Yes indeed, it can be done

CloseRange

CloseRange

New member
For those who, like me, long doubted the 28 guage's punching power when it came to hunting pheasants:

This one was dropped Jan. 10th by a 1-ounce whack of #5s fired from the Improved Cylinder barrel. (Winchester high brass factory load.) It was a crossing shot about 25 yards out.

(Sure hope the photo attaches. I've never tried attaching one before.)
 
Nicely done, you sure don't need a cannon to kill pheasants.

I would like to shoot a 28 some day. It must be nice to carry during a long day in the field.

Do the shells cost more than the shells for a 12 or 20?
 
SetterNut said:
Nicely done, you sure don't need a cannon to kill pheasants.

I would like to shoot a 28 some day. It must be nice to carry during a long day in the field.

Do the shells cost more than the shells for a 12 or 20?
Click to expand...

S&N,
28 Gauge is all I use anymore. For a guy with a pointing dog, that’s all you need IMO. Now if you want to shoot birds that the dog does not point, then I would suggest a larger smoke pole. 28 Ammo does Cost a little more. I cannot give you current cost because I reload.

Close Range nice job! What kind of OU is that?
 
Well done & nice photo. Looks like my Red Label & they are a fine Upland gun and a joy to carry. Here's a photo from a few years back.
Dayton1_edited-1.jpg
 
Been using mine soley all season!!!! Shells are running 15-16 bucks for the Golden Pheasant shells!!

IMG_5623.jpg
 
No way! I've never hunted roosters in January but I was under the impression that no less that 1 3/8oz of lead would bring them down.:D I prefer 3/4oz AAs in 7.5s for early season roosters. I got a case of B&P 15/16oz loads @1300fps but those suckers kick like a mule in my 5 1/2lb gun.
 
Close Range,

I too have been using my little Ruger 28 most of the season. A simple 3/4 oz. of 7.5's was doing the trick on Roosters as little as a week ago.

It's a dream to carry (specially during this warm spell we've had).

Welcome to the club!

Point!
 
Setter Nut: Yes, carrying a 28-ga. all day in the port "ready to fire" position is lots easier on the arms than. I suppose there are some heavy 28s out there, but my Ruger Red Label isn't one of them. Feels like carrying a BB-gun to me. As for the shells, the Winchester high brass 5s cost probably as much or more as the combined cost of a box of 12-ga. AND a box 20-ga. shells. (Wish it weren't so.)

OKIEgunner: Ruger Red Label, 26-inch barrels, (U) Imp Cyl, (O) Modified.

Koja48: Great minds think alike!

BleuBijou: Once your shotgun gets tired of rolling around with those roosters, my dog would love to have a turn.

quail hound, and Point: Shooting a 12-ga I've killed more pheasants using #7.5 AA trap loads than any other shell, but most of those birds were taken on early season hunts. Last year during a January hunt I had a bad experience losing a couple of roosters that I hit with trap loads but they didn't go down? I hate losing a wounded bird. My buddy Larry handed me some of his #5 loads and they did the trick. This being my first year shooting a 28-ga. I was surprised to find shells carrying 1-oz of #5 shot. When I spotted that box of Winchester rounds I dug out my wallet there on the spot. And by the way, if they kick harder than 3/4-oz loads you can't prove it by me; I didn't feel a thing.
 
Well, 1oz loads are usually pushed to 1200fps and 3/4oz 1300fps. Now if you are pushing 1oz @1300fps that is a 20ga load and should have a good kick in a gun a full pound lighter than a 20.
 
Nice pic and gun. Shot my first pheasant with 3" .410 shell with no. 6s.
 
I know that a 28 will do the job, but hunting over a pointing dog you get a good number of straight away shots. If you have big enough shot 6 or bigger its not much of a problem.

But I am mostly hunting quail and I tend to have 7 1/2 loads in most of the time. That is sometime not enough to get through the back of a pheasant for a clean kill.


