28 gauges

Ha,
I’m still thinking about the 28,just cause it’s so cool to have, but I have been on two hunts recently that went straight up…I hunt BC, and it is steep stuff.The other day went 12k and gained about 3000ft.The problem is that the birds are wild, and some of the Blue grouse are big.The chucker hunting is just as nasty.So I need light, but I need some reach for larger birds.The last thing I want is to finally get at birds and say to myself “ geez, those Blue grouse are 40 yards out, I’m not gonna risk it with the 28”.
So what did I do? What any self respecting gunnut would do….I researched the #### out of it, and narrowed it down to Benelli BUL 12, and Some O/U ultralights….then I researched some more. Found a rarer gun, they appear to be popular in EU….Beretta A400 Ultralight 12 gauge.
Just a hair under 6 pounds, real wood stock and forened, nicely finished, although plain ( fine for me) and has Berettas Blink gas system to reduce recoil a little for such a light gun( guys that have BUL - recoil system say it can rattle your teeth a bit).The A400 system seems solid after ring around 10 years.Berettas fit me like they measured me at their factory, my last auto loader from Beretta was AL 390 that I shot ducks with for 25 years and sold for 50 bucks more then I originally paid for it new( finally got tired of changing the recoil spring in the butt stock).
I like real wood, And I’m not keen on aluminum receivers on O/U guns, so this might be the ticket.It’s in the mail to me …. We will see.
I’m still eyeballing a 28 gauge though, cause you can’t have enough guns and they are very cool.

I just bought a 4.5 pound 28 gauge from a guy in Idaho who had used the gun for 40 years....his primary quarry was chukar. Given the effort that got put into getting near the birds, he highly valued the light weight. He only had one other shotgun that whole time, a light 20 gauge but it was the 28 he used. He only sold them because he hit 80 yo and was stopping that kind of hunting.
 
The a400 xplor comes in 28ga!!! Fantastic gun. The 20ga version is also very light weight. Similar or possibly even lighter than the ultra light 12ga. Comparing them side by side the 20ga xplor felt lighter not sure if it really is or not. It is nicer feeling. My 28ga and 20ga xplores have 26" barrels and no kickoff.
 
The a400 xplor comes in 28ga!!! Fantastic gun. The 20ga version is also very light weight. Similar or possibly even lighter than the ultra light 12ga. Comparing them side by side the 20ga xplor felt lighter not sure if it really is or not. It is nicer feeling. My 28ga and 20ga xplores have 26" barrels and no kickoff.
I have the 28. Great gun ,light for an all day carry. No trouble with Winchester AA but Federal seem to hang up upon ejection,maybe a titch too long
 
Some may not be aware of load choices for 28 gauge? I went through my stash and found these that are / were available. FYI

Winchester 1 ounce #7.5 shot @ 1205 fps (pretty much equivalent to standard 2 3/4" 20 gauge?)
Federal 3/4 ounce #6 copper plated @ 1295 fps
Hevi-Shot 3/4 ounce #7 shot @ 1150 fps (might be bismuth shot?)
Winchester 3/4 ounce #9 shot @ 1200 fps

Multiple loads found in BPI and Lyman manuals for 3/4 ounce, 7/8 ounce and 1 ounce loadings with various hulls, primers and powders.

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Some may not be aware of load choices for 28 gauge? I went through my stash and found these that are / were available. FYI

Winchester 1 ounce #7.5 shot @ 1205 fps (pretty much equivalent to standard 2 3/4" 20 gauge?)
Federal 3/4 ounce #6 copper plated @ 1295 fps
Hevi-Shot 3/4 ounce #7 shot @ 1150 fps (might be bismuth shot?)
Winchester 3/4 ounce #9 shot @ 1200 fps

Multiple loads found in BPI and Lyman manuals for 3/4 ounce, 7/8 ounce and 1 ounce loadings with various hulls, primers and powders.

View attachment 523151

I pretty much use Fiocchi Golden Pheasant exclusively, and then load the hulls for skeet.
 
