Getting the urge to find a nice English made 28 bore. Budget is pretty tight so it’s going to have to be a Birmingham made box lock. What are some options?

Thanks,

JDG

You're paying a lot more for a Brit 28 just because it's a 28. I owned a Wilkes 28 briefly. Intrigued by the idea of a 4 3/4 pound gun with 28" barrels. (Wilkes is a London name, but the gun was Birmingham-made.) It was like trying to shoot with a pool cue. Might work for some people. Did not work for me.

My advice to anyone considering the purchase of a sxs 28ga: Give serious thought to a Parker Reproduction. They represent a lot of gun for the money. But if you're a traditionalist and insist on a straight grip, double triggers, and splinter forend, you won't find many in that configuration. And if you buy one with 28" barrels, it will almost certainly be choked WAY tighter than you probably want your 28ga to be choked. But chokes can always be opened. If only they'd made more of those with that configuration, factory choked Quail 1 & 2.

Not sure when the Brits moved from 2.5" but load was limited to 5/8 oz. Tight budget and Brit boxlock between the wars in 28 ga are contradictions in terms. Have you considered Italian, Spanish or Turkish guns? Gil

Ask and ye shall receive ...........

https://stevebarnettfineguns.com/co...ogswell-amp-harrison-avant-tout-28-gauge

I guess it all depends on your definition of "tight budget".

I'm happy with my lowly Belgian Francotte 28 gauge. But it can be had by anyone with $7000 in their tight budget. Bwahahaha!

Well ............ just wait one more month for another SSI check to be deposited in your "gun money" account and get this 'un:

https://stevebarnettfineguns.com/francotte-shotguns-for-sale/francotte-special-boxlock-sxs-28-gauge

There's a Blanch coming up in the next Morphy Auction.

@Larry;

I’ve owned a couple of 28 ga Parker Repro’s and I agree they are great guns for the money. My issue, which is all in my head, is they don’t feel like Parkers. Yes, I know they are exact replicas but they have always felt like “fakes” to me. A Brit gun, made in London or elsewhere in the UK, are what they are, and the few I have handled have felt right.

I did own a 28b CG Bonehill with 27”(?) Damascus barrels. Very cool little gun but it was under 5# and felt like a Red Rider BB gun when trying to swing through a target.

At this point I’m interested in sorting through the manufacturers, I know there were probably a dozen or so, and from there figure out which ones I like the best. I didn’t know Coggie made a 28, but that’s pretty much the class of gun I’m interested in. I have no shortage of shotguns, or 28’s (I have an early 870LT skeet gun, and an early 1100LT that is a blast to shoot) so I’ll bide my time until I find the right gun. But I am interested in my options and what people think about the various makes.

Thanks,

JDG

Ahhh Stan. While the names are different the bullshit is the same. A little less than two years ago I decided, without much effort I admit, that regardless of the rules, I wasn't taking a dime of government covid money. Despite the fact that our government gave away more per capita than any nation on earth. My gun fund still get filled the old fashioned way.....by me earning the money.

It's a nice looking gun though. A little more engraving and mine has a little more orginal finish (but still very nice condition).

An English 28 with a single trigger, at 9 large. What, I ask you, could possibly go wrong?

Best,
Ted

___________________________________________________
Ask Donny about his RBL.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...rs-99-bbl-blue-nice.cfm?gun_id=101764662

Enjoy the search, that’s most of the fun sometimes. You are filling what I consider a fringe want. Something you want more than need and it often never meets expectations but still you should try to satisfy your want. I spent 20 years looking for a side opening O/U until I found one. Then could not hit the side of a barn from the inside with it. Sold it after a year of frustration but I still enjoyed the search and anticipation of buying it. Enjoy the ride.

Now there's a man after my own heart. It's the chase, just as in hunting.

I hunt birds during the seasons, and I hunt guns in between. Keeps me busy.

Haven't felt the itch for a 28. Yet. Bt a whispy 16 or 20, perhaps.

Here is a very nice little 28 bore John Harper BLNE. I have made a study of the Harper gunmaking family, there were three generations of John Harper, though the youngest was known as Norman.

