Why the 28 gauge?

[crackerman]

I get to pick up my first 20 this Friday and for whatever reason have been enamoured of late with the subgauges. I read all sorts of good things about the 28 as a hunting gun and it seems to be a great gun for quail and maybe even released pheasent. But 3" .410 seems like it would work too.

Not that I need much more challenge but a 12 seems to be overkill for quail. I bought the 20 for a lighter gun to carry for quail already and it should do great for dove this year so I don't have to beat myself up with a couple hundred over the weekend.

But for those that have em, what is the draw and mystique of the 28guage?

[eightmd]

28 is one of the 4 gauges that are shot in skeet competitions. They obviously have lighter recoil and a lot of people like them. I think the smaller gauges must be a little harder to break the clays with and since they are less recoil you see a lot of skeet shooter practicing with them. But then I'm not a competition shooter so what do I know.

[sargenv]

It's just one of the common sub gauges.. since it's one of the 4 used in Skeet, it is a bit more common than the 16 gauge. There is actually a 32 and 36 gauge, but they are not common here in the US.. I've always wanted a 28 in an 870.. and I'll have one eventually, but it's not a high priority..

[bjl333]

It's just one of the common sub gauges.. since it's one of the 4 used in Skeet, it is a bit more common than the 16 gauge. There is actually a 32 and 36 gauge, but they are not common here in the US.. I've always wanted a 28 in an 870.. and I'll have one eventually, but it's not a high priority..

Me thinks 36ga is the 410...

Joe over at JS Cushion Stock actually shoots a 24ga at trap too!

[bjl333]

I get to pick up my first 20 this Friday and for whatever reason have been enamoured of late with the subgauges. I read all sorts of good things about the 28 as a hunting gun and it seems to be a great gun for quail and maybe even released pheasent. But 3" .410 seems like it would work too.

Not that I need much more challenge but a 12 seems to be overkill for quail. I bought the 20 for a lighter gun to carry for quail already and it should do great for dove this year so I don't have to beat myself up with a couple hundred over the weekend.

But for those that have em, what is the draw and mystique of the 28guage?

I just think the 28 ga can be built on a smaller frame then the 20 ga. For the hunters wanting something more then a 410. The 28ga is what lots of skeet shooters practice.

I personally likes using a 410 to practice. I don't shoot the 28 much except during comps. The 28 takes 3/4oz of shot and the 410 takes 1/2oz of shot, so all things being equal for every 2 28ga shot I can get 3 out of a 410!! Econ my friend!!

[HilaryForPresident]

Because its light on recoil, but if u know how to shoot, it gets the job done.

[Mike A]

I've hunted quail all my life (since 1951) and I don't consider a 12 "overkill" for quail. It kills them a little further than smaller guages, but no deader.

That said, many 12s are "overkill" for the HUNTER, meaning humping a couple of extra pounds over the ridges and barrancas can really tire a person out. Extra range isn't much use when you can't get the gun up when you finally do find a covey! That's when the smaller guages--as long as they are on smaller frames and lighter in weight--come into their own. And the same number of shells weighs less than a vest full of 12s would.

Most guys, IMO, don't shoot well enough for a .410, even on quail. I include myself in that generality. I hunt with several guys who use nothing else and kill a lot of quail, but they are excellent shots who practice all the time on clays and have truly world-class double barreled .410s. And they don't shoot "Hail Mary" shots beyond about 30 yds. max.

I use a 12 O/U for short hunts and a Ruger Red Label O/U 28 for the all-day kind. For bigger birds, I go back to the 12.

It may just be me, but I don't even notice the recoil of a shotgun when shooting at birds; a 3" Magnum 12 might as well be a Red Ryder BB gun. I DO notice it on clays--practicing with a 28 is MUCH less tiring than a 12. Maybe that's part of the reason real expert shots favor 28s and .410s. Again, I DON'T include myself in that category.

[JagerDog]

IMHO, it's a novelty that says "I've got one and you don't". It implies "serious and well healed shooter". The smaller barrels can be kinda nice in SxS configuration vs 20g, but lighter to carry is minimal if any. 20g can easily be loaded down to 28g specs (re: recoil).

If you already have everything else, get a 28g.

[sarabellum]

how do the patterns compare?

When shooting Quail/Dove shot, what patterns do the 20 and 28 produce at respective distances, e.g. 10, 15 yards, etc? I hunt quail with a 12 guage but would look forward to learning more about any other guage that may be more effective. IMHO pattern is important as tiny shot with wide gaps in the pattern allow those small birds to fly right through.

[chuckdc]

Me thinks 36ga is the 410...

Joe over at JS Cushion Stock actually shoots a 24ga at trap too!

.410 bore is 68 gauge.

[Fjold]

.410 bore is 68 gauge.

Yep, 36 gauge is .506 diameter and 28 gauge is .550 diameter.

[1911man]

I have heard and read that a 28 gauge has the shortest shot string of all gauges, thus all the shot hits the target relatively at the same time, instead of the bird flying through the shot string.

[bjl333]

.410 bore is 68 gauge.

410 IS 36 gauge. http://www.fourten.org.uk/36gauge.html http://www.chuckhawks.com/410bore.htm

[Revoman]

Although most birding can be shot with any gauge, the 28 is especially adept at quail and dove. The lightness of recoil, yet having enough balls for a kill makes it the most enjoyable gauge to use for that type of quarry. A 28 gun on a 28 frame is also a breeze to carry all day long without much fatigue.

Shooting clays with a 28 is a great experience, one would think that it's harder to shoot than a 12, but if you shoot it like a 12, there really is no difference. (A 410 is the same, shoot it like a 12 and you will fare well.)

Skeet is a game that is played basically between center stake and the close house, meaning that if you're doing it correctly, there should be few shots at more than a 21-22 yard range....consistently. That's why the sub-gauges are very popular with skeet shooters, the pattern at that yardage is perfect for them.

If you have a 12 gauge O&U, or side x side for that matter, you can purchase sub-gauge tubes from Briley or Kolar and enjoy all of the gauges with a single shotgun. Not necessarily for hunting/carrying, but for the skeet/sporting clays games. The shotgun fits the same as it doesn't change, only the weight changes slightly with the differing tubes.

28 gauge rules on skeet.

[Mike A]

Smallbore tubes in a 12 are excellent for shooting any type of clays, especially the longer shots, where extra barrel weight helps the smooth swing and follow thru.

They are NO help in hunting; you may shoot better at first, but I guarantee you won't at the end of a long day.

And I have learned to hunt right up to the tailgate of the truck.... Don't unload 50 yards out; guaranteed flush!