28 Hunters

roy reali · January 7, 2010, 11:45 PM

How many of you hunt with a 28 gauge? How well do you do with it compared to other gauges that you may use?

tjh · January 8, 2010, 12:17 AM

I like the 28ga. for small game and shooting pesky birds out of the yard and trees . Mines an 870 Remington pump , its light weight and handels well , just the action is so damn ruff !! Poor machine work and quality control. Local gunshop has alot of choices on ammo in stock .

GE-Minigun · January 8, 2010, 01:25 AM

It's the only gauge I hunt upland birds with...everything from Chukar to wild Pheasant.

olddrum1 · January 8, 2010, 02:51 AM

Good quail and rabbit gun. Rather have a 12 for dove though.

Will Fennell · January 8, 2010, 08:37 AM

There is something magic about 28ga. My favorite saying about 28's is that it kills like a 20 ga and kicks like a 410. If I were king, and could reorganize the shotgun world, there would only be 12ga and 28ga

oneounceload · January 8, 2010, 08:46 AM

Don't sell the 28 short for clays either. In fact, I am on my way in a few minutes to use my 1100 in 28 to do just that.

Great for quail, dove and chukar, I haven't tried it on pheasant

BigJimP · January 8, 2010, 11:54 AM

I use a 28ga O/U on Quail and Doves - and in sub-gague sporting clays events / and for Skeet. My gun is a Browning O/U XS Skeet model with 30" barrels .....(its built on the 20ga receiver). Stock - it was a 7 1/2 lb gun / and I've added about 1 lb to it ( 8 oz under forend / 8 oz in stock ) - so it swings more fluidly for me.

I think the 28ga gives a great pattern / and its a very effective gague in the field on small birds - and a pleasure to shoot all day.

I don't use a 28ga as my primary gun for sporting clays ( I use a 12ga version of the same model there ). In Trap, I've shot it for fun - but it isn't a great Trap gun. I prefer my primary Trap gun around 10lbs and 32" barrels...

zippy13 · January 8, 2010, 02:46 PM

While many of my buddies (accomplished comp shooters) love the 28-ga for dove, these days, my 28s are limited to hunting Skeets. I have good luck hitting them, but I'm still looking for a recipe that will get some of that over-crunchiness out of them.

BigJimP · January 8, 2010, 03:06 PM

boil them a little longer ..... / skim off the oily residue .... / and put plenty of catchup on em ..... ( and let em slide right down ...).... don't chew too much ....

reminds me of my 1st wife's cooking ..... yummm ....

mwar410 · January 8, 2010, 06:16 PM

does anyone else notice the 28 just provides superior breaks to the 20 ga.? if the 20 ga smacks the bird, the 28 turns it to smoke.

And yes I hunt upland birds with the 28

zippy13 · January 8, 2010, 06:39 PM

mwar410,
Yep, but some of it could be the choke selection. And, the guys who're shooting targets with a 28-ga are usually accomplished shooters. I try a little harder to get center hits when I working with the little guns. Don't forget, the 28-ga with 3/4-oz is a very efficient load.

mwar410 · January 8, 2010, 07:03 PM

same gun, same chokes, different tubes. Briley's should be close to perfection on their constrictions. I think it just might be a ideal shell. Right pressures, right amount of shot, great pattern.

And it kills alot of grouse and woodcock

Big Bill · January 8, 2010, 07:23 PM

I didn't know that people owned 28 gage shotguns.

knight0334 · January 8, 2010, 08:14 PM

I have a single shot 28ga that I use for small game and birds. With 1oz loads in the Winchester shells its virtually a 16ga shotgun, just with a tighter pattern and column. With the 3/4oz loads you still put enough out there for dove without wasting as much lead shot as you would with a 12, 16, or 20 gauge.

oneounceload · January 8, 2010, 09:15 PM

IMO, the 28 is the perfect gauge for introducing new shooters - NOT the 410. The 28 packs 50% more shot for greater chances of success with recoil that is very manageable, especially in a gun on a 20 frame.

bigwrench · January 9, 2010, 12:44 AM

My 28 rem. 870 is my favorite for ruffed and blues, I am currently in the market for another

January 7, 2010, 11:45 PM	#1
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	28 Hunters How many of you hunt with a 28 gauge? How well do you do with it compared to other gauges that you may use?

