What can you do with 28 gauge? Dove/quail for sure, what about ducks/teal with #4 or 6's?

Perry

well 7/8 ounce of shot is almost the same , no matter if it comes out of a twenty gauge or a twenty eight. i use mine behind a springer or a brit for woodcock, grouse and pheasant. i never used it for waterfowl but i'm sure teal and woodducks would be viable targets.

quote:

what about ducks/teal with #4 or 6's?

No, the 3/4 oz. is really pushing it. I can think of at least two books on waterfowling that both say leave the 28 and .410 at home. And those were written when LEAD was in use, not steel nor anything between steel and lead.

Most hunters would say the same.

Be that as it may, for other purposes I have used a 28 Belgium Browning and am quite fond of it as a gauge. At one time I even had the powder and shot bushings for reloading it on my MEC 600. I also used to borrow one for my wife to use on dove hunts. It suited her because its recoil is almost un-noticeable.

If I owned one, I'd load it with lead #9s and hit the skeet range, or #6s when on the trail of the main ingredient of rabbit stew. It'd be perfect for that, also quail, snipe and woodcock.

For the value on it - www.gunbroker.com

I agree with Shack.......too many cripples would be all you'd achieve. I use my 28g for squirrels. You could kill an elephant with a well-placed 28g slug, but why? The objective is to kill the ducks, right?

Guys are dropping geese with handloads of #6 Hevi-Shot in 28 gauge.

I've used a 28 on quail and doves and it's very effective, particularly with handloads and copper or nickel plated lead shot.

I'd not use one on waterfowl but wouldn't hesitate on upland birds.

#6 is a bit large actually. Look around in this shotgunning forum and find the post from NV Guide. Dennis is using 7/8 ounce of #7 Hevi-Shot and dropping ducks, geese, and even swans at incredible distances. Hevi-Shot really evens the score. Dennis even provided me with data for a 410 load using a half ounce of #9 that will really drop them dead over decoys.

Don't underestimate the 28 and 410 just because they are not magnumized.

Right now 16ga is my "big Gun" for waterfowl.

If you are a good shot with the smaller shells then by all means use them. I am getting better. I am also having more fun shooting the smaller gages and not having to lug a cannon around with me.

Andy

Perry,

GatoGordo posted awhile back about a company making a very impressive 28 gage nontoxic load approved for waterfowl.

I spoke with CamomanJ this afternoon and he relayed your story about the ammo-3.5".

If you have a 28 and like it, then by all means use it. If you reload then all the better. Contact NVGuide for loading data for Hevi-Shot. He has posted some incredible patterns at 30+ yards using a 28 and 7/8oz of Hevi-Shot.

There is an alternative to Hevi that makes Hevi cry. This stuff is 18g/cc. Hevi is 13.2g/cc

Andy

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll probably use it for doves/quail..maybe a teal hunt then put it away for another 20yrs.

Perry

One question Perry,

When was your 28 made? If it is an older model you may not be able to safely shoot Hevi or steel. Not to worry. Bismuth performs almost like lead and is safe on older gun barrels.

Andy

1960 production

I think most 28s don't have full chokes, but if one did I wouldn't use bismuth. I inquired about that several years ago and was told it's brittle and can break up when it hits the choke. That was before hevi-shot and whatever else has come along very recently. What hevi-shot does in full choke older guns I'll leave for others to advise on.

I did buy a couple boxes of 20 ga bismuth in #6 for pheasant hunting and never got the chance to use them for that. Instead I wound up using them in the Model 21 on quail. I have to say I was very pleased at the results.

There was an added unexpected benefit. Quail shot with 6s are a lot easier to eat than quail shot with the usual 8s. The 6s are far easier to find when eating and less numerous and I think tend more to blow on thru and not stay in the bird like 8s. In other words, it makes for better table fare. I think I'll stick with either 6s or maybe 7 1/2s from now on.

I have used the 28 with Winchester 1 oz loads for quail. pheasant, huns, sharptails and mountain grouse but mostly quail and phesants. Inside 35 yards it kills phesants as well as a 20 with 1 oz loads. I haven't used it on waterfowl since I haven't been able to find any non-toxic shot locally. Based on how well it does on pheasants, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on waterfowl up to mallard size.

465H&H

quote:

Originally posted by 465H&H:
Based on how well it does on pheasants, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on waterfowl up to mallard size.

465H&H

I'm missing something here.....a 28g on mallards?? WTF?? This from someone who's name is 465H&H.

There is no way you're convincing me or any other serious duck hunter that a 28g is remotely acceptable for duck hunting.....unless you're objective is to cripple birds. Sure you'll kill 'em once in awhile but not as consistently and as dead as a 12g. Just one question....WHY? Every gun has it's applications.....and duck hunting mallards ain't one for a 28g.

I've been using NV Guides wildcat hevishot load for two years. For decoying birds, I won't hesitate to use the 28.

