28ga

[Goosemaster]

For sake of discussion Goose, do you agree that the standard 2 3/4” 20 gauge load of 1 oz of number 5 or 6 shot at 1200-1350 FPS is a good pheasant round?

Not sure, but I do always use high brass for pheasant.

 

[Chestle]

Like that article said, Scattergun Lodge is pen-raised birds. Of course a 28 could do ok on those. Like all writers, Spomer will use whatever gun/ammo/boots/vest/pants/shirt/gloves/after shave that the magazine or host tells them to use. Pen birds in October are light-years away from wild birds in Dec.

If you read it all, you must have read this section by Spomer:

"Of course preserve pheasants, even the superbly conditioned, hard-flushing ones at Scattergun, are not as tough as wild birds, so I tested my new semi-auto 28 on our old family farm later in the season. Trust me, those birds were wild. I and other family members have been harassing them with 12-, 16- and 20-gauges every fall for half a century. And what do you think that little 28 did to them? It dropped them like Mike Tyson used to drop heavyweight contenders. Rising birds, crossing birds, incoming, going away … I spun one out of the air from an improbable distance of 55 steps. Subtract 10 yards for the trajectory of the bird’s fall, and you still have a shot any 28-gauge can hang its hat on."

 

[CRP]

If you ever met Spomer, you would know he is long on embellishment and talk.

 

[Chestle]

Well, you are correct. I haven't met Spomer.

However, I have shot the 28 at skeet and trap for literally 1000s of rounds.

I've also carried a 28 (either a SKB O/U or the Benelli Ethos) extensively in SD over the course of several years. I feel pretty confident that I know what it can and cannot do.

I think Spomer is pretty accurate in that article....based on my actual experience with the 28 in the field, not speculation.

 

[KSBrittman]

Put 7/8 to an ounce of shot on the front end of a pheasant at reasonable ranges it really don’t matter the gauge ,

Make a bad shot and hit him to far back and you don’t break legs , you got a runner don’t matter the gauge .

It is important to use right choke / load to make sure you are throwing a good pattern .

 

[birddude]

Put 7/8 to an ounce of shot on the front end of a pheasant at reasonable ranges it really don’t matter the gauge ,

Make a bad shot and hit him to far back and you don’t break legs , you got a runner don’t matter the gauge .

It is important to use right choke / load to make sure you are throwing a good pattern .

Yeah, but who puts in the front every single time. I love my 28. I spent several years hunting quail with it. As far as the runners go, I'll take my chances with 1 1/4 of 5's. By the way, I wouldn't hunt anything bigger than a dove with 7/8's. And I don't think there's any difference between an oz of shot from a 28 or a 20. Therefor the only reason to shoot a 28 is because of the novelty. Unless you re-load, who in the hell is going to pay 25-35 bucks a box when you can get a good box and maybe better box for 12.00. As far as weight goes, my 686 ultralight is under 6lbs. My uggy 20 is a hair over 5.5 lbs. So the only advantage I can see is that they are a little trimmer. Would I ever hunt pheasants with one? Sure, if I was getting good shots at several cocks a day. Even then, just to say I did. Rant is for conversation only!

 

[Obi_Wan]

Yeah, but who puts in the front every single time. I love my 28. I spent several years hunting quail with it. As far as the runners go, I'll take my chances with 1 1/4 of 5's. By the way, I wouldn't hunt anything bigger than a dove with 7/8's. And I don't think there's any difference between an oz of shot from a 28 or a 20. Therefor the only reason to shoot a 28 is because of the novelty. Unless you re-load, who in the hell is going to pay 25-35 bucks a box when you can get a good box and maybe better box for 12.00. As far as weight goes, my 686 ultralight is under 6lbs. My uggy 20 is a hair over 5.5 lbs. So the only advantage I can see is that they are a little trimmer. Would I ever hunt pheasants with one? Sure, if I was getting good shots at several cocks a day. Even then, just to say I did. Rant is for conversation only!

I agree with the who puts it in the head every single time. Have to recognize that there will be some body shots and some marginal shots.

Here’s two places I don’t quite agree. I don’t think using a 28 is a novelty. At one time, I was shooting a lot of skeet and trap with occasional sporting clays. I was shooting all of it with a 48AL 28 gauge. I also shot a 12 gauge Beretta some. I could shoot circles around myself with the 28 over the 12. If I was going to go pheasant hunting then, I would have been more successful with the 28. If for no other reason, that I had lots of confidence in that gun. I still do. Its brought down lots of doves. If the 28 is what you shoot best, go for it. #2 For most OTC pheasant loads the cost difference is nominal. It’s about $10/box for prairie storm, but within a dollar or 3 for other brands. There’s good 28 gauge pheasant loads for under $20/box (Fiocchi Field Dynamics and B&P have loads that are $17.99/box).