January 8, 2010, 08:37 AM	#5
Will Fennell Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 1999 Location: Rock Hill, SC USA Posts: 184	28 ga is awesome There is something magic about 28ga. My favorite saying about 28's is that it kills like a 20 ga and kicks like a 410. If I were king, and could reorganize the shotgun world, there would only be 12ga and 28ga __________________ Will Fennell Member of TEAM BERETTA http://willfennellsportingpursuits.blogspot.com

January 8, 2010, 07:23 PM	#13
Big Bill Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 1,053	I didn't know that people owned 28 gage shotguns. __________________ There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time." - General George Patton Jr

January 8, 2010, 12:17 AM	#2
tjh Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2009 Location: North Central Ohio Posts: 171	I like the 28ga. for small game and shooting pesky birds out of the yard and trees . Mines an 870 Remington pump , its light weight and handels well , just the action is so damn ruff !! Poor machine work and quality control. Local gunshop has alot of choices on ammo in stock .

January 8, 2010, 01:25 AM	#3
GE-Minigun Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2008 Posts: 240	It's the only gauge I hunt upland birds with...everything from Chukar to wild Pheasant.

January 8, 2010, 02:51 AM	#4
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	Good quail and rabbit gun. Rather have a 12 for dove though.

January 8, 2010, 08:46 AM	#6
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Don't sell the 28 short for clays either. In fact, I am on my way in a few minutes to use my 1100 in 28 to do just that. Great for quail, dove and chukar, I haven't tried it on pheasant

January 8, 2010, 11:54 AM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I use a 28ga O/U on Quail and Doves - and in sub-gague sporting clays events / and for Skeet. My gun is a Browning O/U XS Skeet model with 30" barrels .....(its built on the 20ga receiver). Stock - it was a 7 1/2 lb gun / and I've added about 1 lb to it ( 8 oz under forend / 8 oz in stock ) - so it swings more fluidly for me. I think the 28ga gives a great pattern / and its a very effective gague in the field on small birds - and a pleasure to shoot all day. I don't use a 28ga as my primary gun for sporting clays ( I use a 12ga version of the same model there ). In Trap, I've shot it for fun - but it isn't a great Trap gun. I prefer my primary Trap gun around 10lbs and 32" barrels...

January 8, 2010, 02:46 PM	#8
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	While many of my buddies (accomplished comp shooters) love the 28-ga for dove, these days, my 28s are limited to hunting Skeets. I have good luck hitting them, but I'm still looking for a recipe that will get some of that over-crunchiness out of them.

January 8, 2010, 03:06 PM	#9
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	boil them a little longer ..... / skim off the oily residue .... / and put plenty of catchup on em ..... ( and let em slide right down ...).... don't chew too much .... reminds me of my 1st wife's cooking ..... yummm ....

January 8, 2010, 06:16 PM	#10
mwar410 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Location: maine Posts: 234	does anyone else notice the 28 just provides superior breaks to the 20 ga.? if the 20 ga smacks the bird, the 28 turns it to smoke. And yes I hunt upland birds with the 28

January 8, 2010, 06:39 PM	#11
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	mwar410, Yep, but some of it could be the choke selection. And, the guys who're shooting targets with a 28-ga are usually accomplished shooters. I try a little harder to get center hits when I working with the little guns. Don't forget, the 28-ga with 3/4-oz is a very efficient load.

January 8, 2010, 07:03 PM	#12
mwar410 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Location: maine Posts: 234	same gun, same chokes, different tubes. Briley's should be close to perfection on their constrictions. I think it just might be a ideal shell. Right pressures, right amount of shot, great pattern. And it kills alot of grouse and woodcock

January 8, 2010, 08:14 PM	#14
knight0334 Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2006 Location: Brookville, PA Posts: 442	I have a single shot 28ga that I use for small game and birds. With 1oz loads in the Winchester shells its virtually a 16ga shotgun, just with a tighter pattern and column. With the 3/4oz loads you still put enough out there for dove without wasting as much lead shot as you would with a 12, 16, or 20 gauge.

January 8, 2010, 09:15 PM	#15
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	IMO, the 28 is the perfect gauge for introducing new shooters - NOT the 410. The 28 packs 50% more shot for greater chances of success with recoil that is very manageable, especially in a gun on a 20 frame.

January 9, 2010, 12:44 AM	#16
bigwrench Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2009 Location: foot of the uintas Posts: 148	My 28 rem. 870 is my favorite for ruffed and blues, I am currently in the market for another