28 ga: Semi or SxS?

Mount Sweetness said:
If the Weatherby Athena is the same money as the Remington 1100.......buy that Athena quick!
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He is considering the Ethos vs the Athena and giving his 1100 to his wife. I would still grab the Athena unless Benelli is now making a left handed Ethos.

It has been my limited experience that 1 oz loads do not pattern any better than 7/8 oz or even 3/4 oz loads out of my 28s. I do shoot the 1 oz loads for pheasant but only because it is the only premium loads I can find in number 5 or 6 shot. The 3/4 oz Fiocchi target loads in 7 1/2 kill grouse fine and are actually faster than the heavy field loads. On the pattern board, the patterns are similar but the 1 oz loads have a lot of pellets clustered or touching. I obvious don't know when they arrive there so they may be lumped or a longer shot string. I can't imagine any advantage of trying to force even more shot down that skinny tube but I have been wrong before. Perhaps a long shot string would compensate for leading the bird wrong???

I also found 3 inch 20s no more effective than 2 3/4 inch 7/8 or 1 oz. quality shot shells and even experienced some POI shifts with the heavy loads. A 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz load patterns much better out of my 12s, especially in number 4 or larger.

So my story is that you need many shotguns for varying tasks and I am sticking to it.
 
MK2750 said:
He is considering the Ethos vs the Athena and giving his 1100 to his wife. I would still grab the Athena unless Benelli is now making a left handed Ethos.

It has been my limited experience that 1 oz loads do not pattern any better than 7/8 oz or even 3/4 oz loads out of my 28s. I do shoot the 1 oz loads for pheasant but only because it is the only premium loads I can find in number 5 or 6 shot. The 3/4 oz Fiocchi target loads in 7 1/2 kill grouse fine and are actually faster than the heavy field loads. On the pattern board, the patterns are similar but the 1 oz loads have a lot of pellets clustered or touching. I obvious don't know when they arrive there so they may be lumped or a longer shot string. I can't imagine any advantage of trying to force even more shot down that skinny tube but I have been wrong before. Perhaps a long shot string would compensate for leading the bird wrong???

I also found 3 inch 20s no more effective than 2 3/4 inch 7/8 or 1 oz. quality shot shells and even experienced some POI shifts with the heavy loads. A 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz load patterns much better out of my 12s, especially in number 4 or larger.

So my story is that you need many shotguns for varying tasks and I am sticking to it.
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I found the same with the 1 ounce Winchester loads, the patterns were not even. I settled on the 7/8 ounce Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads, because the patterns are more even, and the plated shot penetrates better, and drags less feathers into the meat.
 
Yes ,in the past the 28 gauge was made in 2 7/8 inch shells.The original length for the 28 gauge was 2 1/2 inch.For use in skeet, the shells were limited to 2 3/4 inch so the 2 7/8 inch lost out to it.The shells were loaded with the same amount of lead shot.Now with lead falling out of use more and more, as more places allow only non tox shot ,the 3 inch 28 gauge maybe one of the ways the 28 gauge can stay as a useful cartridge in the field.Steel at present time is the most popular of non tox shot,so in order to get enough steel in a 28 gauge hull for reliable use at longer distances, the 3 inch 28 gauge could be one of the answers.

I believe the OP has an 1100 that his wife has pretty much taken over that is why he is looking at a Weathery SXS or Benelli self loader as his replacement.Both guns are about in the same price range.
 
Any of the Winchester 28 gauge one ounce loads I have patterned with any of my 28 gauge guns have had good patterns.
 
stubblejumper said:
I use Fiocchi Golden Pheasant in #6 for pheasant, released or wild, and for sharptails and Huns. 90% of my pheasants are released, but I have taken wild birds as well. I hunt exclusively over a pointing dog. Some people don't shoot SxS guns as well, but I have shot clean rounds of skeet with 28 gauge fixed choke SxS shotguns. If it fits me, it really isn't a huge issue for me, which type of shotgun I use.
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If I had your SxS’s I would use nothing else. But I would be carrying the 16 for the Wild one’s.
 
MK2750 said:
He is considering the Ethos vs the Athena and giving his 1100 to his wife. I would still grab the Athena unless Benelli is now making a left handed Ethos.

It has been my limited experience that 1 oz loads do not pattern any better than 7/8 oz or even 3/4 oz loads out of my 28s. I do shoot the 1 oz loads for pheasant but only because it is the only premium loads I can find in number 5 or 6 shot. The 3/4 oz Fiocchi target loads in 7 1/2 kill grouse fine and are actually faster than the heavy field loads. On the pattern board, the patterns are similar but the 1 oz loads have a lot of pellets clustered or touching. I obvious don't know when they arrive there so they may be lumped or a longer shot string. I can't imagine any advantage of trying to force even more shot down that skinny tube but I have been wrong before. Perhaps a long shot string would compensate for leading the bird wrong???

I also found 3 inch 20s no more effective than 2 3/4 inch 7/8 or 1 oz. quality shot shells and even experienced some POI shifts with the heavy loads. A 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz load patterns much better out of my 12s, especially in number 4 or larger.

So my story is that you need many shotguns for varying tasks and I am sticking to it.
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Lots of tasks and lots of guns.
 
The two guns in question are so different that it become impossible to recommend one over the other because it's more of a personal taste thing. If the 3 inch chamber is the attraction to the Ethos then you answered your own question when you said that you don't see 3 inch 28 g shells for sale. I'm also of the opinion that I'd sooner go up a gauge than go the 3 inch route anyway.
I have no experience with the Ethos and Weatherby had some QC trouble early on with the first Athena's that came out but I think that all got resolved fairly quick. Having said that, Prophet River has had a 28 Athena on their consignment page for several months now and seem to be having some trouble moving it. It's a pretty nice looking piece and if I didn't already have a 28 sxs I'd be looking at it real hard, it even has double triggers and a straight stock!
For me and my taste.... sxs for upland birds every day cause I'm not really a semi guy.
 