I love a 28 gauge and would use it if my shooting was as good as it once was. I don’t shoot skeet or trap like I used to. But I’m going to try to shoot more before next year so I will feel good with that 48AL on some walks where I think I can get the right shots with it. Otherwise, I’m using my 16 or 20 gauge guns.

 

[Chestle]

These arguments are much like the dog arguments. Those who favor taking their cock-a-poo afield and cast scorn on the guy hunting with his Pekingese and vice-versa. It's all good; hunt with breed and the gauge you like the most. Don't worry about what the other guy hunts with.

That said, just to pass the time (and maybe stir the pot a bit to get something else to read ) :

I agree that, given the appropriate shells, an ounce of 5s is what it is ballistically, whether fired from a 20 or a 28 or even a 12. I do smile however when people bring up the cost of the 28's ammunition.

"Therefor the only reason to shoot a 28 is because of the novelty"
Or perhaps it's because a person has found a 28ga that fits, is well balanced and that that person shoots well, swings easily, is an absolute delight to carry and which the owner finds aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps?

"who in the hell is going to pay 25-35 bucks a box when you can get a good box and maybe better box for 12.00."

I do reload 28 for skeet and trap because I shoot a lot of clay. My reloads right now cost about $7.50 a box. I buy components when on sale and in large quantity. I do not reload for pheasant primarily because 5 shot bridges in my MEC drop tube and is therefore a PITA. Otherwise, I probably would.

Our sport is not cheap. I go to SD in a 5-year-old pickup that cost a freckle under $60k. I carry shotguns that cost around $2k. I feed 3 labradors all year long, spend on various medications like heartworm too and who knows what all that actually costs but it's worth it for a lot of reasons. I pay what I consider an exorbitant fee to hunt 10 days in SD (I think it should be an annual license, not just 10 days) but I cheerfully pay up.

...And then there's the HUGE cost of my 28ga ammo. I shoot Winchester Super-X 1oz #5 @ 1205fps. I find them quite sufficient for pheasant. Last time I bought a flat on sale, they were about $16 per box. I still have half a flat left. In another thread someone called "BS" on that price so lets quell that in advance. This is currently advertised on Ammoseek.

https://www.recoilgunworks.com/super-x-28ga-2.75-high-brass-5-shot/?sku=X285

(Free shipping on $279+ / order 2 flats and you are set for years of hunting or share a flat with a fellow 28ga aficionado.)



I have shot the 28 Prairie Storms, also bought in the off season for a lower price than in season pricing. Tried a few boxes but I don't find them really anymore effective than the Winchesters given the way I hunt.

So, I wish you all a fine season, whatever gauge YOU choose as the best for you. I would never argue against your choice.

 

[birddude]

These arguments are much like the dog arguments. Those who favor taking their cock-a-poo afield and cast scorn on the guy hunting with his Pekingese and vice-versa. It's all good; hunt with breed and the gauge you like the most. Don't worry about what the other guy hunts with.

That said, just to pass the time (and maybe stir the pot a bit to get something else to read ) :

I agree that, given the appropriate shells, an ounce of 5s is what it is ballistically, whether fired from a 20 or a 28 or even a 12. I do smile however when people bring up the cost of the 28's ammunition.

"Therefor the only reason to shoot a 28 is because of the novelty"
Or perhaps it's because a person has found a 28ga that fits, is well balanced and that that person shoots well, swings easily, is an absolute delight to carry and which the owner finds aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps?

"who in the hell is going to pay 25-35 bucks a box when you can get a good box and maybe better box for 12.00."

I do reload 28 for skeet and trap because I shoot a lot of clay. My reloads right now cost about $7.50 a box. I buy components when on sale and in large quantity. I do not reload for pheasant primarily because 5 shot bridges in my MEC drop tube and is therefore a PITA. Otherwise, I probably would.

Our sport is not cheap. I go to SD in a 5-year-old pickup that cost a freckle under $60k. I carry shotguns that cost around $2k. I feed 3 labradors all year long, spend on various medications like heartworm too and who knows what all that actually costs but it's worth it for a lot of reasons. I pay what I consider an exorbitant fee to hunt 10 days in SD (I think it should be an annual license, not just 10 days) but I cheerfully pay up.

