I have shot birds from rail to Canadian Geese with a 28 back in the old days when lead was legal. My first gun was a Winchester Model 12 in 28 gauge. Suspect my father hoped that I would loose interest and he would end up with the 28 for quail. Sorry dad.
After 40 years of shooting the 28 I have found out a few basic truths. Most people who have the strongest reasons to hate or love the 28 are full of BS. It is neither lighting bolts from the Gods or a worthless wounder of game. Used within resonable range it will cleanly kill all the birds any other gauge will.
It does have limits. The later in the year the less effective it becomes. Partly because birds are older, stronger, more heavily feathered and educatated by a long season of hunting and not shot at short ranges, as they were earlier in the year. Late season birds are harder to kill and much harder to trick into getting close to the blind. NO good one ounce load exist for the 28. They end up too slow and pattern too poorly to be effective. You need high quality shot in 28. The better the shell the better the result and no more so than with the 28. 3/4 ounce is about the minimum shot load for hunting so every pellet counts. And last if you lend your hunting partner your 28 he will out shoot you every time.