Falconflyer said:
The two guns in question are so different that it become impossible to recommend one over the other because it's more of a personal taste thing. If the 3 inch chamber is the attraction to the Ethos then you answered your own question when you said that you don't see 3 inch 28 g shells for sale. I'm also of the opinion that I'd sooner go up a gauge than go the 3 inch route anyway.
I have no experience with the Ethos and Weatherby had some QC trouble early on with the first Athena's that came out but I think that all got resolved fairly quick. Having said that, Prophet River has had a 28 Athena on their consignment page for several months now and seem to be having some trouble moving it. It's a pretty nice looking piece and if I didn't already have a 28 sxs I'd be looking at it real hard, it even has double triggers and a straight stock!
For me and my taste.... sxs for upland birds every day cause I'm not really a semi guy.
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Yes, the two I was referring to are the ones at Prophet River, and they are both beautiful firearms! Will be selling a couple of rifles to pay for the new acquisition.
Was leaning towards the semi, but do like the look and clean lines of the double, and would like to carry a classic type of shotgun such as a light, fast handling double in the field. Think it would be a great experience!

I have found that the Fiocchi 7 1/2 target loads pattern very well in the Remington and have performed very well on the upland game we have taken since acquiring it several years ago. Was lucky, it has a very beautiful piece of wood on it, and could not pass it up for the price I got it for! Need to locate some of those Golden Pheasant loads.

I am right handed, but left eye dominant, as is the wife. Have found that semis and pumps have less cast off in their stocks, so shoot them better. Not sure if the cast off on a SxS is as pronounced as on an O/U? (The Cooey 84 single shots I have in 28 and 410 do not have any cast off)

Not as experienced in shotguns as I am with rifles...so am learning lots here...Thanks for the feedback!
 
BlackRam said:
Yes, the two I was referring to are the ones at Prophet River, and they are both beautiful firearms! Will be selling a couple of rifles to pay for the new acquisition.
Was leaning towards the semi, but do like the look and clean lines of the double, and would like to carry a classic type of shotgun such as a light, fast handling double in the field. Think it would be a great experience!

I have found that the Fiocchi 7 1/2 target loads pattern very well in the Remington and have performed very well on the upland game we have taken since acquiring it several years ago. Was lucky, it has a very beautiful piece of wood on it, and could not pass it up for the price I got it for! Need to locate some of those Golden Pheasant loads.

I am right handed, but left eye dominant, as is the wife. Have found that semis and pumps have less cast off in their stocks, so shoot them better. Not sure if the cast off on a SxS is as pronounced as on an O/U? (The Cooey 84 single shots I have in 28 and 410 do not have any cast off)

Not as experienced in shotguns as I am with rifles...so am learning lots here...Thanks for the feedback!
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There's nothing that handles like a sub gauge light weight sxs in the field but you have to shoot it to know if it works for you, when you find one that you can shoot with confidence then it's a wonderful thing! The eye dominance thing just adds complexity to it and there's not really any way to say whether the gun will work for you or not without trying it, it's unfortunate but true! Double triggers are another thing, I have no trouble going between single and double triggers but lots of shooter do, again it's only you that can answer that question.
 
Not having that type of money I use a mint Cooey 840 28" FC 28ga for most of my upland.Handloaded hard lead #4 or #5's take the lead out of a pheasant's pencil when they have their Oct feathers and fat.Good out to 40 yards MAX.
 
cooey43 said:
My best Grouse Gun is a Model 3 , S x S 28 ga. by AYA . After 60 yrs. I love it the most for that purpose.
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I have an AYA Model 3A that I bought new back in 1975.Great gun and never had any trouble with it in all these years.At one time it saw a lot of use,but of late years I have not used it all that often.
 
I have no trouble with using double triggers.However I do find using a single trigger better when it is cold and one is using thick gloves or mittens.
 
mbogo3 said:
Not having that type of money I use a mint Cooey 840 28" FC 28ga for most of my upland.Handloaded hard lead #4 or #5's take the lead out of a pheasant's pencil when they have their Oct feathers and fat.Good out to 40 yards MAX.
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The Cooey 28 gauge guns are nice guns.My first firearm was a Winchester/Cooey Model 84,still have it.Usually manage to get it in the field a few times each year.The gun still works well and bags game as well as it did when both man and gun were much younger.

Also have a Winchester/Cooey Model 840 and a Winchester Model 370.Both guns are later versions of the old original Cooey Model 84.
 
The 28ga is a great choice with any shotgun that operates as it should for hunting that particular type of small game. In regards to your inquiry, the SxS would be my preference. I also highly recommend using a shotgun with affordable and widely available ammunition. Good luck fellow hunter.
 
28 gauge said:
I have no trouble with using double triggers.However I do find using a single trigger better when it is cold and one is using thick gloves or mittens.
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I find that shooting skeet now and then with my SxS shotguns, really helps to get used to two triggers, especially shooting doubles.

. I also highly recommend using a shotgun with affordable and widely available ammunition. Good luck fellow hunter.
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I buy my hunting loads by the flat, and I never worry about running out. While target loads are much more expensive for 28 gauge, than for the 12 or 20 gauge, the hunting loads that I use cost about the same, regardless of gauge.

Need to locate some of those Golden Pheasant loads.
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If you are going to buy your shotgun from Prophet River, have them bring in a flat of Golden Pheasant for you, and you are set for a while.
 
Used .410, 20 gauge, and 12 gauge for ruffed grouse. Tried a 28 this year and liked it, I’m thinking SxS.
 
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