 lb 1oz and has practically no recoil. The action is so small I can carry it with one hand all day.

22 February 2010, 05:22

SESOLINC

The one Ive seen but not shot that I really like is the Browning European Field.... Oh Lord what a pretty girl!! Its in the Cynergy Line, not the Citori. the 625 Porting is the only Citori I see in the 28 and its a full grand more expensive than the Cynergy.

23 February 2010, 02:35

465H&H

Winchester is still making the 1 oz load for the 28.

465H&H

23 February 2010, 09:52

drewhenrytnt

Look around this forum and find the posts from NVguide. Dennis continues to cleanly take ducks, geese, and even swans with a lowly 28ga. He uses 7/8oz Hevi-shot and IIRC #7.5 his duck load for 410s is 1/2oz of #9 Hevi and it is lethal....I have used it myself. I never did get around to buying that Franchi 28ga I had my eye on.............TBC

Andy

23 February 2010, 21:57

Shack

I've used the 28 with satisfaction on birds and skeet at relatively close range and think it's a fun little light recoil gun. There's a question however. Anyone feel free to answer.

Assume two identical guns (perhaps a Browning O/U). One in 28 and the other in 20 ga. Then assume two shells for each, both 2 2/4". Assume the same size shot, #7 1/2 lead and the same amount. You can pick the amount, but I'll suggest 1 oz of each. Then assume the same fps, like 1200. That's a good decent standard shotgun velocity. And the same target distance. I notice mention on these 28 threads of taking waterfowl including swans at what? 30 yards? 50 yards? You pick it.

Then the question, which is better? The 28 or 20? And why.

IF the answer is what ballistics logic tells me it should be, then I don't see how it can be claimed the 28 ga has any advantage as such as a shotgun gauge for much of anything. Excepting many 28s in certain individual guns are lightly built, have almost no recoil, are easy to carry and handle, are very suitable for kids and women, are good enough for close range birds and skeet, and are an interesting novelty.

On the answer - hint - what's "shot string" mean?

In other words, I like 'um but they're not all that wonderful.

24 February 2010, 03:14

byf42

quote:
Originally posted by Shack:
I've used the 28 with satisfaction on birds and skeet at relatively close range and think it's a fun little light recoil gun. There's a question however. Anyone feel free to answer.

Assume two identical guns (perhaps a Browning O/U). One in 28 and the other in 20 ga. Then assume two shells for each, both 2 2/4". Assume the same size shot, #7 1/2 lead and the same amount. You can pick the amount, but I'll suggest 1 oz of each. Then assume the same fps, like 1200. That's a good decent standard shotgun velocity. And the same target distance. I notice mention on these 28 threads of taking waterfowl including swans at what? 30 yards? 50 yards? You pick it.

Then the question, which is better? The 28 or 20? And why.

IF the answer is what ballistics logic tells me it should be, then I don't see how it can be claimed the 28 ga has any advantage as such as a shotgun gauge for much of anything. Excepting many 28s in certain individual guns are lightly built, have almost no recoil, are easy to carry and handle, are very suitable for kids and women, are good enough for close range birds and skeet, and are an interesting novelty.

On the answer - hint - what's "shot string" mean?

In other words, I like 'um but they're not all that wonderful.

not all that wonderful...

those are fighting words!

seriously, i agree with you that a 20 gauge is more versatile than a 28 gauge. a 12 is more versatile than a 20ga. doesnt mean the 20 gauge doesnt have a niche. same can be said about the 28. not my choice for waterfowl, but for rabbits, and birds such as pheasants, chuckar, etc that are hunted with pointers, it's right at home. at least i never had a problem with it. oh well, i guess thats why they have so many different gauges, to each his own, as they say! take care!