Looking to turn his passion into inspiration for others, AJ was first published in 2004 and went on to write his first book The Urban Deer Complex in 2014. In the past, semi-auto shotguns often weighed a little more than other designs, but thats not the case today. Add to quote; Share Only show this user. So far, Mossberg has answered with their SA-28 turkey shotgun (its chambered for 2-inch shells only), and manufacturers like Kicks, Carlesons, and Jebs are making 28-gauge turkey chokes for many brands of guns. Is this a push to get you to buy a new shotgun? If you dont think this makes much difference, consider the cumulative effect of all that recoil energy. The Remington Model 870 Wingmaster is a fine 28-gauge pump. A spokesman for one of the worlds largest shotshell makers told me that he wishes the company had more compelling data to prove some of those common beliefs, because he dearly loves to hunt with his 28-gauge gun, but the company doesnt have any evidence to support those claims. Were splitting hairs here, as both the 410 and 28 gauge will kill turkeys deader than dead at 30 yards, but the winner is the 28 gauge. 30-yard pattern shot through the cylinder choke of the Yildiz .410 using the Gamebore ".410 Target" 14g/#9 shell. The 28 gauge makes a much better choice for a small-gauge hunting or . That translated into 85 percent and 88 percent respectively. Shotcups can eliminate some of that deformity, taking the edge off the standard theories of pellet deformity and square loads. #7 1/2 is probably a pretty good compromise for shooting most upland game and #9 gives the pattern density to break clay targets at reasonable ranges. I once received a call out of the blue from Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, himself a quail hunter, encouraging me to write about the miraculously efficient patterning properties of the 28 gauge. Matthew Every And it still holds true in general for Briley and Trulock chokes in my semi-autos. DeRosa founded Project Upland in 2014 as an excuse to go hunting more often (and it worked). I expected the shell to put out a decent sub-100-pellet pattern at 40 yards. But inside 35 yards, I have noticed little difference between a 28- and 12-gauge as long as Im shooting bismuth or tungsten. We could find both shells online, but we had trouble finding 28-gauge turkey loads (or any 28-gauge shells, for that matter) in local gun shops and big box retailers. Apex produced the best pattern of the test, placing 270 No. The selection of shot shells in 28 gauge is pretty limited, and all are loaded with lead shot. Just $1 per month , Is the 28 gauge really that much better than a 410? A few years ago, the 410 was given new life thanks to Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). The preserve owners son took pity on me and said, The birds are all paid for. Here I shed light on these topics by diving into the work of shotgun experts. Modern pellet alternatives have brought the 28 back into the waterfowl hunting picture. Phyllis eventually settled on a Remington Model 1100 in 28 gauge for two reasons--she shot it extremely well and of all the guns she tried, it was the most comfortable to shoot. Tighter chokes account for birds beyond that range with ease. What a pleasure this gun is to shoot and hunt with, said Ramsey Russel, who owns getducks.com and shoots a 28. Its also a major reason why sub-gauges like the 28 are viable duck guns now. The Browning BPS has also, from time to time, been produced in 28 gauge. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. The 28 gauge is the little shell that could. The Benelli Ethos 28-gauge semi-auto weighs just 5.4 pounds, while Benellis Ultra Light semi-auto takes weight all the way down to five pounds. I still have TSS and Tungsten Poly to play with and I will post those patterns up as I get to those shot types. With 1/8 oz #9.5 TSS 54 pellets, total is 149 pellets. Unique editorial written exclusively for premium members. Almost 10 percent of upland hunters preferred the 28-gauge to other gauges, making it the fourth most popular gauge overall. But the true popularity of the 28-gauge came later. A six-pound 28-gauge shotgun pushing a ounce load of lead at 1,200 feet per second (fps) generates less than 13 foot pounds of recoil energy, which is considerably less than the level considered to be the maximum most shooters can comfortably tolerate. Both have 26-inch barrels and weigh precisely 51 2 pounds. The more shot you shoot out of a smaller hole, the more deformed, and therefore erratic, shot pattern happens. If I were planning to hunt with a 410 at 40 yards, Id settle on a good choke-and-load combo and top my shotgun with an optic before heading out to the field. Remington. Hmmm dead on???? Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Both shells would be devastating to turkeys at 30 yards. Under neither of those definitions is the 28 gauge is square. We started our test shooting the 410, and when we switched over to the 28 gauge, we noticed an uncomfortable jump in recoil. For the shooter of means, most of the bespoke side by side doubles can be ordered in 28 gauge. Grassroots conversations regarding the 28-gauge feel more like the passing on of old fantasy stories rather than true, hard facts of ballistics. The Fausti DEA line includes some 28-gauge side-by-side guns starting at $4,390, and Rizzini 550 and 552 shotguns cost a bit more than that, but some high-end European guns may cost more than your mortgage. Examples of properly scaled over-and-under guns include the Franchi Instinct SL, which tips the scales at 5.2 pounds, and the Beretta 687 Silver Pigeon, which weighs about six pounds. The 28 gauge got its name the same arcane way all shotgun gauges were named: for the number of lead balls with the same diameter as the bore that it takes to equal one pound. Every year I try to get to Argentina for some incredible dove shooting and the very best combination I have come up with for that is a 12 gauge Krieghoff Model 32 over-under with Briley 28 gauge tubes. The 3/4 ounce target load at 1200 fps generates 12.8 ft. lbs. Side-by-side shotgun shooters made up for 49.35 percent of the 28-gauge crowd, followed by 44.16 percent in over/under. A 3 20 can handle 1-1/4 oz of shot if you absolutely have to. The practicality of hunting gear in environments where wild birds live is another one. Id still recommend the 28 gauge for youth hunters. Winchester currently lists 13 28-gauge loads, including four one-ounce high-brass game loads, two high-brass ounce game loads, two steel shot loads, four ounce target loads and a new Super Sport sporting clays ounce load. . This is a high brass Express Extra Long Range load with 3/4 ounce of #6 or #7 1/2 shot at a MV of 1295 fps. Smaller shot translates into a shorter effective range. The light weight and easy swinging ability appear to make me a better and even quicker shot. Follow along to watch me complete my first pattern test #crochet #crochettester #crochetpatterntester #patterntest #patterntesting . Just $1 per month , The advancement of non-toxic shot has brought the 28-gauge back to the duck blind, By The ban on lead shot had just come to pass and shotshell makers hadnt yet determined that speed was the key to making steel deadly. One Week Only Sale: A Year of Back Issues FREE At every trigger pull, the dark shoot-and-see turkey target turned neon green. The first 28 gauge pattern was from the Improved Cylinder choked barrel. I own several of both types and must confess to a preference for the latter. My two favorite 28s are side-by-side doubles, a Parker with a Miller trigger and a No 1 grade AyA. That translated into 85 percent and 88 percent respectively. Ron Spomer. Imagine someone driving a station wagon pulling a boat trailer rigged up with a 16x4 target for you to shoot at. A short shot string helps explain the perception that the 28-gauge punches harder than it should, but the 28 also benefits from comparisons to the 410 gauge, which it outclasses in every respect. 28 Gauge vs 410: Ammo Price and Availability. We took two shots (these shells are hard to get, and we only had 10 of them) and connected with the target with each. It does what it does because it is so easy to shoot. This is not at all unusual since most hunters are more accurate more often with a gun they love to shoot than with one they dread shooting. People smarter than me have pointed out that all shotgun ballistics apply except when talking the 28-gauge. In my experience, 28ga guns in general tend to throw tighter patterns than expected given the known constriction of the choke. 4, although BOSS offers a 3/5 blend. The dense little pellets turned the diminutive gaugeusually reserved for youth small game huntersinto a viable turkey killer. You can also now order 28-gauge loads with Federals dense tungsten super shot (TSS) directly from the Federal Custom Shop. He was devoted when it came to the 28-gauge. This variation happens in three chokes related to the 12-gauge, as you will see in the skeet II and modified chokes. Price can also be a problem, as 28 gauge shells are not widely distributed and are seldom found in discount stores. Side-by-side guns can be made very light, too. At the top of the heap in pattern quality are Federal Gold Medal, Remington STS and Winchester AA. 7.5 