Impressed with the 28ga

fishslinger

fishslinger

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I had a chance to take out my 28ga for pheasants for the first time the other day. I was using a load of 3/4 oz of 6's, I was a little worried that the little 28ga would not have enough juice to take the pheasants cleanly, but my worries where soon but to rest. I was working a field along a wooded area when I notice my German shorthair pointer get birdey. With nose to ground she tracked the pheasant about 20yrds into the bush where she locked on point. I begin to walk to my dog when the pheasant flushes wild and presents me with a over head crossing shot, about 25yds away. I take the shot and the 28ga stones the bird in midair. My dog makes the retrieve as I stand there shocked at how well the little shell had performed.
I continued the hunt taking two more pheasant, cleanly with no cripples. I now think that the little 28ga is going to be my go too upland gun. It hits a lot harder then I thought it would. For anyone who is just kinda thinking of getting one but not sure, do it you wont be disappointed. I now see why the people who use the 28ga love it.
 
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I took three roosters on the wing cleanly with a Citori .410 a couple weeks ago... when you are on target it doesn't matter what you are shooting... but a 28 gauge with a properly scaled action is a joy to carry and shoot.

You don't mention what your 28 gauge is?
 
Used a 28 gauge for years in the uplands. Perfect for that use.I know a couple of fellows who swear by their 28 gauge Ruger O/U shotguns with full/modified choke tubes, using 1 ounce number 6 shot, for use on pheasants
 
It takes a lot to knock out a big rooster, I will not use my 28ga.

I use a 20ga with 3" magnums, the birds on Pelee can really fly.

I'm actually looking to move up to a 12ga and am hoping to find a 12ga SKB 100 SxS.
 
I used a 20 ga. on pheasant at Pelee and Scugogg for years with great success. My double barreled Ithaca was severely damaged this fall in an ATV incident. So I have been looking for a replacement for partridge. The 28 has been a serious consideration over the 20. I have a case and a half, that's 750 20 ga shells on hand and I hear 28 shells are expensive at $28. per box, if and where you can find them. My buddy uses a 28 and loves it as well, he states it handles like a .410 and hits like a 20.
 
The 28 gauge is my favorite for upland and pheasant hunting. My current favorite is a Citori 625 Feather, but I have 28 gauge AYA #2 on order. A 7/8 oz load of Fiocchi Golden Pheasant #6 , is plenty for pheasant.
 
Welcome to the club. I find the 28 gauge to be THE best all 'round upland gun. Only rarely do I use anything else.

As for the shells... they can be a bit harder to find, but not as bad as they used to be. Some places will try to rip you off, but when you find them for a reasonable price ($11 - $15) stock up. (BTW have you seen the price of .410 shells lately?!)

If you go with a 28, be sure to get one on a scaled frame. Otherwise you might as well stick with the 20
 
Logic tells me that 7/8 or 1 ounce of hard lead shot will always do the job at reasonable range! No matter whether it comes out of a 20 or 28 gauge barrel. The task is to get the pattern on the bird with enough pellet energy to penetrate and enough pellets to be lethal.
A 12 gauge with 1 1/4 ounce of shot cannot make up for excessive range or inadequate shooting.
 
I went through a serious 28 gauge phase, owned several of them and shot a lot of targets and game with it.

The impressive performance of the 28 gauge is largely due to a misperception in my opinion. People tend to lump the 28 gauge in with the .410 but its ballistics are much closer to the 20 gauge. Other than recoil, when shooting clays the missing 1/8oz. of shot in the 28 gauge doesn't make much difference. In the field an ounce of shot is an ounce of shot no matter what diameter pipe it does through although an argument can be made that the larger gauges tends to provide more uniform patterns.

Most of the 28 gauge guns on the market are built on 20 gauge frames and even the scaled frames aren't that much smaller. Eventually I concluded there was little point in shooting a gauge that was more expensive, harder to find and provided less versatility than the 20 gauge in a gun that weighed the same. My last 28 gauge was sold about a year ago.
 
Claybuster said:
I went through a serious 28 gauge phase, owned several of them and shot a lot of targets and game with it.

The impressive performance of the 28 gauge is largely due to a misperception in my opinion. People tend to lump the 28 gauge in with the .410 but its ballistics are much closer to the 20 gauge. Other than recoil, when shooting clays the missing 1/8oz. of shot in the 28 gauge doesn't make much difference. In the field an ounce of shot is an ounce of shot no matter what diameter pipe it does through although an argument can be made that the larger gauges tends to provide more uniform patterns.

Most of the 28 gauge guns on the market are built on 20 gauge frames and even the scaled frames aren't that much smaller. Eventually I concluded there was little point in shooting a gauge that was more expensive, harder to find and provided less versatility than the 20 gauge in a gun that weighed the same. My last 28 gauge was sold about a year ago.
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It is only more expensive if you are not a reloader which most shotgunners are I find. I have done the opposite. Scaled down my 20ga collection and grew my 28ga collection which is still growing. I use my 28's for everything but waterfowl at this stage
Cheers
 
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I like the light weight of a scaled 28 frame , but yup, 7/8oz of shot is just that!
you can take bore size and chokes into perspective I guess , but in the field it doesn't trump putting the shot string where it is supposed to go!
Cat
 
Went to Argentina in 2012 shot 7000 doves in 3 days half with a 28 half with a 20, like the 28 much better less recoil quicker point ,killed at virtually the same ranges, no have 3 now wont use anything else for upland ,early season.Later will go back to the 12 but have to agree ,the 28 is a nice piece.Just got the weatherby 28g auto with 28" barrel looking forward to trying this one out
 
I have used a 28 for a long time on upland birds. Great gauge and very effective especially with Winchester 1 oz. loads. In a different class than the .410 altogether.
 
An oz of 6's will get the job done on wild pheasants if you can have the discipline to pick your shots. For take 'em as they come jumpy birds its hard to beat 1 1/4 oz 5's out of a Mod./Imp. Mod. 12 ga
 
I listened to a guy blowing about how much better a 28 ga. was than a 12. He told me two other guys were shooting 12's and he was shooting a 28, and he ended up with more pheasants. Great! Could it possibly be that the other two dudes just weren't as good as the 28 man? Not only possible, but almost 100% for sure. Same with the 16 ga. being so much better than a 12. Give us a break. Let us poor uneducated dolts blast away with whatever we happen to own. :ar15:

Having said all that, I would love to get my hands on a 28 ga. Cooey Model 84. :p
 
3macs1 said:
It is only more expensive if you are not a reloader which most shotgunners are I find. I have done the opposite. Scaled down my 20ga collection and grew my 28ga collection which is still growing. I use my 28's for everything but waterfowl at this stage
Cheers
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I did reload 28 gauge and it's very cost effective. I don't however find that most shotgunners reload. To the contrary I find those numbers getting smaller each year.

I wouldn't trade a minute of my 28 gauge experience. It's a fine cartridge for someone who understands its limitation but in and of itself doesn't possess some sort of magic. I'm just as happy shooting my 20 gauge and believe it is a more versatile and practical option than the 28.
 
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