...And then there's the HUGE cost of my 28ga ammo. I shoot Winchester Super-X 1oz #5 @ 1205fps. I find them quite sufficient for pheasant. Last time I bought a flat on sale, they were about $16 per box. I still have half a flat left. In another thread someone called "BS" on that price so lets quell that in advance. This is currently advertised on Ammoseek.

https://www.recoilgunworks.com/super-x-28ga-2.75-high-brass-5-shot/?sku=X285

(Free shipping on $279+ / order 2 flats and you are set for years of hunting or share a flat with a fellow 28ga aficionado.)

View attachment 12432

I have shot the 28 Prairie Storms, also bought in the off season for a lower price than in season pricing. Tried a few boxes but I don't find them really anymore effective than the Winchesters given the way I hunt.

So, I wish you all a fine season, whatever gauge YOU choose as the best for you. I would never argue against your choice.

That's a lot better than it was a few months ago but I'm still trying to stock up on 16 gauge. I don't shoot them either.

 

[Goosemaster]

Yeah, but who puts in the front every single time. I love my 28. I spent several years hunting quail with it. As far as the runners go, I'll take my chances with 1 1/4 of 5's. By the way, I wouldn't hunt anything bigger than a dove with 7/8's. And I don't think there's any difference between an oz of shot from a 28 or a 20. Therefor the only reason to shoot a 28 is because of the novelty. Unless you re-load, who in the hell is going to pay 25-35 bucks a box when you can get a good box and maybe better box for 12.00. As far as weight goes, my 686 ultralight is under 6lbs. My uggy 20 is a hair over 5.5 lbs. So the only advantage I can see is that they are a little trimmer. Would I ever hunt pheasants with one? Sure, if I was getting good shots at several cocks a day. Even then, just to say I did. Rant is for conversation only!

I think a lot of what these guys are saying about 28 gauge is bullshit. They are not great pheasant guns. You have to be very very close.

 

[Chestle]

Actually Goose....maybe YOU need to be very, very close but that may not apply to all 28 shooters.

 

[CRP]

The thread is several pages so far, and there will likely never be a consensus on whether the 28 vs. others is right or wrong. Captain Obvious says to use whatever gun/gauge/shell you want, as long as you feel confident that it will do the job. It's really no one else's business what you use. That being said, I believe those of us recommending larger gauges do so because we would like all hunters to cleanly harvest the most birds w/o leaving cripples behind. And, to do that, we feel higher pellet counts on the target helps achieve that goal.

 

[Chestle]

Well, sure Captain Alwaysright. Because those carrying 12s and 16s and 20s never ever fail to cleanly harvest the most birds without leaving the cripples behind.

As is often said on the skeet fields, "it's not the arrow, it's the Indian".

I'm sure we have all experienced hunting with people carrying any gauge you care to name that couldn't hit the inside of a barn while they were standing in it.

The key to cleanly harvesting the most birds without leaving cripples behind is to be a proficient shotgunner with whatever you carry.

As you seem to have noticed, I don't recommend any particular gauge to anyone. I do recommend getting a gun that fits (or professionally fitted to you) and practicing with it until one achieves a respectable proficiency.

If this post seems "snippy"....glance in a mirror.

Good day sir.

 

[CRP]

Chestle, I use an Hornady APEX progressive for high-volume clays loads, but use a MEC Sizemaster for hunting loads. You should try the nickle-plated 5's from Precision Reloading in Mitchell. Those plated 5's don't bridge but go thru the MEC just fine. I use those plated 5's in a light 1 1/4 oz. 12 ga load around 1225 velocity in a 6 1/2 lb Citori Game Lite, and they work.

Well, I guess it's time to leave the forum. As in many forums, it seems that some male ego's are easily crushed. We all have opinions, and are sometimes asked by the newby's for help. But, in doing do, we can run afoul of those who disagree.

Good luck, and good hunting!

 

[McFarmer]

Chestle, I use an Hornady APEX progressive for high-volume clays loads, but use a MEC Sizemaster for hunting loads. You should try the nickle-plated 5's from Precision Reloading in Mitchell. Those plated 5's don't bridge but go thru the MEC just fine. I use those plated 5's in a light 1 1/4 oz. 12 ga load around 1225 velocity in a 6 1/2 lb Citori Game Lite, and they work.

Well, I guess it's time to leave the forum. As in many forums, it seems that some male ego's are easily crushed. We all have opinions, and are sometimes asked by the newby's for help. But, in doing do, we can run afoul of those who disagree.

Good luck, and good hunting!

One of the hardest things about discussing a topic a person is passionate about is when to say “*uck it” and move on to something else.

I mean, it’s not like I have to sleep with these *SS holes or anything.