Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game 28 gauge?

I would think it's a dedicated frame, as it's very slim and sleek for a Merkel O/U. I've handled 12 ga. Merkels and found them to be pretty thick and heavy. I haven't handled a 20 ga. Merkel for comparison.

Maybe someone can chime in.

DF

If you do that let me know. Heckola it's even tough to find one of the 20's in the Special Field with a 21" tube...

Dober

Whoops 222Rem, wrong picture. Here we go. My setter and a Spanish 28 ga. after ptarmigan in Colorado. One of these days I'll actually see one of the little white buggers. At 12,000 feet plus, hopefully before my lungs burst.


I love the 28 gauge. Have had no real issues with it's ability. I handload for it so no problem with ammo. I prefer the 3/4 oz. loading with 7 shot as well. I'll use 7 1/2 s for grouse, huns and sharpies but 7's do seem to be about right for pheasants. Nothing against heavier loads, just haven't seen that they're really all that more effective.

Dirtfarmer, I have the same problems--cross dominant eyes and very strongly right-handed. "Solved" it with a little blob of surgical tape on the focal point on the left lense of my shooting glasses.

Until a buddy pointed this out on a skeet shooting day when he was standing behind and watching me shoot, I missed a WHOLE LOT of easy shots! It was kinda like there was no shot in my shells....

I love the 28 gauge.....have been converted now for about twenty years and have hunted mostly woodcock and grouse in the east but have used it on a number of pheasants in the mid-west.....I hunt over pointing dogs and it kills cleanly out to 35-40 yds as long as I do my part (if'in I don't then the dogs clean up after me - main reason I have dogs). That said the vast majority of the birds I have taken are dead in the air. My favorite 28 is a Merkel 280SL....just a touch over 5 lbs with 28" barrels points and swings like a dream....but have a few (six ) others that I like nearly as much

PennDog

Shooting over pointing dogs is where the smaller gauges really shine in my experience. Shots tend to be shorter and smaller shot works fine at these ranges. Long shots over flushers ofter need bigger gauges and bigger shot as well as bigger payloads, especially with pheasants.

The 28 gauge is light recoil, great shooting and a great upland option. The factory winchester 7.5's are my choice for doves and do well for trap.

Have not tried it on pheasants or grouse yet.

One of the guys I hunt with...and helped me find and train my dog...has a 28ga 26" Zoli. He uses Winchester 1oz 6's. Took it to South Dakota for wild birds once. Started with a bigger gun, but ended up using the 28 by the end of the week and had a real good experience with it. Lately the stocked birds around here seem to want to run more and flush farther out too. It's more than sufficient on them...

My go to scattergun for Grouse is a Franchi AL 48 28G , straight grip stock , very light and a pleasure to shoot & carry.
The only triple I ever shot on Grouse was with this gun.
Have also been using a Merk 280 EL 28G. petite frame gun. 2 triggers, SXS, very light.
Don't carry 12's anymore for upland birds. Shoot 20's and 28's for all upland birds.
Chinese chickens no problem, pick killing shots.
Cisco

I have killed more than a few pheasant with one and seen a lot more dropped with 28's.
I am not sure why people think they are light for pheasant. The 28 with one oz of shot has the same amount of shot as many of the 20 ga shells. If you choke it right and keep your shots inside 40, it will kill them dead.
The pheasant does not know if it got shot with a 12,20, or a 28.

Ruffed and three Birds dead in the air with three shots?

If so CONGRATS and burn that image into your memory bank, for it may be a long time before you pass that way again.

I adore my skb 28 gauge. I've killed a lot of birds with it take including pheasants. Also just put together a matched set of very early 870 wingmasters in the same. Both have vent skeet barrels and plain modified barrels. I hope the youngins enjoy it enough to wear out the little MEC jr.

When I actually hunted, the 28ga was my favorite bird gun for everything except pass shooting ducks and geese. Killed like a 12ga and kicked like a .410. Expensive ammo keeps it from being more popular.

Ithica 28. darn good stuff but that is just me. Kawi

Like most here, once you experience a 28, you realize what charmer it is. Light (if on the proper frame), lethal and with light recoil. I have an AyA SxS and really find it handy on pointed pheasants and on doves too. I use Fiocchis, 7/8 oz 6s for pheasants and 3/4 oz 8s for doves.

28's are great guns. But you can buy 2 boxes of 12 guage 2 3/4 for what they cost for a box or less. If I didn't reload I wouldn't even consider a 28.

I love my model 75 Ugartechea !
I loaad 7/8 of nickle plated 7 1/2's in it with 30 grains of H110, and it flattens roosters with no problem!
Cat