through five. And most hunters figured a 3.5-inch gun could send more pellets downrange at ducks, though it was later revealed that pattern density in a 3-inch versus a 3.5-inch shotshell are nearly identical. Most of his writings, tests, and musings maintained a general rule: the 28-gauge always did better than it should have. Fiocchi lists no fewer than 22 loadings in 28 gauge, ranging from a high-velocity ounce and one-ounce hunting loads to 11/16 ounce and 7/8-ounce Golden Pheasant loads in shot sizes No. Properly scaled 28-gauge guns, meaning guns that are built on true 28-gauge receivers rather than 28-gauge guns built on larger-gauge receivers, are quite light and a joy to hunt with. But gun and ammo companies dont put a bunch of time and money behind a shotgun shell if they dont think its going to workor if they think hunters wont want it. The 28 has a bore diameter of .550 inches. TSS 28-gauge loads captured the attention of waterfowlers who wanted a little less kick, and manufacturers started making 28-gauge duck guns with 3-inch chambers. Its also safe to shoot through the barrels of older guns, which has brought more 28s back into the fold. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The bottom line is the 28 gauge mopped the floor with the 410. Just $1 per month , This little gun packs a big punch on upland birds and even waterfowland its a dream to shoot, By It also has Benellis B.E.S.T. Many people assume that the larger the shotguns gauge, i.e., 10 or 12 gauge, the more powerful it is. Theyll take less of a pounding in the process, and possibly shoot better. It was shot string that was the final evidence Brister needed to make a case for the 28-gauge. That, along with my personal experiences, have made me quite partial to the 28, a wonderful sub-gauge with ever-growing popularity. The 28 gauge patterns efficiently because its -ounce payload is . Therefore, the 28-gauge shotgunner wanting to maximize his or her game for large birds especially beyond 35 yards will select factory loads containing hard, high-density nontoxic pellets and/or handload them. For two seasons now Ive made it my primary gauge, leaving the 20-gauge behind after almost 30 years with no regrets. 20-yard pattern shot through the choke of the Yildiz .410 using the Gamebore ".410 Target" 14g/#9 shell. Remington also offers exactly one hunting load in 28 gauge. Some of them flushed a little wild, yet I dont remember any of them hitting the ground alive. Thank you for the kind words. Or, if youre talking about blackpowder, it means equal volumes of powder and shot. It kicks like a cottontail, carries light, and puts enough pellets on target to drop birds at 30, 40, and some say 50 yards. The 28 gauge will never become as popular among American hunters as the 12 gauge but it does have its share of fans. Target loads have the singular virtue of reduced recoil compared to the higher velocity hunting loads. Loading a 28-gauge load up to 1 ounce will offend puristsbut it will put more pellets on your target. BOSS makes copper-plated bismuth shotshells, and its founder Brandon Cereke is not surprised that smaller gauges are increasing in popularity. Receive (6) 120-page magazines filled with the best dog training advice from expert trainers. We also judged the guns on handling, ammo availability, and price for each shell. Envision getting hit by a tennis ball versus a baseball at 20 yards. Depending on things like manufacturer and age, an IC shotgun choke for a 12-gauge can range from 0.009 to 0.010 inches. At this time the predominant 28-gauge tungsten-pellet-based factory loads would be HEVI-Shot and Backridge Ammunition. And, given improvements in shot that resist deformation and wads that cushion shot and protect it from scrubbing by the gun barrel, the idea of a square load may not matter as much as it used to. DeRosa founded Project Upland in 2014 as an excuse. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. While I will not say on paper that 28s are superior to all other gauges, pound-for-pound, it may be the most well-rounded hunting gauge. The fact is that the 28 really does best with its original 3/4 oz load, while you can happily load the 20 up to one oz with good . Twenty-six percent of those respondents said they shoot a vintage shotgun that was not proofed for steel. It makes a good option for those who want a 28 as their only smallbore, whether its loads are square or not. Think this makes much difference, consider the cumulative effect of all that recoil energy, is 28. Own several of both types and must confess to a preference for the shooter means! 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