20 vs 28

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brybenn

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This should be interesting. Wheres your love? 20ga or 28ga for hunting? Ill leave the platform open to focus on just the gauge. For those who use both what do you prefer?
I know each ga has its following but im interested to know which shares a larger market for actual hunting. Both are fine on skeet fields so im not really concerned with purpose built clay guns
 
28 bore for upland duty. I find the 20 gauge to be too close to my 16 bores in performance. In fact I have no 20 in the gun room. 10, 12,16,28 and .410 but no 20. It's absence may be glaring to some.

Darryl
 
A few years ago I fell into the 28 gauge abyss attracted by the mystique of things like "square loads" and other bushwah.

Five guns, ten years and 20 thousand rounds or so later I came out concluding the 28 isn't magic, is more expensive, harder to find, makes reloading almost mandatory, most often comes in guns that are on the same frame and weigh the same as a comparable 20 and the limited ammo selection makes it nowhere near as versatile as its larger brother.

My 28s have new homes now. I don't regret a minute of the voyage but I'm happy with my 20's.
 
madtrapper143 said:
28 bore for upland duty. I find the 20 gauge to be too close to my 16 bores in performance. In fact I have no 20 in the gun room. 10, 12,16,28 and .410 but no 20. It's absence may be glaring to some.

Darryl
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Dont feel bad. All i have are 10s 12s and a 410 lol. Makes me kinda sad really. I just spend 5 days building fences and a big deck and changing the landscape of my back yard. I feel i deserve a new gun.
Never had the need for smaller gauges as i can reload my 12s in 2" or 2.5" or very lightly in 2.75" to match the smaller gauges. I just want sub gauge guns again as im doing more small game and upland hunting again
 
A 28 gauge SxS on a true 28 gauge frame is my favorite for upland. Ammunition selection is a non issue, Fiocchi Golden Pheasant costs the same in either 20 or 28 gauge, and is the only upland ammunition that I need.
 
I have two 28 gauge over/under - a CZ and a Citori. Both have a pretty much forever home with me, along with the MEC reloading machine and supplies. In the unlikely event that I run out of shot, I have the plans and parts to make a #7 shot dribbler. My "big" shotgun now is a 20 gauge double barrel coach gun - I only have #4 Buck loads for it. Several years ago, my son decided to "early inherit" my 12 gauge Browning BPS, and turns out I do not miss it. I do partridges and grouse only; have not shot ducks or geese in many decades.
 
madtrapper143 said:
28 bore for upland duty. I find the 20 gauge to be too close to my 16 bores in performance. In fact I have no 20 in the gun room. 10, 12,16,28 and .410 but no 20. It's absence may be glaring to some.

Darryl
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And my gap is 16 ga.

I love my 28ga's. Only one i have right now is a Ithaca. Really though my wife likes the 410 sxs for ditch swatting. My 20 is a O/U, so didnt want a O/U in 28. Have had a few nice, lightweight, 28 semi's but dont find them practical in the field.
 
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nowarningshot said:
And my gap is 16 ga.

I love my 28ga's. Only one i have right now is a Ithaca. Really though my wife likes the 410 sxs for ditch swatting. My 20 is a O/U, so didnt want a O/U in 28. Have had a few nice, lightweight, 28 semi's but dont find them practical in the field.
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That's pretty much my shotgun selection right now minus the SxS.
I found the Winchester one ounce lead birdshot in the 28 fairly addicting and almost equal to 20 gauge in regular 2 3/4 inch loads.
Of course 28 gauge shells are not exactly cheap either.
My only negative comment with the 28.
The Ithaca pump in 28 is just a tad bit more nimble in my hands and I don't mind the longer barrel either. And this receiver is sized properly for the 28.
No it's not a waterfowler but I have several sizes for upland and some slugs too so where's the beef?
So there's no buckshot. The 20 is pretty much a meek contributor in this regard as well.
 
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I have resisted 28 gauge to this point.
Having multiple 12, 16 and 20 gauge guns, I can probably hold out.
Never say never, though.
 
All about the gun for me. I had a 20 sxs that I really liked and a 28 sxs from the same maker. Went back and forth a thousand times and finally sold the 28 mostly because someone wanted it. The 20 is 3 inch and a person could shoot a little steel if they liked. The 28 was a wee bit lighter and easier to carry in the bush. Both pattern 7/8 oz of field load equally well and that is 99.99% of my sxs shooting.
 
Love my 28 Silver Pigeon....cost of shells around here really no difference between it and the 20. I have a 20 but bought it many years ago when I was much smaller (was my second gun I ever bought), stock is very short on it. Would have sold it long ago but saving for my daughter when she gets older and has moved up to it. I wouldn't say no to a 20 however but for grouse love the 28 all day long....
 
Arietta said:
A few years ago I fell into the 28 gauge abyss attracted by the mystique of things like "square loads" and other bushwah.

Five guns, ten years and 20 thousand rounds or so later I came out concluding the 28 isn't magic, is more expensive, harder to find, makes reloading almost mandatory, most often comes in guns that are on the same frame and weigh the same as a comparable 20 and the limited ammo selection makes it nowhere near as versatile as its larger brother.

My 28s have new homes now. I don't regret a minute of the voyage but I'm happy with my 20's.
Click to expand...

I enjoyed the bushwah thing.
 
brybenn said:
Dont feel bad. All i have are 10s 12s and a 410 lol. Makes me kinda sad really. I just spend 5 days building fences and a big deck and changing the landscape of my back yard. I feel i deserve a new gun.
Never had the need for smaller gauges as i can reload my 12s in 2" or 2.5" or very lightly in 2.75" to match the smaller gauges. I just want sub gauge guns again as im doing more small game and upland hunting again
Click to expand...

The small gauges can be debated till the cows come home. The versatility of the 12 is undisputed. And it is available in every weight and configuration that is required.
 
I've preferred the 28 sxs or o/u on upland birds for some time now.
Late season pheasants with heavy plumage do require more gun for the longer shots so you have to be careful and the 20 with it's heavier payload is probably a better choice but I've had few problems if I don't let them get out too far.
 
I will probably go back to 20ga at some point.
But as of now it's 28 and 16.

Light slim 28 on grouse and woodcock, shells are a bit lighter too :)
For pheasant the 16 really knocks them down.
 
I have a 20g and 28g Franchi 48’s that I really like but never really use. I find that both kill birds and break clays equally. If I decide to do some small bore shooting, I’d grab the 20g before the 28g simply based on cost and availability of ammo.
 
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