Any good loads that you all like to use in your 28 gauges? I have the old AA hulls and R-P's available. I'm loading for dove with #7 1/2 shot.

Greg

I haven't found anything better than 3/4 oz of shot in the 28. I use 8's for doves etc. If you need more shot then you need a bigger gun.
C.G.B.

The starting load data straight out of the Accurate Arms Powder guide has worked great for field loads using W-W AA hulls, Accurate #5 & 3/4oz of 5% shot. Only downside is hull life - ya never seem to get more than 3 reloads on these kritters.
You will save a bundle over factory ammo in this gauge (even on the promo brands).

Thanks for the advice on the AA stuff. I had forgotten that they published any of that. And I agree the hull life on these 28's seems to be less than my 12 gauge types.

I loaded 3/4 ounce of #7's (I thought they were 7 1/2's in my old memory) I used some old 540 that I had got years ago for the propellant.

All I know is that the doves were getting hit harder than with my factory loaded 8's and I had a decidedly less number that were not killed out right in the air. I guess that's why the British prefer that size in their 28's.

Greg

My 28 ga Skeet load is old style AA hulls, 3/4 oz of #8 1/2 shot in a Claybuster 1034-28 wad, over 13.0 gr of Clays International powder.

It smokes Skeet targets just as hard as a 12 gauge.

New AA HS hulls
Claybuster 5034
Win 209
Long shot powder (follow the book)
3/4 ounces of 8s

I just put some ancient AA's through the MEC last night. Thirteen grains of Unique (although my bushing throws a little less the doves don't seem to know the difference) under an old pink WW AA 28 wad and 3/4 oz of shot has served me well for many years. Some of the case mouths are becoming more black than red, and some of them show splits and tears after uncounted reloadings, but as long as the crimp holds shot and you can manage to push them into the chamber, like I say, the doves don't know the difference.

Number 8 1/2 shot is my favorite, but I really can't tell any change in effectiveness (again, for doves) with any shot between #9 and #6. If you like 7 1/2's, go for it.

BTW: Reloading for the 28 gauge is one of the few instances where you really can save quite a bit of money rolling your own. If I had to shell out $10 a box to shoot my 28, I would flinch every time I pulled the trigger.

For long life for the 28 ga hull it dosn't get any better than the AAHS hull. Expect 10 or more good reloads. IMO they are better than the old CF AA which was often hit or miss for hull life. The Rem STS hull is good for about 5 reloads before the ends split and get all crispy.

3/4 oz of shot is plenty and #8's work fine for me. I like Alliant's new 20/28 powder, it's clean, less costly than most, works great in the 20 ga too and is american made. Use the CB 5034HS or Revised Red Duster wad and follow the book.

How are the Remington Express 28 gauge hulls for reload life? The ones that are green and translucent.

Greg

The Rem Express hull has gone through several versions over the years. Some had a pressed fiber base wad and used the 57* primer (.227" dia) others had a black or grey plastic base wad and 209 sized primers (.243" dia). Use your Lyman's 5th to verify. The color veried from dark green to a lighter green ribbed hull. None of them gave exceptional life, about 3 or 4 at best. The plastic split at the folds rather easily.

The same can be said for Federal's, Fiocchi's and the Euro Trash hulls (Rio, Kent, Nobel Sport etc) 3 or 4 good reloads.

Pick up a flat of AAHS shells and shoot them up, save the hulls as they are the best 28 ga hulls out there hands down.

Note, I will load most any 28 ga hull I find dumpster diving. With the cost of 28 ga shells even 3 reloads on a pick up are better than none. I sware the guys at the club can hear an AAHS 28 ga hitting the ground all the way to the club house. Given a choice though make mine AAHS.

Scout Master

If you a a "Hard Core" 28 ga fan pop over to The 28 ga Society to discuss reloading, guns etc.

http://28gasociety.proboards.com/

Thanks for that link.

Greg

I loaded some Remington STS hulls this weekend. Some were once-fired and other I had loaded once previously. They don't handle or crimp nearly as well in my MEC 700 as AA's and the crimps on the previously-loaded hulls were already exhibiting splits and holes.

I'm reluctant to switch from "old" AA's to the AA-HS since I have nearly two cases of the old pink AA wads. I hope I can nurse my dwindling supply of original AA hulls long enough to use up my stock of wads. Since I don't do any target shooting and shoot my 28's almost exclusively at doves, two cases of wads is a lot. However, I have a son, and now a grandson, who are also 28 shooters and are willing to "help" granddad use up his supply of wads.

I have been reloading the 28 bore cases for about 4 years, the Win plastic cases AA HS seem to be the best, I have reloaded some of them 12 times or more,I use Winchester Pink wads 3/4oz loads premium primers of any make size 209,and powder, I have tried Green Dot, Blue Dot, Unique, but the very best is Australian ADI AP70N powder, it burns very cleanly Very little (soot) left in the barrel, and really easy to clean out, I have used Spanish and Italian cases, which are OK but they do not last as well as Win cases, I use 7 shot (lead) for all my bird shooting, But I have tried 6 on ducks, I can kill birds out to 45/50 metres, I don't shoot any further out,My Gun patterns well with my reloads, more than equals factory fodder, And pattern is what kills cleanly..

I guess I'm a stick in the mud because I settled on the old standard of 13gr. Unique + 3/4 oz. shot. I use a dwindling stash of WAA28 wads in my dwindling stash of old AA hulls, HS wads in the HS hulls. I tend to settle on a shotgun load that works, and stick with it.

My gunning partner and I have loaded 7/8oz. #4 Nice Shot for decoyed ducks and geese with telling effect.

Recently I have been using Alliant 20/28 powder in my 3/4 oz 28 loads, old AA hull and ww28 wad, works great but my cases are getting old and they seem awfully hard to come by. That powder also works well with 7/8 oz in the 20 ga.

Scoutmaster,
Tried to register for the 28gasociety and it isn't allowing any new registering at the moment. Will try again later.

GL: I agree with most of the guys who shoot 13 grains of Unique. I have been using that load in 28 since the 70's. I also use Accurate #5 as others do, works good, but is a bit dirty. Powder soot dosen't bother me, as I clean my guns after shooting anyway. All the loads I shoot are 3/4 ounce loads, and I use AA'S old style, and STS'S. Also in the gang I shoot with we drop our own shot from wheel weights, size 7 to 7.5's

Now as to the Hulls. I haven't started using HS yet, at least regularly as I have lots of AA'S from my skeet shooting days. I find the HS hull to be a little shorter than AA'S, and require an adjustment of the press if you use AA'S as your baseline. Also STS'S, require a little less crimp as they buckle if run with AA adjustments. So far with a properly adjusted press, I find all three provide good service,and in my opinion the advantage goes to STS'S.

Jerry

I load AA Hs hulls with 3/4 ounce of shot and the Claybuster A or B wad with Fiocchi primers and longshot powder on a Spolar loader and get fairly long life out of them. Winchester is running another rebate promotion with $2 a box up to 50 boxes.