Their own name guns come along rarely. However, they made excellent Birmingham guns for demanding taskmasters in the London trade, who put their names to the guns. These included Beesley, Churchill, Wilkes, Robertson (Boss), Pape and Woodward.

At $1,962 in the UK, plus shipping, this gun would still come out a good deal cheaper than the others suggested: https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/shotguns/harper-j/side-by-side/28-gauge/220201122950109



Since the gun is located just down the road from Diggory Hadoke, you could ask him to look over it, broker the deal and send it over to you in one of his consignments.

Tim

We had a Hussey Imperial come through the shop many years back now that was a very early 28. Stunning piece and accordingly.... the price reflected it. I used my trigger-plate Dickenson 28 extensively last Fall and finally became more-bonded with it for the first time. With truly adult dimensions (and even choke tubes!) I found it to have great utility. A pocket full of 28s is like nothing to carry and the entry price is of little consequence. The Turkish guns will likely require some sorting out, but once completed mine served very well last year.
\

Bingo! This is the class of gun I am interested in.

TRW999 has raised a good point: importing one from the UK looks like the better deal. Double the cost for shipping and import with gun cost is half the price of one here; not that it would cost 2 grand to get it here. The lead ban in the UK has drastically reduced doublegun value in some guns. There, not here...

I can only imagine what a 28 b Imperial would look and feel like. I have seen a couple of 20's that have sold at auction, but I have never seen or heard of a 28b. (And I hope I never do)

A haunting piece (all the Imperials are), that gun was a cased, two-barrel set that dated from the very early 20th Century (like 1905). The original tubes had been honed to dangerous dimensions and a second set had been added at some time. It was even 3-inch chambered(!). Speculation was that it was used by H. J. to hustle proper toffs in the pigeon ring?

Lloyd, I believe you may be referring to the Bing Crosby Lang & Hussey 28? Here are the selling notes from that gun, from my records, which also indicate that HJ Hussey would have made this gun in 1893:

"Lang & Hussey Imperial Sidelock Ejector, circa 1894 very early and rare 28 bore sidelock, original fluid steel 28" nitro proved chopperlump barrels and proved 5/8 oz. with a concave game rib engraved "Lang & Hussey Ltd. 102 New Bond Street London" and choked .038 ridiculously extra full and .045 ridiculously extra extra full, another set of fluid steel 28" barrels added later but pre-1950 and also London nitro proved but proved with rare extra long 2 7/8" chambers and for a 7/8 oz. load with a wide flat and high pigeon rib with tubes engraved "Lang & Hussey" and "London" and choked .007 Lt. Mod. and .012 Mod., very dark and moderately figured stock with 14 5/8" LOP over a red Silvers pad, 1 11/16" DAC, 2 1/2" DAH, 1/4" cast off, splinter forend, straight grip, double triggers, drop points, 5 lbs even (game rib) and 5 lbs. 8 oz. (pigeon rib), bar action 7-pin sidelock with fine rose bouquet and English scroll engraving with "Lang & Hussey Ltd." on both sides and "Imperial Ejector" on bottom of action, ejectors, non-automatic safety with "Safe" in gold, cocking indicators, vacant stock oval. Condition: about 70% case colors remaining, some thinning of barrel blue, a professionally repaired crack from right side of trigger guard extension into checkering that looks sound, some wood repair behind the stock oval on the bottom edge, pigeon rib barrels bores .553 on both and .027 and .029 min. wall thickness, game rib barrels out of proof with bores .565 and .568 and min. wall thickness of .015 and .017, game rib barrels also have chambers lengthened to 2 7/8" to match other barrels but not reproved. ... Additionally, when this gun was previously purchased from a dealer no longer in business, it was said this gun belonged to noted Actor, Singer, and Sportsman, Bing Crosby. At the time there was a document from England made out to Bing's widow's name for repairs made to the gun. Unfortunately, that document is no longer with the gun. It is well documented that Bing was an avid 28 bore user and also that if you hunted with Bing, he insisted that you also use a 28 bore. We have confirmed that Bing's guns were sold at a May 1982 of all of Bing's personal items at Butterfield and Butterfield in San Francisco. We are trying to obtain a copy of that catalogue to document this gun but at this time we have been unable to complete that. Rest assured that if/when we do, the price of the gun will increase. On it's own a rare early Hussey Imperial in a rare and desirable bore size and a rare heavy proof and long chambers." For sale with MW Reynolds in Denver 2014. Here is a photo of the gun:



