# 28 gauge?



## SwampSitter (Oct 11, 2008)

How many hunt upland (grouse/woodcock) with a 28ga? I've been leaning towards adding one to the safe. What are some advantages/disadvantages over a 20ga?


----------



## dauber (Jan 11, 2010)

Been using a Franchi AL48 28 ga the last couple of seasons, especially before deer season. In late season do switch to the 12ga. I have had rotator cuff surgery and a bicep tear so I like the 5# weight. Ammo is more expensive. It has been a sweet gun to tote in the woods.


----------



## Timber (Jan 1, 2009)

SwampSitter said:


> How many hunt upland (grouse/woodcock) with a 28ga? I've been leaning towards adding one to the safe. What are some advantages/disadvantages over a 20ga?


I really like my 28 gauge OU beretta 686, It is so nice to carry compare to my 12 gauge Browning lightning. I also switch guns later in the season, and I have a hard time not taking my 28 ga. I have read and I have talk to many people who that know shotgun, a 28 ga will pattern the pretty much the same as a 12 ga in up to 30 yard.


----------



## Rysalka (Aug 13, 2008)

I rotate between 20 and 28 for Grouse. Prefer the 20 early when leaves are still on the trees, then switch to the 28 when it opens up a little.
Really like the 28 for Woodcock does a great job.
I shoot a pump gun so tend to stick with a Modified choke when using the 28.


----------



## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

SwampSitter said:


> How many hunt upland (grouse/woodcock) with a 28ga? I've been leaning towards adding one to the safe. What are some advantages/disadvantages over a 20ga?


For starters there is nothing magical about the 28 ga. - despite what one may read or have read in or on numerous upland magazines/websites over the last decade or so - nor is there anything particularly wrong with it from a ballistic standpoint. For my way of thinking many buy it for mostly esthetic as opposed to pragmatic reasons based on it being ballyhooed so much in the upland media.

Aside from the 28 gauge shotgun itself the major drawback of the 28 gauge shot shell is the price of ammo - usually $10.98 to $13.98 a box (Able Ammo.) As far as the shotgun itself many double manufacturers produce a 28 gauge shotgun on a 20 gauge frame and bore out their 20 gauge barrel blanks to 28 gauge resulting in a 28 gauge shotgun that is actually heavier than their 20 gauge counterpart - Beretta was/still is (?) notorious for this.

I had a 28 gauge Ruger Red Label shotgun that was a really, really nice upland gun. It was built on a true 28 gauge frame and was just heavy enough to avoid whippiness but again the price of shells :yikes:. As much as I liked it I traded it in a heartbeat for the long standing British premier kind of shotgun, a lightweight (6 1/2 lbs. +/-) 12 gauge shotgun shooting no more than an ounce of shot. This is my oft posted Browning Superposed Superlight shotgun weighing 6 lbs. 6 oz and I shoot my 7/8 oz. # 8 shot hand loads through it and it's a killer:








.

I can't imagine a finer grouse/woodcock shotgun. Hope this helps.

Hoppe's no.10


----------



## JAM (Mar 30, 2000)

I have a CZ Bobwhite SXS in 28 ga. that I hunt grouse with. It is VERY light and since I do a lot more walking than shooting that's right up my alley. I bought a MEC 650 Jr. 28 ga. reloader and load the shells myself which saves a lot of $$. If I had it to over I would go with the MEC Sizemaster. I have that model in 12 ga. and .410 and IMO it's a better machine than the MEC 650 Jr. because of the resizing feature.

I hope to someday own a Ugartechea (sp?) in 28 ga. In the meantime the CZ will have to do.


----------



## hehibrits (Mar 10, 2007)

I had a nice RRL 28, just sold it...good to carry if weight is an issue and nice to shoot. Just not economical and I have other guns I shoot better. Just saw no reason to keep it and moved on to an 12 bore Elsie ...

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## Northbound (Sep 17, 2000)

Shorter shot string hits em like a hammer (when you hit them).
Less weight to carry in the field.