NV Guide sent me info on 410 Hevi load that will blow your mind. It is a half ounce load of #9 Hevi and I cant wait to use it on ducks. This guy excells at putting together Hevi-shot loads and he and his boys have taken ducks, geese, and SWANS with 7/8oz Hevi in 28ga guns. I just purchased a Franchi 28 and absolutely love it.

As a personal challenge I decided to stop using any shotgun shell that had been magnumized. With the exception of 410s. There is no 3inch magnum for 16 or 28. 16 is currently my "Big Gun". I have put up some 1-1/8oz Hevi loads in 16 that work fantastic for waterfowl. With Hevi I refuse to use shot larger than #4. I load lots on #6 and #7, and now thanks to NV Guide I am loading #9. #4 is for Sandhills and someday swans. I can't wait to start loading up 28s.

Andy

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
NV Guide sent me info on 410 Hevi load that will blow your mind. It is a half ounce load of #9 Hevi and I cant wait to use it on ducks. This guy excells at putting together Hevi-shot loads and he and his boys have taken ducks, geese, and SWANS with 7/8oz Hevi in 28ga guns. I just purchased a Franchi 28 and absolutely love it.
As a personal challenge I decided to stop using any shotgun shell that had been magnumized. With the exception of 410s. There is no 3inch magnum for 16 or 28. 16 is currently my "Big Gun". I have put up some 1-1/8oz Hevi loads in 16 that work fantastic for waterfowl. With Hevi I refuse to use shot larger than #4. I load lots on #6 and #7, and now thanks to NV Guide I am loading #9. #4 is for Sandhills and someday swans. I can't wait to start loading up 28s.

Andy

Man, I can't wait to hunt w/ this guy! This is going to be a very interesting waterfowl season.

Magnumitis vs smallville. Butt plugs vs. needles. 3.5" 1-3/4 # T vs 2.75" 1-1/8 # 4

My departed Dad's favorite shotgun--
he killed every type of fowl back in the "lead -days" loaded 9's down to 3's.
Shot 9's @ quail, dove etc
5's @ pheasant
4's & 3's @ ducks/geese
or if only going for woodies or teal-7 1/2's or occasionally 6's

After hearing a lot of your responses about the 28g.....I guess I was wrong. It just never dawned on me to use it for fowl.....but for a decoying bird using hevi-shot/lead, I suppose and believe all of you that it'd be just fine. Today was a good day.....I learned something.

All of you posting are better wing shots than I am. Not a little better. A lot better. All I would accomplish with a 28 would be missing and, worse, wounding.

I have a 28ga barrel for my Blaser R 93.
It is a single shot. I bought it as a novelty, turning a rifle into a shotgun for shooting game for the pot... Well I could not pass it up.

So I bought a case of No6 High Brass and some Bismuth shot.

I shot squirrel, rabbits, quail [skillet shot them on the ground], grouse in Idaho, ducks in Texas.

It killed so good I even took it turkey hunting and killed a nice gobbler with it.

I intend to keep names anonymous (in order to protect me!) I knew a lady, co-owner of a hunting lodge in Canada, who once asked me to bring up a few boxes of 28 ga.loads. I did so and found out that she regularly hunted ruffed grouse (the real grouse, not spruce grouse)with a 28 ga. Since I was just as regularly missing the ruffs with a 12 ga. I was not happy.

Speaking of partridge, I coud have shot one with my bow yesterday while deer hunting.....less than 10 yards and just looking at me.

I couldn't resist, picked up a bunch of boxes of Fiocchi Golden Pheasant #6's on Sat. while in Cabela's. 3/4oz of shot at 2 1/4 dr gets them going 1300fps...plenty of punch for our game birds down here. i can't wait for the opportunity to kill some stuff with it.

Perry

I was once told by the author, Gene Hill, "Anything a 20 guage can do, a 12 gauge will do better." I've never forgotten his words, and do trust his wisdom.

That said, I have a problem with arthritis in the distal joint (that's the one closest to your finger nail) of my trigger finger, and shooting a 12 gauge a lot sometimes causes me considerable pain. I have a beautiful 28 gauge Ruger O/U that I"ve decided to use duck hunting for the first part of our upcoming season, and will be very interested in seeing how it does. I've planned all along to shoot Hevishot in it, which I think is far more important than the gauge of the gun. Hevishot kills like nothing I've ever seen in shotshell loads. I plan to mostly shoot 6s, as the majority of our early season birds are wood ducks and mallards over decoys. I don't expect any problems with a 28 gauge shooting Hevishot 6s at mallards inside of 30 yards.

I didnt feel like reading the whole thread,

But we sometimes shoot ducks with a .410 with full choke, and it works fine, specially on teal early in the season with a full choke and 6's (lead)
A 28 gauge and full work fine as well....

