28ga question

[Ahsan Ahmed]

I do not have adequate experience yet in terms of hunting with a 28ga, hence the question - Woodcock/Grouse perspective only.....

1 oz vs. 3/4 oz loads - in practise usually, which would be more effective in terms of delivering better patterns? And no, I haven't had an opportunity to pattern the shotgun yet

Moreover, do I really need the 1oz load since my shots will preferably be under 25 yds aprox and hopefully, in less densely wooded areas as far as I can help it

Thanks,

 

[straightshooter]

Sharptail has a great appreciation for hunting ruffed grouse with a 28 ga. (we don't have woodcock in our area or they'd be included). He's unequivocal that, for 28 ga, you want 3/4 oz loads only. A 3/4 oz load in 28 ga provides the same "square" shot stream as using a 1 oz load in 16 ga. Both of these scenarios are known to produce the best shot patterns.

When 1 oz loads are employed through 28 ga, your patterns will suffer. Moreover, velocities will be reduced to around 1000 fps.

Is 3/4 oz of shot through 28 gauge effective for grouse and woodcock? The answer is a resounding YES. Sharptail's game bag is all the proof of this anyone could need.

For anyone who might take this information and extend it to hunting sharptail grouse, pheasants, or any similarly tough to bring down game bird, this is not recommended. Although it is certainly possible to bring down these birds with a 28 gauge, your success rate will definitely suffer and the potential for injured birds will be high.

 

[Ahsan Ahmed]

Is 3/4 oz of shot through 28 gauge effective for grouse and woodcock? The answer is a resounding YES. Sharptail's game bag is all the proof of this anyone could need.

For anyone who might take this information and extend it to hunting sharptail grouse, pheasants, or any similarly tough to bring down game bird, this is not recommended. Although it is certainly possible to bring down these birds with a 28 gauge, your success rate will definitely suffer and the potential for injured birds will be high.

Thanks very much, SS.......it's reassuring to have such validation from the more experienced members here. I also fully concur with your impression that the use of a subguage on, example - pheasants, won't be a prudent choice as I've seen on numerous ocassions wild Pheasants, Red or Black Jungle Fowl absorb a 12ga load and still manage to escape.....does bite on one's conscience for a long while

P.S. Your reference to Sharptail's game bag being always full .....the jury is still out on that one. Appears that prized birds manage to " somehow walk out from in there" (this from his thread in the Hunting Forum)

 

[Sluice]

Bob Brister, the guru of shotgun patterns said excactly what staright shooter said and my personal experience with the 28 also favours the 3/4 oz load.

I will note that in my experiece the 28 gauge kills better than you would expect it to. I have shot lots of Grey Partridge and pigeons all under 30 yards, well maybe one was 35 yards.

r

 

[Claybuster]

I have yet to shoot a pheasant with my 28 gauge but have shot some smaller birds and a lot of clays.

From the patterning works I've done, the 3/4 ounce load is the only way to go.

If I'm going to shoot 1 ounce of shot I'd rather do it with my 12 gauge or perhaps a 20.

 

[Ahsan Ahmed]

From the patterning works I've done, the 3/4 ounce load is the only way to go.

Thanks. I was going to pick up a flat of 1oz loads this week.....glad I thought of asking the question beforehand and you folks also saved me some money in the process

Bob Brister, the guru of shotgun patterns said excactly what staright shooter said and my personal experience with the 28 also favours the 3/4 oz load. r

Thanks again.

 

[straightshooter]

P.S. Your reference to Sharptail's game bag being always full .....the jury is still out on that one. Appears that prized birds manage to " somehow walk out from in there" (this from his thread in the Hunting Forum)

Yes, the zombie hunters from this board might enjoy setting up blinds in the vicinity of his cabin. If dead sharptail get up and walk away from his game bag, somebody needs to be there to stop them.

My theory is that one of the many feral cats in the area made off like a bandit. The bird probably weighed as much as the cat, but that's never stopped them before. Beside not believing in ghosts, spirits, cracks in the space-time continuum or any other such "supernatural phenomena", I know that the garbage bags of guts and feathers get torn to shreds on a regular basis. When we leave tempting morsels like that out, I'm not surprised they eventually want to supplement with a little breast meat.

 

[beretta boy]

Grouse & Woodcock .... 3/4 oz. 8's
Pheasant ... 1 oz. 6's.

 

[Grouse Man]

I believe they created smaller bore guns IN ORDER to be lighter and use less shot for specific purposes. Don't make a 28 do the job that a 20 is supposed to do; don't make a 20 do the job of a 12.

In other words, you should have one shotgun in every common gauge.

 

[Sharptail]

In other words, you should have one shotgun in every common gauge.

Grouse Man, now you're talking, but you have to carry it one step further. For each gauge, you need a gun in every action type - SxS's, U/O's, Pump, Semi and single shot. Then there are sub variations, eg. boxlocks and sidelocks, inertia and gas operated, internal and external hammers, etc. Add in a few rarer types such as levers, revolvers and bolt guns and you are all set. A small collection consisting of 90 to 100 guns will cover most of the bases, unless you want some real oddballs such as a double barreled pump gun, book openers or 3 or 4 barreled guns. Then there are 4, 8, 24 and 32 gauges, plus rarities like the 9 mm shotshell. Oh, and let's not forget the muzzle loaders. With a collection like that you could really learn a thing or two.

In all seriousness, I agree with you. A selection of gauges allows you to choose the right tool for the job in much the same manner as a golfer has a variety of clubs. Variety is the spice of life, after all.


Sharptail

 

[Claybuster]

I believe they created smaller bore guns IN ORDER to be lighter and use less shot for specific purposes. Don't make a 28 do the job that a 20 is supposed to do; don't make a 20 do the job of a 12.

In other words, you should have one shotgun in every common gauge.

Having owned most of the common gauges at one time or another I've come down to owning two -- the 12 and 28. A light 12 gauge sxs with one ounce or 24 gm. loads means I don't need a 20 or a 16 gauge. The 28 gauge outperforms the .410 and is no more inconvenient to carry so my days of playing with the .410 are behind me.

 

[28 gauge]

For many years I have used 28 gauge shotguns.Have used the 28 gauge 2 1/2 inch 1/2 ounce load all the way up to the 2 3/4 1 ounce load.For partridge(ruffed grouse) I prefer 7 1/2 shot,3/4 ounce and a modified choke .In the early part of the season when the leaves are thick I sometimes use an improved cylinder choke and 1 ounce loads.

As to 3/4 or 1 ounce loads I find the 3/4 ounce loads better in a tighter choked shotgun while the 1 ounce loads help to improve the pattern at longer range in a more open choked 28 gauge shotgun.The Winchester 1 ounce loads have no one piece shot wad like the 3/4 ounce load and in most 28 gauge shotguns will open up a little sooner than the 3/4 ounce load.

 

[catnthehatt]

I used 3/4oz #9 skeet loads last year for ruffed grouse in my Briley-tubed Tikka 412S.
Everybody that saw it shoot was amazed at the way it killed ruffys, even those WAY out there!
On the skeet range I was stunned the first time I used it.
I've shot lots of 20 guage and 12, but never used a 28 before.
I won't be using anything else for grouse from now on, except maybe to mess with my new to me Collath 20 lightweight 20 guage that I bought for pheasents and messin' around!
Cat