----------



## OHIO VIZSLA (Sep 7, 2007)

I've been shooting a Citori 28 ga (i.c./m) for the past 20 + years. It's the only gun I use for upland hunting. I use it on dove, snipe, woodcock, quail, ruffed grouse, sharptails, & pheasant. It's also my NSTRA gun. Anything under 30 yards is dead, it hit's em hard.

Yes, shell price is high, but when you count up the number of shells fired in a season of hunting, (for me it's only 3-4 boxes), it doesn't amount to much cost.

However, if you're hunting in a non-toxic area, that all changes. I hunt areas in S.D. that are non-toxic & finding shells at a reasonable price is impossible. I reload my own & it still cost's me $30.00/box just for the components.


----------



## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

I think I would (almost) rather shoot a 28 than a 20. 
I carried a RRL 28 for 3 or more seasons as my go to grouse gun and never really felt under gunned with it and know that it is very effective in the hands of the better/best wingshooters.
I can get good patterns out of my 28 but trying to get good patterns through the chokes I wish to hunt with in a 20 gauge is a bigger project. 
I have since gone to a 12 for most of my grouse gunning these days but now and again pull out the 28 for a walk with some memories.
Unless you are going to shoot targets with it who cares what ammo costs, a couple boxes a season won't break anyones budget.

I say go for it.


----------



## dallasdog (Nov 17, 2009)

I shoot a CZ bobwhite 28 a lot. its very light, i use it in early season as im very quick with it and use open chokes, i kill a lot of birds this way. If you reload the cost of shells isnt as bad. if your buying shells its a lot mor expensive.


----------



## Mike McDonald (Sep 10, 2007)

Don't send a boy to do a man's job. Rarely are they too dead wounded is another story. I know there are some excellent wing shots on this board but for most of us mortals more can be better. mac


----------



## Firemedic (Apr 5, 2005)

I use a 28 90% of the time. I have a side-by, O/U and a real nice autoloader. Although my kill % goes down a bit, I like the 28!


----------



## FieldWalker (Oct 21, 2003)

Firemedic said:


> I use a 28 90% of the time. I have a side-by, O/U and a real nice autoloader. Although my kill % goes down a bit, I like the 28!


Did you decide which one you're going to sell me? $350 is a great price


----------



## kek25 (Jul 9, 2005)

I pull my Red Label 28 out a couple times a season. Don't know why I don't use it more. Easy to carry, comes up nicely, and kills birds. As others have mentioned, ammo is a bit pricey. I generally bring it out when the cover opens up. Killed 2 grouse with it Monday.


----------



## Back woods (Jul 30, 2003)

Love the 28 gauge. I've got a nice 870 28 on a 20 frame. It should be outlawed  so I thought then I won a Tri-Star 28 o/u at the RGS banquet, very deadly. I have a couple 20's just don't shoot them much. Not sure why just prefer the 28.


----------



## SwampSitter (Oct 11, 2008)

Firemedic said:


> I use a 28 90% of the time. I have a side-by, O/U and a real nice autoloader. Although my kill % goes down a bit, I like the 28!


Thanks for all the advice. Hey, when you say kill% goes down a bit, from what gun does it go down from?


----------



## ckendall (Sep 1, 2000)

I just started hunting with a 28g (Ugartechea) and my kills increased. 

I think it hits as hard as a 20g due to the shorter shot string. Super light, very fast, no kick at all. Beautiful. 

I just went out today and missed a shot I should have made with this gun - but on a bird that got out a ways pretty fast. I have a 12g Merkel (which I also love) and I think I may start using this for the last half of December. Not as friendly to carry (not bad at 6.5 lbs) but I think it could help me with birds that are spookier - and when the cold air hits (read recently that cold temps detract from the ballistics of shot). I dunno . . . I LOVE the Ugartechea 28, and have shot almost nothing else all year in the uplands. 

Get one!!


----------



## Firemedic (Apr 5, 2005)

SwampSitter said:


> Thanks for all the advice. Hey, when you say kill% goes down a bit, from what gun does it go down from?


From my 10ga. Lol. Seriously, the only other gauge I use is 20, so I hit more with my favorite 20 sxs than any other gun.


----------



## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

FieldWalker said:


> Did you decide which one you're going to sell me? $350 is a great price


Damn you are a high roller I was going to say $20
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

