Is a 28ga shotgun adequate for shooting skeet? I am currently shooting a 12ga and looking for a little less recoil due to a shoulder injury. I considered a 20ga but never considered the 28ga due to the price of the shells. I will eventually getting into reloading so I could probably reload the 28ga cheaper than factory ammo. Anybodys thoughts on the 28ga for skeet would be appreciated. Cheers.
28ga for Skeet
- Thread starter Peerless
- Start date
For skeet distance targets the 28 gauge is as close to perfection as you'll find. Even for longer targets the 28 gauge is very impressive. I have seen some very long targets crushed with the 28 gauge and sometimes I've even done it myself.
Reloading cuts the cost of shells in half if not more and is definitely worthwhile.
Reloading cuts the cost of shells in half if not more and is definitely worthwhile.
Except you have to be nuts to use .410 for skeet. As much as I would recommend 28 for skeet, I would equally recommend against using .410.
Brad.
My personal believe and experience is that 2" won't make a noticeable difference. Shoot what you've got if you've already got it.
If given a choice I'd take 28" over 26". I shoot 30". I shot a year with 28" and there was no statistically negative result on my scores.
Brad.
It is all I have used for 15 years now and shoot the 28ga as well if not better than any 12 or 20ga. You have to reload however as you will quickly see.I can reload still for about 1/2 the price of a new box of 28ga AA's
Na. When I think I am the bomb and running them with the 28ga I take the 410 wingmaster skeet the following week just to show myself what a piss poor shooter I really am.
R&R Rancher
CGN Regular
- Location
- Manitoba's Interlake
I've been goofing around shooting skeet with a Remington 11-48 in 410 this summer. It's fun, but I'm not going to brag about my scores. VERY little room for error, although if you are on it is surprising how well the targets break. Last week I brought out my 12 ga O/U and shot 7/8 oz reloads. It felt like cheating. The extra weight smoothed out my swing and I didn't have to work so hard to hit the target.
I've read that the old time skeeters shortly after WWII mainly used the Winchester model 42 for the 410 event in registered skeet. They lovingly referred to it as "The Idiot Stick". Something to consider in your choice between 28 and 410.
After all that rambling there should be another option to think about. You're going to have to reload to economically shoot either 28 or 410. Try reloading a few boxes of 12 ga. 7/8 oz loads at 1150 fps. The recoil reduction is considerable. That however, takes away the excuse for a new skeet gun, so feel free to ignore this advise
.browninggold
CGN Regular
- Location
- Essex County, Ontario
Guess I have an excuse to buy a 28g now!
I've been wondering about 28 ga for skeet too, but am leaning toward getting a set of tubes. DK but I have heard that gains wrt recoil in the sub guages are somewhat offset by the lighter guns. Since I have a 12 ga I like, I'm thinking I could keep the somewhat heavier weight and equalize it across the various guages. Just an idea at this stage of course.
winchester12
CGN Regular
- Location
- Chatham ontario
I really enjoy shooting 28ga. I reload to keep costs down and use a cz redneck and a browning superposed with briley 28ga sidekicks. There is about 5 guys at my club that shoot 410 as well. All of us consistintly shoot in the 20's
A couple of people have mentioned that using 3/4 oz loads you will have less pellets to smoke the clays with. I noticed that most guys are shooting 1 oz or even 7/8 oz loads using a 12 ga. My question is there really a lot more pellets in a 1 oz compared to a 3/4 oz load? So the difference is 1/4 oz how many pellets can that be?
I can miss just as easy with 1 1/8 oz. load from my 12 ga. as I can from 3/4 oz. load from my 28 ga. Speeds are about the same & with less recoil from the 28 ga. shooting multiple rounds is more fun. And cheaper if you reload...
IMHO a 20 ga. shotgun for skeet is much more practical than the 28 ga. Free once fired 20 ga. hulls suitable for reloading are much more plentiful than 28 ga. hulls at the ranges I shoot at. Wads are also much easier to locate. I consider the 28 ga. the 'pay to play' round for skeet.
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
Skeet is great when you use a 28!
low gun doubles , YIPPEE!!!
Cat
low gun doubles , YIPPEE!!!
Cat
Yes the 20 is more practical. The op's original question was if the 28 was adequate. Now if you're talking about practical? BTW practical is for those who only need one gun or whose significant other will only let them have one gun. and a whole bunch of other reasons including being practical for practical's sake. Back to practical. That would be a 12 gauge. Even more free hulls than a 20 and can be loaded to 28 gauge specs on the cheap. 28 specs in a 12 gauge gun has very low recoil and also breaks skeet targets really well.
