.410 or 28 gauge?

The one downside of the 28 gauge is that shells are not as available as the .410. I still see .410 at Canadian Tire but have never seen 28 gauge there (not that I buy ammo at Canadian Tire in the first place.)

But that is no reason not to take the 28 gauge. It's my favourite gauge and I'll leave the .410 shooting to someone else.
 
I agree the .410 is more of an "experts" gun than other choices, however, I've had very good success using it on snowshoe hare and partridge/grouse down here on the Rock. I don't consider myself an "old lady" for choosing it. I chose it, because the .410 doesn't damage near as much meat as say a 12 or 20 or even 28 gauge should you muff the shot. Also, because you're dealing with a relatively small pellet load, you have to pick your shots more precisely, increasing the challenge for yourself. What's the point in shooting a rabbit or partridge with a 12 gauge when you lose most of the edible meat? Not knocking the guys who use them, heck I still do when the mood strikes!:)

Best advice I can offer is this. If you can afford both, get them. If not, see if you can try both out at your local club and choose the one you like best.
 
The best thing I've heard describing a .410 is that you either see complete novices/first time shooters using it or absolute experts looking for a challenge. There's not many people in the middle who seem to realise it's particular appeal. It does fill it's own little niche.
 
Gunslinger said:
The best thing I've heard describing a .410 is that you either see complete novices/first time shooters using it or absolute experts looking for a challenge. There's not many people in the middle who seem to realise it's particular appeal. It does fill it's own little niche.
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I can see first time shooters using it, but I can not see first time shooters actually buying one for their first gun especially if bird game is on the menu!
A young or smaller shooter would be better served with a 20 and if he/she can not handle a twenty, maybe he/she is not ready for shootin birds with a scatter gun? I like X-man's argument the best.
 
I am curious if this is your only shotgun. Well I like to believe one gun is adequate for all types of shooting it never seems to be for me. I use a 12 for trap, a 16 for upland, a 20 for upland and waterfowl, a 28 for upland and fun and the 410 well I bought for my wife. I have missed as many grouse with the 410 as I have taken with it. I put the blame on the loose nut behind the stock for the misses more than the limitations of pellet count and shot string. I have found that the 28 is a little more forgiving than the 410. My theory is if you decide to go with the 28 and for whatever reason you don't like it you can always sell it. Good luck with your decision
 
jed said:
I am curious if this is your only shotgun. Well I like to believe one gun is adequate for all types of shooting it never seems to be for me. I use a 12 for trap, a 16 for upland, a 20 for upland and waterfowl, a 28 for upland and fun and the 410 well I bought for my wife. I have missed as many grouse with the 410 as I have taken with it. I put the blame on the loose nut behind the stock for the misses more than the limitations of pellet count and shot string. I have found that the 28 is a little more forgiving than the 410. My theory is if you decide to go with the 28 and for whatever reason you don't like it you can always sell it. Good luck with your decision
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No, I have a couple 12's and 20's. I've also used a 16, but never bought one because I rarely see the ammo. I've used .410's before effectively, but never had a 28.

I was leaning towards the 28, but I scoped out Wholesalesports today to see how much 28 they had and what I could get in terms of reloading supplies and gear.

Very very little.

Might be the .410
 
spi said:
I was leaning towards the 28, but I scoped out Wholesalesports today to see how much 28 they had and what I could get in terms of reloading supplies and gear.

Very very little.

Might be the .410
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Don't let that be the deciding factor. 28ga equipment/supplies may not be in stock everywhere, but you can order it. It is available. Once you get your loader, then you just need to order reloading supplies in bulk (buy 5 or 10 bags of wads rather than 1 at a time). From there, lead is lead, primers are primers, and powder shouldn't be a problem.

28ga Ammo is available. It sometimes just requires a little poking around to find it. Again, find your closest skeet club and ask around there. 28ga is a regular requirment and they will know where to get it (and also reloading supplies).

Brad.
 
bmcrae said:
Don't let that be the deciding factor. 28ga equipment/supplies may not be in stock everywhere, but you can order it. It is available. Once you get your loader, then you just need to order reloading supplies in bulk (buy 5 or 10 bags of wads rather than 1 at a time). From there, lead is lead, primers are primers, and powder shouldn't be a problem.

28ga Ammo is available. It sometimes just requires a little poking around to find it. Again, find your closest skeet club and ask around there. 28ga is a regular requirment and they will know where to get it (and also reloading supplies).

Brad.
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X2. It may also be the time of the year. In the dead of winter there isn't as much skeet or clay shooting. Those of us who are deranged enough to do it generally don't shoot the subgauges as much when it's cold. It's not surprising dealers don't have much 28 gauge in stock during the winter.

Even if 28 gauge ammo and components are harder to find it's worth the effort if .410 is the alternative. My introduction to subgauges was with a three-barrel skeet set in 20/28/.410. It taught me very quickly that compared to the 28 all the 20 gave me was more recoil and all the .410 gave me was more aggravation.
 
spi said:
I was leaning towards the 28, but I scoped out Wholesalesports today to see how much 28 they had and what I could get in terms of reloading supplies and gear.

