It has never won a popularity contest when pitted against 20-gauge or
12-gauge shotguns, but those who have given the little 28-gauge a fair
trial usually become fans. In fact, it has a strong and growing
following among experienced bird hunters who go after quail, doves,
woodcocks, grouse and snipe. Small-game hunters who go afield for
rabbits and squirrels also are discovering the advantages of the
28-gauge.
The 28-gauge falls in between the .410- and the 20-gauge in size. Unlike
most other gauges, it comes in only a 23/4-inch shotshell. The standard
target load is usually 3/4 ounce of lead shot. That is 1/4 ounce less
than that of a 20-gauge and 3/8 ounce less than a standard 12-gauge
load. Upland game loads for the 28-gauge are available in 1-ounce loads.
Many shotgunners know about the 28-gauge. But somewhere along the way in
competition shooting, the 28-gauge got a reputation of being an
"expert's gauge," and many shooters just never tried it. However, when
you consider the advantages the 28-gauge offers, it is a likely
candidate for becoming a favorite.
Low Recoil Means More Hits. When compared to the more popular 12- and
20-gauge shotguns, the 28-gauge offers greatly reduced recoil. The
23/4-inch, 12-gauge, 11/4-ounce load transfers 32 foot-pounds of energy
in the form of recoil to the shooter. The 23/4-inch, 20-gauge, 1-ounce
load transfers 21 foot-pounds of recoil. Compare that to the 28-gauge,
23/4-inch, 3/4-ounce load with only 12.8 foot-pounds of recoil.
This is the reason many shotgun coaches like to coach new shotgun
shooters who use a 28-gauge. Recoil isn't a factor, but good shooting
techniques are. You tend to shoot much better when you aren't being
punished.
The 28-gauge is a great choice for young shooters, recoil-conscious
shooters, small-framed shooters and� �� ��as I learned when recovering from a
shattered shoulder� �� ��shooters with damaged shoulders. Also, as more
shooters become concerned with eye damage from sharp recoil, the
28-gauge is a logical choice.
Good to 35 Yards. It surprises many shooters that the 28-gauge delivers
a consistent pattern out to 35 yards. On a percentage basis, the
28-gauge will put as much of its pattern into a 30-inch circle at 35
yards as a 12- or 20-gauge will. This makes the 28-gauge ideal for
small-game hunting within that distance.
I have hunted mourning doves in South Carolina on a dove field where
only 28-gauge shotguns were welcomed. It was an outstanding hunt, and
most hunters went home with their limit of doves. It was more fun
because the shooting was at birds within the 35-yard range, and there
was very little recoil for the amount of shooting done by the hunters.
While the 28-gauge is not considered a good waterfowl, deer or
wild-turkey shotgun, it does deliver small-game harvesting energy loads
out to 35 yards. And it compares favorably with the 23/4-inch 20- and
12-gauges. For example, the 12-gauge energy load per pellet at 30 yards
is 1.77 foot-pounds of energy, the 20-gauge is 1.58 foot-pounds and the
28-gauge is 1.47 foot-pounds. The 28-gauge is well within the necessary
energy load to take small game at that range, and it's not too far under
the 20- and 12-gauge shotguns.
A good selection of hunting and clay target loads are available from
Federal, Remington and Winchester.
Guns in This Gauge. One often heard complaint is that there are not many
28-gauge shotguns available. Undoubtedly that is a local problem,
because an outstanding selection of quality shotguns is available in
28-gauge. If you are an over/under fan, you will like the Franchi
Veloce, Beretta Pigeon, Browning Citori, Merkel 2000EL, Ruger Red Label,
SKB 505, Weatherby Athena and Orion.
Side-by-side fans will want to take a look at the Hatfield Upland 28,
the Merkel 303EL, the Charles Daly Field II SXS and the SKB 385.
There are at least three autoloaders in the 28-gauge� �� ��the Remington Model
1100, the Franchi AL48 and the Charles Daly Field Hunter Autoloader. And
there are two pumps, the Browning BPS and the Remington 870.
New England Firearms has a single shot in their Pardner series, and the
Thompson/Center Custom Shop has 28-gauge barrels for both the G2
Contender and the Encore.
Most of these shotguns are lightweight and carry well in the field,
which is another advantage of this gauge.
The 28-gauge has a place with upland game hunters, as well as with
clay-target shooters. So if you are getting tired of being hammered with
recoil and want to concentrate on accurate shooting, you might want to
consider the 28-gauge.