Brutus - I have not tried slugs in a 28 gauge. As others on this board have used, I am going to try some BPI Small Game slugs - actually they are .505" (?) round balls with a special wad to fit into a 28 gauge 2 3/4" cartridge with an overshot wad and a roll crimp. I have not much expectation for accuracy with a naked round ball heading up a smooth bore - but 10" or 12" at 25 yards or less would be my hope. The book says the load is 1,900 fps, so I would think that the striking power would be similar to a patched round ball 50 caliber muzzle loader. Not sure the 28 gauge Small Game thing is enough to chose to go hunting with, but might be better than a load of 7.5 shot at 10 or 15 yards, if it can be steered close enough?
 
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The a400 xplor comes in 28ga!!! Fantastic gun. The 20ga version is also very light weight. Similar or possibly even lighter than the ultra light 12ga. Comparing them side by side the 20ga xplor felt lighter not sure if it really is or not. It is nicer feeling. My 28ga and 20ga xplores have 26" barrels and no kickoff.

I have had the same combo, except my 20 gauge had Kick off and both guns had 28" barrels. Great guns. I used my 28 ga on the skeet fields and to hunt ducks & grouse. . Now the ducks were over the decoys, so 20 yards at most. I successfully hunted Black Ducks, Mallards, Pintails, and Teal. All early season and using Kent Bismuth # 6. Know your gun, know your distances and live with in them.
 
I've been lucky to have a couple of 28 gauges over the years, and still do. The A400 was my first semi 28 gauge and I have nothing but praise for it. I did purchase a Briley weighted cap for it and it made a difference for me.
 
I just bought a 4.5 pound 28 gauge from a guy in Idaho who had used the gun for 40 years....his primary quarry was chukar. Given the effort that got put into getting near the birds, he highly valued the light weight. He only had one other shotgun that whole time, a light 20 gauge but it was the 28 he used. He only sold them because he hit 80 yo and was stopping that kind of hunting.

Canvasback ,just wondering what make and action your 4.5 pound 28 gauge gun is?Would be just about as perfect upland game gun as could be had,I would think.
 
Someone needs to lock this thread, or it’s gonna cost me even more money….
Even the wife says…” looks like more guns and fly rods in here then last time”, when she pokes her nose in my den these days.
Might have to get a lock on that door….but the hunting dog likes to go lay down in there, reminds him of good times.
 
Canvasback ,just wondering what make and action your 4.5 pound 28 gauge gun is?Would be just about as perfect upland game gun as could be had,I would think.

Sure. It’s a Francotte boxlock dating to 1927. Belgian made and high quality but plain. As far as I can figure out, in the same family since new. Hard to know which is better for use. The 20 gauge I got in the same deal is a 1904 Lindner Charles Daly Diamond Quality model 275. Hard to find similar guns for less than $20K USD. The three similar Francottes I've been able to find that sold at auction in the last few years went for around $6K USD hammer price. I did not pay anything like those prices. The Daly needs a restock. The Francotte is good to go.
 
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My wife looks inside my gun room all the time, in fact she keeps her gun in there as well.
Long ago I made the policy with myself that my kids would always be fed, the mortgage would always be paid, the pantry would always be full, I'd have a rainy day slush fund and savings for retirement... and I would never ask permission to buy a gun, motorcycle or new truck!
 
NEVER let the wife see whats in the gun room.

My 28ga a400 has been flawless with every load ive tried so far

I had a policy of buying my wife some bauble of similar value to the gun I bought for myself. She never complained and she sure dropped the issue quickly when she started to try to include the value of my guns when dividing up common assets when we split. I just asked her to include the value of the jewellery I had gifted her over the years. Hahaha.

Fast forward 12 years....a few years ago she asked me to help her study for and get her rpal, which I did. And now she comes to me for advice on what guns to buy. Her new guy is scared of guns but he foots the bills nicely.
 
Sure. It’s a Francotte boxlock dating to 1927. Belgian made and high quality but plain. As far as I can figure out, in the same family since new. Hard to know which is better for use. The 20 gauge I got in the same deal is a 1904 Lindner Charles Daly Diamond Quality model 275. Hard to find similar guns for less than $20K USD. The three similar Francottes I've been able to find that sold at auction in the last few years went for around $6K USD hammer price. I did not pay anything like those prices. The Daly needs a restock. The Francotte is good to go.

Thanks for the reply,canvasback.For myself there would be no doubt about what I would use, the boxlock 28 gauge.:)Is the gun chambered for 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 inch 28 gauge ammunition?
 
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