The mighty 28 gauge

[merkelman]

How many of you out there are 28Ga fans?  I made it a point to hunt upland birds this year with the 28ga and only the 28ga.  Some would say that 3/4 oz. of shot is tough to work with...I say just the opposite.  It pushes you to point more accurately and become a better scatter gun shot.  On a side note, I have a great recipe for a 7/8 oz. load that mimics the Golden Pheasant product.  The big difference is the cost.  At 15.00/box it can become a hunters nightmare.  A box of my special recipe comes to about 5-6 dollars per box for 25 rounds.  Obviously this will vary with components costs.  I have also gone to a lead/copper plated lead shot.  It does make a difference...less deformity which allows for better penetration.  Nickel plated is obviously preferred, but again, very pricey. 

Let's talk about the 28ga firearms these days.  I am a big fan of the Merkel 28ga guns as they have always build a VERY solid platform.  I recently started investing in the Dickinson/AKUS side by side, Estate model.  What most don't know is AKUS is the premier Turkish shot gun producer of Turkey.  You could say they are like the Beretta or Perazzi of Italy.  I acquired my first Estate back about 9 months ago.  Being a shotgun enthusiast, I took the gun apart and went through all the action/Barrel, etc.  The fit and finish is excellent.  In fact I had a very reputable gun smith do the same.  He was beyond surprised at the trigger plate action and the workmanship was very sound.  His comment to me, " these are nothing like the CZ/Huglu guns that seem to hit a certain price point, but the quality is just not the same."

I now own three of these scatter guns, two in 28ga and one in 20ga.  While the 20ga is a bit heavy compared to an English/Spanish gun, the quality is there.  Most would say, any new gun will perform great out the box, but what about the longevity?   John Herkowitz, owner of Pacific Sporting arms has been consistently testing the AKUS products for the past 4-5 years.  He has even submitted the firearms to gun smiths from Purdey and H and H.  They all have come back the same...quality steel, excellent fit and finish, and the pricing is out of this world affordable.  I am not trying to sell any guns here, nor do I represent Pacific Sporting Arms or AKUS.  But, for those of you out there looking for a quality S x S, I urge you to look at the Dickinson/AKUS line.

[nwwanderer]

Pleased with my Remington (sabatti) o/u.  Collared doves really dislike it

[Ridgeratt]

 

[Magnum_Willys]

My dad searched for years to add a 28 ga to his model 12 collection. Finally saw one in the classifieds called  and toldem he would take it sight unseen and be there in an hour. Of course he got there and some guy had given em an extra $50 not to wait. Heartbreaker. 

[jetjockey]

I’ll wait about 10 years before I get excited about Turkish guns.  Until then, I won’t touch them. With that said, the 28 is an awesome round.  RST loads 1oz at 1200+FPS.  That’s all a buddy of mine shoots for pheasants.  Hell, that’s more punch than the 2 1/2” 20ga shells I shoot in my LC Smith 20ga, and it’s a hammer on pheasants.

[merkelman]

Jet,  next time you are in Cabela’s, go take a look.  You will be surprised!!! I was a na sayer as well...

[Hairhunter]

 Best Grouse round ever made! I have a T/C Contender with a 16 1/2 inch  Barrel I made, improved modified choke, 1 oz.#6 loads. Had to pay the NFA $200 tax stamp,but I love it.

[jetjockey]

Jet,  next time you are in Cabela’s, go take a look.  You will be surprised!!! I was a na sayer as well...

I’ve looked at them a bunch. I wasn’t impressed , but I wasn’t unimpressed either. Nice wood but horrible looking bluing IMO.  There is potential though......40 years ago Spanish guns were crap, and now they are one of my favorites.

[Wacenturion]

"I say just the opposite.  It pushes you to point more accurately and become a better scatter gun shot."

Been saying that since the early 70's when I fell in love with a sweet little Remington 11-48 in 28 gauge.  Very seldom missed behind my setters or even over decoys in close.  Been shooting 28's ever since and never looked back.  The only 12 I have is a special 22" barreled laminated Winchester 1300 special turkey.   

Have several now.....auto's, O/U's and one pump.  My favorite is a sweet little Miroku Charles Daly bored sheet and skeet that I lusted over as an airman stationed in Charleston S.C. during the mid 60's.  It was $375 and way out of reach.  Found a like NIB one early 90's and snapped it up.

Below a Franchi Veloce and a Browning Citori Upland   

[C-Money]

28 gages are very effective. Fun to shoot!

[merkelman]

Jet,  next time you are in Cabela’s, go take a look.  You will be surprised!!! I was a na sayer as well...

I’ve looked at them a bunch. I wasn’t impressed , but I wasn’t unimpressed either. Nice wood but horrible looking bluing IMO.  There is potential though......40 years ago Spanish guns were crap, and now they are one of my favorites.

they offer rust blued and hot blued...the rust blued option is fantastic. I compared it to my Perazzis and Merkels with no noticeable difference. 

[Bigshooter]

I love the 28 gauge.  I have a red label and an old Iver Johnson single shot.  I like the 3/4 loads for ruff grouse and the 7/8 and 1 ounce loads for blue's and pheasant.

[snake]

Had a buddy who's dad hunted pheasant with a 410 and claimed to shoot them in the head only.

[T-Bone]

I own three 28 Ga.'s: a Weatherby SA08 Deluxe semi-auto, a Stevens 555 O/U and a CZ Bobwhite SXS. My Stevens 555 is the blued receiver version and I use it the most.

The 3/4 oz. in lead #6 shot has killed everything from roosters to grouse to Ca. quail for me and I hunt over a flushing dog. Recently, I killed a rooster "stone dead" with one shot of the new Bismuth 7/8 oz. #6 shot load. I only wish Kent would load the Bismuth in #5.

The 28 Ga. and the 16 Ga. are my two favorites for the uplands.

[T-Bone]

Although the 3/4 oz. load has done it all for me; these seem very interesting for the late season:

http://www.aerostaroutdoors.com/product_info.php/cPath/21_105/products_id/282