So I am assuming that the same combo would work with bismuth in the US

In the days before Steel Shot for waterfowl. I shot a Remington 870 pump in 28 ga and I killed a lot of ducks with it, mostly Mallards and Woodies. I stopped after Steel came to be, I should not have don't that, after all the Steel Shot issue was more about getting hunters to stop shooting birds than anything really to do with lead. Well I well be duck hunting this year, a friend is letting me borrow a Vinci that I shot last week.

I don't know about ducks/geese, but W/Super-X 1 oz loads of lead 6s @ 1215fps, my DeHann 28ga SxS drops Pheasants over a pointing dog very well.

The Super=X 1 oz 28ga load is only about 30 fps behind the 1oz 20ga "high brass" loads.

I knew a lady (co-owner of a hunting lodge in the Nipissing District of Ontario Province) who regularly shot ruffed grouse (the real ones, not spruce grouse) with a 28 ga. shotgun with rather deadly regularity. Being the user of a 12 myself (and not so good), I always thought she was just simply plain lucky.

quote:

Originally posted by perry:
Thanks for the replies guys. I'll probably use it for doves/quail..maybe a teal hunt then put it away for another 20yrs.

Perry

I dunno, I don't think I'd have killed anything with a 12 gauge that I missed with a 20 gauge. I'd kind of like to try a 28 gauge.

quote:

I don't think I'd have killed anything with a 12 gauge that I missed with a 20 gauge.

I don't doubt that's true with any given hunter, but, it wasn't my experience.

When lead shot was in, I handloaded it for the 20 and 12 and hunted extensively with both of them. In those days I did my share of dove shooting and found the 12 overall to be much superior for that sport. The reason was its better reach which in turn was due to the thicker pattern, shorter shot string and more even pattern distribution due to the wider gauge, and also thicker pattern at distance when choked full.

The shorter shot string in particular greatly facilitated and simplified the process of leading your target, be it swing through or sustained lead.

I had a Browning 20 ga S/S that I used quite a bit. I called it my "tree trimmer" because it was at its best on birds that were closely approaching the old walnut tree on the farm that was a favorite spot. I used too a Rem M-11 in 20. It was the first shotgun I ever fired, and I still use it today for quail. That's its best use.

But, for longer shots the Model 12 Win, the Ithaca M-500 12 ga O/U, the 11-87 in 12 ga, and the two Parkers in 12 ga (the VH and the DH) had to be substituted for the 20 ga if I was going to down birds at much greater distances with real consistency. The 12s shot far better patterns at distance with their 1 1/8 oz loads compared to the 7/8 oz with the 20 ga.

One other practical difference was, in the past there were no screw-in choke systems. And 20 gauge guns, for the most part, were sold with other than full choke barrels. And for good reason. Most didn't really want to be shooting a full choke in a 20. If you happened to want a full choke in a 20, such as the Model 11, you bought an extra barrel, probably a 30" like the one I eventually acquired. The problem, however, for a small target like a dove at greater distances you needed that full choke. And MANY 12 ga guns came equipped with that from the factory.

Matter of fact, that's why so many hunters used their heavy duck guns, like the Model 12 in 3" Magnum, for doves. They had full chokes and served as a warm-up for the main event to shortly follow - duck season.

In essence, I found true an old, old saying of my favorite outdoor writer, Nash Buckingham, on this exact subject -

"Why send a boy on a man's errand?" That's how I feel about it too.

quote:

Originally posted by perry:
What can you do with 28 gauge? Dove/quail for sure, what about ducks/teal with #4 or 6's?

Perry

Perry,

You could try some of these on ducks:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewP...productNumber=927052

Let us know how they work.

I do a ton of bird shooting with a 28 both here in CONUS and in South America....Simply the best for small birds! I have a couple of guns with really tight chokes and the kills are as dead as with anything else...

...But when the body size goes up the wound count does as well. I guess the best way to put it is that on larger birds one often encounters longer ranges wherein multiple hits with larger shot is required for a clean kill. Nowhere is is more evident than in the live pigeon ring - my scores drop an average of 1 bird out of ten - I'd venture to say that pattern density (i.e more shot per sq. inch at range) is the difference.

As a consequence, I rarely use a 28 on anything larger than doves....But love that type of shooting dearly!

JW

I came across your post while surfing. What can you do with a 28 ga? Forget about teal (they flare too fast for you close in when you are jumping them from a brook (and while I never shot them from a blind, they are just too big and hardy) and the 28 has a narrow range out of the muzzle. I knew a lady, co-owner of a hunting lodge (in north central Ontario) who regularly shot ruffed grouse {the real ruffed grouse, not the spruce grouse} I would bring up to her 28 ga.shotgun loads -that she used with depressing regularity while I missed with a 12 ga. I cannot think of a better shotgun to kill food to eat with, if lost in woods. (Far better than the 410) The 28 needs a sharp eye and good reflexes -but it does the job.