Once I get the kids out of college, a 28 will likely be on my list to purchase. Till then it the 20s that I currently own.
 
SetterNut said:
I know that a 28 will do the job, but hunting over a pointing dog you get a good number of straight away shots. If you have big enough shot 6 or bigger its not much of a problem.

But I am mostly hunting quail and I tend to have 7 1/2 loads in most of the time. That is sometime not enough to get through the back of a pheasant for a clean kill.


Once I get the kids out of college, a 28 will likely be on my list to purchase. Till then it the 20s that I currently own.
Click to expand...

I don't know- 7.5's and 8's, even 7 steel, at 25 yards has no problem killing a pointed, held, rooster flying straight away- in my opinion it hits that backbone and kills without beebies in the breast- and there's usually a beebie or so in the head- with a good patern that is
 
Last edited:
Shadow said:
I don't know- 7.5's and 8's, even 7 steel, at 25 yards has no problem killing a pointed, held, rooster flying straight away- in my opinion it hits that backbone and kills without beebies in the breast- and there's usually a beebie or so in the head- with a good patern that is
Click to expand...

You will knock them down and kill them some of the time. But if you can't get at the head, you are not going to kill them quickly a fair amount of the time.
 
I don't know- I've yet to loose a rooster I hit

wonder about how accurate one is to be able to judge 25 yards-

would seem one who's used to quail and 25 yards would really have a hard time judging that rooster to be 25
 
Well, finally sufficiently-recovered from a nasty bout of sinusitus & vertigo to get out on this, the last weekend for wild birds in Wa State. I'd like to think I would have gone even if I had to crawl, but this way is better. I'll be carrying a sweet 28-gauge SxS . . . here's hoping the Pheasants & Huns are where I think they will be. My pup is busy trying to put-on his collar & vest, so I can only assume that Hank is anxious, also . . .
 
Shadow said:
I don't know- I've yet to loose a rooster I hit

wonder about how accurate one is to be able to judge 25 yards-

would seem one who's used to quail and 25 yards would really have a hard time judging that rooster to be 25
Click to expand...

Shadow, I didn't say you could not knock down and recover pheasants with small shot, on a going away shot. I have done it hundreds of times. At close range it can be done. Been doing it for 30+ years.

But on a going away shot it takes more energy to penetrating to an instant kill depth in a pheasant, if you want the bird to hit the ground dead. With good dogs one that hits the ground running can still end up in the bag, but its best to kill them clean.

I have killed lots of pheasants with quail load (7.5 or 8s). And when you clean the pheasants shot in the back on a going away shot, much of the shot in the back is just under the skin. Yes you break the leg and wing bones, but the bird is not dead, until the dog or you finish it off.

You have enough good dogs on the ground in relatively thin cover that it is pretty hard for a wounded pheasant to get away. You have posted lots of pictures of your dogs retreiving pheasants, several of which were still alive. Nothing wrong with that, but with a little larger shot more of them would be dead in the air. Try a box of #6 lead, I think you will like the results better on the going away shots we get on pointed birds.
 
you make a good point-

I like light shot-

I wouldn't be afraid to use 7.5's in a sweet OU 410

really very seldom do my Britt's have to go chase- not that they wouldn't enjoy a chase - 3 Britt's with wheels hot on the trail of a rooster- that could be right enjoyable to watch- think there is the fact that a steady dog vs a non steady has a disadvantage
 
Shadow said:
you make a good point-

I like light shot-

I wouldn't be afraid to use 7.5's in a sweet OU 410

really very seldom do my Britt's have to go chase- not that they wouldn't enjoy a chase - 3 Britt's with wheels hot on the trail of a rooster- that could be right enjoyable to watch- think there is the fact that a steady dog vs a non steady has a disadvantage
Click to expand...

As you decrease the bore diameter you better decrease the shot size or you will have a motley and irregular pattern. Big shot and small bores are a poor combination. Picking and choosing shots with 7's or 7 1/2's in a sub gauge will sure do the trick, if the gunner does his part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top