Very very little.

I am not surprised that you could not find much loaded ammo and reloading supplies, especially at wholesale. I doubt that many stores would have much at this time of year. Heck, most are low on your favorite 12 gauge stuff. This year wholesale will probably be slow to re stock beause they are moving (by April 1) and are not prepared to accept delivery at their new location and they are probably trying to limit stock they have to move. Come spring you should have lots of ammo and loading options.
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Well, since you already own 12 and 20 ga, I don't see how the 28ga. would be more practical to you than a .410. If your looking for a light field gun who will give minimal recoil and not dammage the meat, the .410 is the way to go. Specially with finding ammo... But like others have said, the 410 is unforgiving and you may miss more birds. I hunt grouse and rabbits with a single shot 410 and sometimes it can be frustrating... ;)
 
roadwarrior said:
Well, since you already own 12 and 20 ga, I don't see how the 28ga. would be more practical to you than a .410. If your looking for a light field gun who will give minimal recoil and not dammage the meat, the .410 is the way to go. Specially with finding ammo... But like others have said, the 410 is unforgiving and you may miss more birds. I hunt grouse and rabbits with a single shot 410 and sometimes it can be frustrating... ;)
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What he may find however is that once he starts shooting the 28 gauge there is less need for the 20. That's what happened to me and my last 20 gauge went out the door a few weeks ago.
 
Claybuster said:
What he may find however is that once he starts shooting the 28 gauge there is less need for the 20. That's what happened to me and my last 20 gauge went out the door a few weeks ago.
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I can not even imagine getting down to my last 20 gauge, much less letting it get out the door. The question on this thread was 410 or 28? It never has been is the 28 as good as the 20? The answer to that is how you define good or need. I could take both sides of this argument. The 28 in a gun scaled to the gauge (many are framed on a 20) or framed on a 410 is a pleasure to carry and will do well one fur and feather. I am talking of small fur and small feather! The 20 on the other hand is way more versatile! It is available in a gun light enough to carry all day and loaded down to 3/4 oz. preforms just as good and often better than a 28 and since some are chambered for 3 inch it pushes the power of the 12 2/34 inch even though it may lack a little efficiency. Although I think it is marginal for water birds it is available in non toxic (steel) that a carefull shooter can bag the biggest Canada geese!

Before some one counters that a 28 gauge can be loaded to kill geese know that I will counter by saying that I know a dedicated goose hunter who no longer uses a 12 but loads bismouth into his 410 and is diciplined enough to head shoot decoyed geese. He is the exception and not the rule!
 
Covey Ridge said:
I can not even imagine getting down to my last 20 gauge, much less letting it get out the door. The question on this thread was 410 or 28? It never has been is the 28 as good as the 20? The answer to that is how you define good or need. I could take both sides of this argument. The 28 in a gun scaled to the gauge (many are framed on a 20) or framed on a 410 is a pleasure to carry and will do well one fur and feather. I am talking of small fur and small feather! The 20 on the other hand is way more versatile! It is available in a gun light enough to carry all day and loaded down to 3/4 oz. preforms just as good and often better than a 28 and since some are chambered for 3 inch it pushes the power of the 12 2/34 inch even though it may lack a little efficiency. Although I think it is marginal for water birds it is available in non toxic (steel) that a carefull shooter can bag the biggest Canada geese!

Before some one counters that a 28 gauge can be loaded to kill geese know that I will counter by saying that I know a dedicated goose hunter who no longer uses a 12 but loads bismouth into his 410 and is diciplined enough to head shoot decoyed geese. He is the exception and not the rule!
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A previous post, the one I quoted, questioned the need for the 28 when the original poster already had a 20.

Without question the 20 gauge is more versatile than the 28. But with 12 gauge and 28 the need for the 20 became less compelling for me and that's what I no longer own a 20 gauge. To suggest as one poster did that someone doesn't need a 28 because they have a 20 misses the point of owning a 28 gauge IMO. That was the point of my post.

The 28 gauge is not a goose gun but if that's what you are seeking then a 12 is better than a 20. Having spent lots of time with both gauges, for small birds and clay targets within 40 yards I'd just as soon have a 28 than a 20. YMMV.
 
Claybuster said:
Having spent lots of time with both gauges, for small birds and clay targets within 40 yards I'd just as soon have a 28 than a 20. YMMV.
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Well today, and just today I would rather have a 20! That may change tomorrow:dancingbanana: Given the choice of the originally situation I would choose the 410 just because, and also because I have a couple light 20s that unless I read the ammo box, I can not tell the difference between 20 and 28 except the availabilty of cheap wally world ammo. If I could only have one I would choose 12. My order of preference would be 20 16 12 10 and between 28 and 410 it would be a mood thing.
 
Claybuster said:
What he may find however is that once he starts shooting the 28 gauge there is less need for the 20. That's what happened to me and my last 20 gauge went out the door a few weeks ago.
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I answered the way I did because I figured that the guy was not looking to sell his 20ga. but rather to add another shotgun to his collection. The logical choice for me, short of buying both, would be to choose a .410 in this situation...
 
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