My Hussey records have only one other 28: "HJ Hussey Ltd 28 bore 2 3/4" sidelock ejector, 28" barrels, true and full choke, refinished frame and locks best engraving, locks signed in gold and cocking indicators, 14 1/2" stock, 5lbs 3ozs, nitro proofed in leather case" At auction in UK in 1990. Here is a photo of that gun:



Tim

trw999: I'm duly impressed, that was indeed the gun. Forgot about the Bing Crosby part of it and even about how really early it was, 1893....jeese! It was way cool and inspired a special form of lust when handled. That photo just doesn't do it justice (& Mark's photos are generally very good). In many ways, it started me down the 28-gauge road (as I'd never taken them seriously before that time).

The Brit 28 you're most likely to run across would be one from Webley & Scott's Model 700 series. They are modern guns, all made after WWII. 28ga 700's were not made until 1966. There was also a Model 728, which is basically a Model 702 (which is the middle of 3 grades in the 700 series) in 28 ga. But I believe all of those were made with 26" barrels. As Brit 28's go, they're relatively numerous.

Most British pre 1970 made 28’s will be 2 1/2” guns with 26” barrels. If you hold out for 28” you will be looking for a while. Also the 2 1/2” were meant for 5/8 ounce loads, not our standard 28, 2 3-4” Roman Candles. I hesitate to buy yet one more gun which will require me to load one more specialized load.

The 700/28 will not give you the feel you are after I suspect. You might be better off looking for a 2 1/2” 20 bore which does what we make our American 28’s do with easy. Plus there are ten times as many to pick from. A British small bore can be a very alive gun. I love my Pape 20 bore hammer gun with 30” barrels. Comes in under six pounds. Only regret was it is still a 2 1/2” so I need to watch what I feed it a bit. Do stay away from double rifles which were bored out to 28 as they often are heavy as heck and handle like a nice fence post.

All said, buy a Rizinni F.A.I.R. Iside with the barrels you choose and interchangeable chokes and forget about antiques...Geo

Well let me get a hat in the ring by inviting you to take a look at the Dickinson 28 I have advertised on this For Sale forum.

Hussey: If you're in it for the chase, then God Bless and good luck. If you're looking for a good, useable gun that won't break the bank then Mr. Kissam's 28 might very well be worth a look. Mine is made on their .410 frame (with 28-inch 28-gauge barrels) and w/a 14 3/4 LOP it weighs 5lbs4. At 30-inches, Perry's gun will weigh just a bit more. I had to send my gun back to the Dickenson folks to get the triggers lightened (which they did quite well) and I redid the finish again last fall (as it was dried out a bit). New guns aren't nearly as romantic as the old English ones but they are very pragmatic once they've been sorted out. Also...ammo won't be anywhere near the hardship that the short-chambered guns will cause. I buy most of my 28 bore ammo at the big box stores and it works just fine.

I just posted an English 28 bore for sale that you may find interesting!

I had a mint Francotte Knockabout that I sold to Steve Barnett a couple of years before he passed. The one that Stan posted doesn't look like my old gun, but similar. It was a great gun but too high a condition for me to carry in the field. I had to load 1/2 ounce loads for it to be comfortable to shoot. I would rather shoot my six pound Parker 28s, which are very comfortable to shoot with 3/4 ounce loads. If I were looking for a Brit 28, I would go for a Webley and Scott Model 728. I still have pictures of the wonderful Purdey paradox 28 that I didn't bid high enough on at an Alderfer's auction a few years back. I would be embarrassed to tell you how much it sold for after I got cold feet. I wish I had a second chance.

If you can't find an English one; and they are scarce, then have a look at a second hand AyA boxlock. It's about as close as you will come in one not made in the U.K. I have one and with 2 3/4" chambers it is a delight to shoot. Lagopus.....

Push...take a look at an AYA#2. Or a F.A.I.R if you strike out on an English 28.

Rich