Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Ruger Red Label 28 Gauge

Thinking of getting a Red Label 28 gauge. I shot a friends awhile back and hit pretty good. It also seemed real lefty friendly as far as cast and such I couldn't detect any. Whats you guys and gals thoughts on the Red Label?

I have a 28 ga. Red Label. I like it. Mine has the pistol grip and 26" barrels. I use it for grouse. It's a light gun to carry if you are wandering around in the mountains all day. A lot of people with more money to spend on shotguns than I have don't like Red Labels. People who put tens of thousands of rounds through shotguns tend not to like them either. I like how Red Labels just fall open. Some people don't like how easy the Red Label opens and some even think they are shot loose when they are actually designed to open like that. Anyhow, I like mine a lot but then I'm not a big shotgunner, I'm a guy who likes to knock around in the woods. I also don't tend to fault Red Labels for not being as durable or having the wood to metal fit of shotguns that cost substantially more.

Sounds alot like me. I started bird hunting again a little this year after a 20 odd year hiatus, mainly because my sons wanted to give it a try. Anyway, those are features of the Red Label I like. I hear that even with the easy opening feature Red Labels have the strongest locking system available and lock up like a vault. Ruger customer service is also great. I would get the model you have with the 26" barrels and pistol grip.

I have been keeping my eye open for one for a while also... I am in no hurry and will wait for one with nice wood and a good price. The ppl that I know that have shot them, seem to like them. They are suppose to be sized to the gauge appropriately.

You might read the 20x28 gauge pot first if you have not... only good thing would be that 20 gauge Red Labels are a dime a dozen compared to the 28 and a fair bit better priced but I like things a little different and would not intend to target shot with it so I am looking for a 28.

I would buy a CZ over the red label, save some money for shells and get a slightly better product. I have never liked the Red Label but that is my opinion. I shoot a lot of shells every year NSCA, Waterfowl, upland, and trap. I have a CZ that has somewhere around 5,000 rounds down it. The Red label I had and sold to my friend has about 1,200 rounds down it and has been at the smiths twice. I bought my CZ because it was cheap. I wanted to use it hard hunting and not have to care if something went wrong with it. So far nothing has gone wrong.

What kind of repairs were made on your Red Label? Did Ruger stand behind their product? Finally, was it a 28 gauge? I ask the last question because I hear the 28s have better quality control than the 12s and 20s.

The ejector and the trigger, yes he said that ruger took care of it. Customer service isn't the issue. I don't buy one gauge has better QC over another. But you are intitled to your opinion. Bottom line in my opinion the CZ is a better shotgun and at the price you can buy a lot of shells for it with the money you saved on the Red Label.

Which CZ did you buy (model)?
thanks

Pullit, I have a Redhead 12ga, Ringneck 12ga, and Woodcock 28ga. I can hunt with them and not have to worry about scrapes, bangs, drops, swims, and what have you. They are not pretty but they are functional hunting guns at a good price.

Montana, I didn't mean to sound like i was disagreeing with you on the 28 gauge QC. I ask the question because I have read a couple articles on the internet and magazines that said the 28 gauge was finished better than the others. It dosn't make sense to me it would be better, but thats why I was wondering.

I'm not sure about fit and finish but my 28 gauge Red Label has nicer wood than the average Red Label in other gauges. I've also handled another 28 gauge Red Label that had nicer wood than I've seen on a 12 or 20 ga. Red Label.

MCH,

A lightly used Red label is barely more expensive than a woodcock from what I have seen... I've seen several Red Label 28s sell for around $800.

Trekker, I have not noticed this phenomena but will say that on avg Red Labels have substantially nice wood than most entry level shotguns... certainly far nicer than the average CZ (and I don't have anything against them, even looked a few for a while) ... I have a 12 gauge Red Label with beautiful wood and have seen 28 with plain wood, though I see more with nice wood than without.

As far as the Red Labels go, I have had a 20 ga for about 30 years. It was back when the receivers were blue and the barrels had fixed chokes.
The wood to metal fit is great and the wood has very nice figure.
Fast forward another 10 years or so (approx 18-20 years ago) and I bought a Red Label 12 ga. The fit and finish were not in the same ball park as the 20 ga. and the wood had no figure to speak of. I no longer own the 12 ga. but not for any of the reasons stated above, it would pound you like a hammer. Somewhere along the line, Ruger came out with the 28 ga.
I can tell you that I have not seen one yet that will match the fit or finish of my old 20ga.
DO NOT TAKE THAT TO MEAN THEY ARE NOT GOOD GUNS. I am in no way saying that, but after having the 20 ga and seeing what is offered now, is seems like a little bit of a let down.

LBP, I wasn't aiming that comment at anyone, It was just my opinion that QC is QC doesn't matter what gauge the gun maybe. I like ruger and I think they make some great products. I just don't think the Red or Gold Labels are one of those great products. I am sure there are plenty of people that think the Red and Gold labels are good guns, as they are selling them. It really comes down to what you want out of the gun. I think if you just want to hunt with it and maybe shoot a few boxes of shells a year out of it at clays its fine. Wouldn't be my first choice but would work. Now if you are a serious clays shooter it isn't going to get the job done.

[quote=lovemy99]MCH,

A lightly used Red label is barely more expensive than a woodcock from what I have seen... I've seen several Red Label 28s sell for around $800.[/quote+lovemy99]
I was talking about the price difference of new guns.

To the wood quality/look honestly if your buying a gun in this pricepoint your not concerned that much about wood. I would think that most are just looking for an entry level double gun, or for someone in my position just looking for a good beater gun to drag around swamps for ducks, or mountains for Chukkars. I have never seen a ruger or CZ shotgun with "NICE" wood. I guess nice is subjective.

Like pullit said the old blue 20 gauges are light years ahead of the new ones in fit and finish, and I have seen a few that have knockout wood in them. The early #1's were the same way.

decent wood
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=198695833

very nice wood

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=198981677

these were the first two I have clicked on...

here is just a stock...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=198870927

not sure what you call nice either but when you are not asked to pay a premium for this quality... I'd call that nice...

LBP,
I currently have one for sale: A slightly used Ruger Red Label, 28 ga., 28" bbl with 5 chokes. It is in absolutely mint condition.

It is for sale on consignment at the moment. If interested, PM me, I can put you in contact with the gun shop where it is for sale.

New ones are selling for around $1400.

I own and shoot a bunch of different shotguns, all types and gauges. I probably have 7 or 8 O/U guns currently. In 28ga O/U I have a very nice older Citori 28ga w/28"bbls and pistol grip. I also have a light little Beretta Silver Pigeon 28ga w/26" bbls and pistol grip. I prefer pistol grip O/U shotguns. Having said that, if you like the Red Label and it seems ti fit you well, buy yourself a 28ga Ruger. They're a delight to carry and you'll probably never have a problem of any kind. 28 gauge field guns are usually quite light so they can be a little harder to shoot well. I also have 10 or 12 Rugers in my gun safes and they have all been very dependable guns, rifles, revolvers, pistols etc. Buy a Red Label and shoot it a lot, have fun!

I have a Red Label, but it's a 12 and the older iteration that doesn't just fall open. It wasn't my only shotgun, but for several years it was the only one I used for trap, skeet, sporting clays and waterfowl and it saw several thousand rounds through it annually. It's thirty years old now, I still use it, and it's never so much as hiccuped on me.