3 shooters, over 9000 rounds fired. These birds were coming in to the water hole. Most were shot with O/U 28 gauges. The more I see what the 28 gauge can do the more I like it. #7 and #5 shot was used.

Man O Man, this must have been fun. I wish I could have been there. I am a 12 gauge fan, mostly due to the price and availability of ammunition here in South Africa, and have not fired one shot with a 28. Please share your experience with me.

Wilhelm Greeff

It was a LOT of fun. The 28 gauge has only recently caught on here. At first most shooters will try it out grudgingly. I just can not believe the shots that I saw Blane (the big guy in the picture) make with that 28. He started out slow the first day and switched to the 28 on the second. Pretty soon he was trying shots that the bird boys laughed at as impossible. They laughed for only a short while because on the third or fourth try he started hitting. I guess he must have hit about 30% to 40% on these really long shots. I paced one off that he brought down coming in at a 45� angle and it was 55 paces from the shooter. Austin (the other guy in the picture) had a similar experience. He switched to a citori with straight english stock at noon on the second day and his hit percentage went way up instead of down like he expected.

You can shoot it all day with little discomfort and it gives you a special feeling of accomplishment to bring those birds down with the little guns.

Good shooting to you Wilhelm,

John

Wilhelm,

I like my 28 ga. (a single on the TC Contender) for grouse and mourning dove. It would be a great quail gun but not too many of those around anymore.

However, in this are ammo is a bit difficult to find so I buy it up when I see it and I got a conversion kit for my MEC 600 JR.

Dear JohnAir,

Thank you for your reply. Sounds exciting, I am impressed with what can achieve with a 28 gauge. My mission will; now be to find someone with a 28 gauge here in South africa for a test. I really want to experience the feeling myself. As you have mentioned, you are able to fire much more shots with a 28 than with a 12.

Do you think that one can hunt bigger birds like ducks with a 28 using no 3s, or not.

Regards

Wilhelm Greeff
www.zingelani.co.za

Dear Hobie,

I think we have "met"? I retired from the SA Defence Force a couple of years ago, remeber.

Thank you for all the references.

Wilhelm Greeff

www.zingelani.co.za

Wilhelm,

Of course I remember...

We have to use non-lead shot for waterfowl here in the states and I don't know anyone using the 28. However, many years ago a West Virginia game biologist I knew would use the 28 in jump shooting "puddle" ducks, i.e. wood ducks.

Saw your site and you've got quite an operation there. Looks like LOTS of fun!

Wilhelm,
In my experience the 12 really outshines the 28 for waterfowl. It reaches farther and since you are seldom shooting more than 200 shots a day the recoil doesn�t come into play. As Hobie noted lead shot really helps the 28.

I too looked at your web site. Well done.

here is a video clip of some big birds. These were taken with a 12, but I took one that same day with a 28 at about 20 yards.
web page

Dear JohnAir

Thank you for your response. I am looking forward to the opening of the bird hunting season in South Africa next year so that we can be able to share experiences and photos.

Regards

Wilhelm Greeff
+27 82 607 0202
www.zingelani.co.za

I just bought a sxs 28ga. this summer and I plan on taking it duck hunting over decoys where the shots will be fairly close! I plan on reloading bismuth shot for the hunt.

I have a 5 1/2 pound Franchi Veloce over/under in 28 Ga and also an SKB 385 Sporting clays side/side in 28 Ga.

Believe it or not I take them pheasant hunting and don't feel disadvantaged.....They are a truly fabulous shotgun.

I personally would pick up a 12Ga for waterfowl.

Picture on Gunbroker.com???

http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=13283772

I don't get the point, Mr Airala is selling a hunt in a bid? How this works??

Sorry but I've never been very clever and the language barrier makes it worst

LG

VapoDog,
I'd be interested to get your impressions of the SKB 385. I just bought one in 20 gauge with English stock and splinter forend. I've only put about 75 rounds through it but I like it so far. I really debated about getting a 28 gauge but finally went with 20 for the cheaper ammo. I will use mine for pheasant, quail, doves.

NoCAL