Pick the gun you like. what's good for me or someone else don't mean squat! My gun these days iis 28GA SxS. Never shot a pheasant with if but no doubt it would work. 16ga shells still seem easy to find but I only buy them when I need shells, pretty inexpensive. Have two 16's. SxS and a mod 37 Ithica. Buying a shotgun is a pretty personal thing for me, I like what I like!