doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What's up with 28 gauge (observation)

I never use more than 7/8 oz. for quail even when I am using a 20 ga. It worked perfectly even on Gambel's in Arizona, for me. I can see how grouse might need a bit more lead. Never shot one, but it's definitely a bigger bird.

SRH

As I recall the 20ga was originally loaded with 3/4oz. It was later upped to 7/8oz & then with the introduction of slower powders the express load of 1 oz. When Winchester re-introduced the 3" 20, but now in the form of a Magnum the load was 1 3/16oz which quickly went to 1�oz. According to Jack O'Connor the mod 21 which introduced this Magnum loading of the 3" 20 weighed 7lbs. My thoughts then, as well as now, was if I am going to carry a 7lb gun why should it not be a 12.
My reasoning is similar on the small bores, I have no qualms with anyone using whatever floats their boat, but they are simply not my choices. One thing I will not cede to anyone is that using inferior equipment makes one a better "Sportsman". I enjoy muzzleloader shooting. I have killed both quail & rabbit with an I Hollis 12ga caplock double.
That did not automatically make me a better sportsman than someone else using an 1100 Rem semi auto. Sportsmanship is in ones mind set, not their equipment.
All down through the years I have had both limited time & finances to apply to my desire for hunting. I have always thus desired to make the best possible choice of a gun within my affordability for the game sought. This has primarily fallen with in the 12-20 range & I apologize to no one for my choices. They suit me & my abilities well.

+1

I've not noticed a lot of 1oz loads for 28, though likely I'm just not observant. I do recall first seeing them several years ago at a quail plantation in Georgia. The guy using them gave me some crap for using a big gun (my AyA 20ga shooting 7/8 oz.), implying it wasn't sporting. Go figure!

There seems to be an odd mind set amongst some shooters (specifically driven birds) that I don't get.

A couple of years ago I was picking up on a high bird shoot in Wales. The team of guns prided themselves on using only 20 bores and 28s, it was "more sporting".

On one drive off a biggish hill (Salopian might know it, "The North Pole") two such were flank guns using 28's. I picked twentythree birds of which seventeen were runners; the three dogs had to sweep a lot of difficult cover over some big distances, and so did I. i doubt we found all of them.

The beaters on the hill radio'd down and asked if I was warm enough now and did I know my big yellow dog was three parishes away?

The fact is that these guys were seriously under gunned, and didn't care; it buffed their egos to claim some sort of faux superiority. Sporting my arse.

Eug

1 oz. is a lot to stuff down a .550" hole.

Much like the extra 1/8 oz. in a 1 oz. 20 vs. 7/8's, I'm guessing most of the extra shot goes someplace other than the traditional 30" circle.

Relying on the fringe area of the pattern is poor form.

Indeed, a 1 oz. load is perfect for a 16 gauge. The shot goes where it's useful to the gunner.

I have shot a great deal of 1 oz loads through my custom 28 ga. Arrieta. I sure can notice a difference in the recoil. Most of my normal shootings is the light shot.

I have killed a couple of pheasants with it. (1 oz)

But mostly quail and dove at the 3/4 ounce

John Boyd

28 Bores have drifted in and out of my life...My Dad gave me a 28 DHE Pahkuh when I was about 11 or 12 . I still have it..I have had Remingtons, a 28 870 that I couldn't miss with, Several Spanish Doubles, An amazing Cz/Huglu that my daughter stole from me...A Remington skeet gun that killed several million doves, that I got from Robert Stack...BUT I never fell in love with them..At age 81, have settled into a nice light Brit 16 Bore and a Lefever G grade 12...And (don't tell anyone) A CZ semiauto Black plastic steel shootin duck killer

I'm learning the 28 yet again (3/4-ounce loads for me please!). Use has to be limited to be effective, but they certainly are effective in the right circumstances.

The first Parker I bought in mid 60s was a VHE 28 gauge skeet gun with 26 inch barrels and it was a deadly bird gun for me. Bobby