Hey all, what is your favorite 28ga shotgun?

I just bought a beretta a400 in the little 28, and realized I do not like the way it fits.
So I was just curious as to who used a 28 and in what firearm, as I'd like to sell this one and pick up something else.

Also post pics if you can!


PS is anyone in Michigan wants to buy a beretta a400 xplor 28ga for a good price message me.

I guess my favorite is the only one I have at the moment. A real fancy one !!

An Iver Johnson Champion. 😁

Beretta Silver Pigeon V 28" bbls restocked by Cole with really pretty XXX walnut.

I have an AYA model 4 side by side. it was choked pretty tight when I got it in the 70 's and I had it opened up a bit. still with me and no reason to get rid of it.

Beretta 687 Gold Pigeon II Sporting two barrel set 30" bbls in 28 and 410. Love that gun!

I only have one, a TriStar Viper. I like it plenty good but the stock is about a 1/4 too long and I should have it cut.

Perazzi MX28B, 30” bbls, choked .010”/.018”, POW grip, slight forward bias weight distribution. Love the thing, weighs 6# on the nose.

Beretta 686 Onyx Pro 28 gauge 28 inch Plain dark receiver beautiful wood.

Congrats!!!! One of the nicest 28's ever made....

Dang definitely some nice weapons, I'd like a sxs with an english stock but as a shop rat most of them are out of my price range.

Beretta 686 White Onyx. 28" barrels, Briley extended choke tubes. Kills bunnies, grouse, and woodcocks in Michigan and is hell on doves in Indiana.

Browning Superposed choked Skeet and Skeet.
A pheasant killing machine.
And a Parker reproduction side by side. Beautiful and light little scatter gun, but I dont shoot it as well as the Superposed.
Nothing shoots like a 28 gauge!

If my recollection is correct, that was Dick Cheney's favorite quail gun too.

That’s correct, except that his was an SCO. About $40k.

Briley UL tubes in my K-80

Merkel solid rib 28 O/U. Fits perfectly, handles fast. 27" barrels.

DF

Dirtfarmer:

That is one fine looking shotgun. Congrats!

I've owned four: A Browning Model 12 Grade I, an AYA 4/53, a Caesar Guerini Summit Sporting Limited, and a S.I.A.C.E. Concordia hammer gun. The Browning and the AYA went on down the road. The Guerini is one of my favorite target shotguns. And the S.I.A.C.E. is the toy shotgun every traditional sxs shooter dreams of.

Never owned a 28 ga until i picked up one of these on a whim a couple months ago.....Dont know why, price was cheap. Havent had a chance to pick up ammo yet though.

I'm pretty fond of my Remington 3200 in 28 gauge.

Post some pice of that!

My favorite was a Browning Citori XS with 30" barrels and exhibition wood. It was a bit heavy for a 28 but it fit me perfectly and was very well balanced. I really wanted to keep it but I could not come up with the coin Browning wanted for it. Two months earlier and I would still have that gun in my vault.

My current 28s are a Browning Cynergy and a Beretta 682, both standard models with 28" barrels. The Beretta is technically my wife's but I use it more.

I can't see owning a pump and especially an autoloader, the cost of shells nearly require one to reload. The pumps and autos result in too many lost hulls for my liking.

Thanks.

When you find one like that, fits the shooter to perfection, it’s a keeper.

DF

The Ivers are a great gun..........not gonna wow anyone with bling.........but built like tanks and will last forever if treated half right. The 28's are probably the rarest, except for the .44XL guns.

Mine's ugly and in need of a refinishing. But ammo is pretty common at most Walmarts. AA Winchesters, usually.

687SP3 with 28" barrels and a Verona. Love the 28ga.

One thing I dont really get is when I hear people say it cost too much to shoot factory ammo. I figure 12ga is 6 to 7 bucks a box and 28 is 9 or 10 bucks a box. I'll never shoot enough where that adds up to being a big difference.

No doubt, shells are usually the least expensive part of hunt...It pales in comparison to the expense of usually getting there....gas, food, license, perhaps lodging, etc, etc....

I reload.

I have MEC single stage 650 presses, set up in 12, 20 and 28 ga.

Too easy to not reload.

DF

Remington 1100 Sporting Clays Model. It’s deadly on dove and quail.

If I was to ever buy another 28 ga automatic, it would definitely be the Benelli Ultralight.

remington 3200 comp 28ga skeet.

One shooting TSS shot, because it turns it into LW 12Gauge.....

Benelli Legacy 28 ga. 5 lb. weight, my go-to shotgun shooting pheasant and chukar over my pointing Lab.

Used to own a Ruger Red Label 28, but never could really warm up to it.

With Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads of 6 or 7.5 shot, 7/8 oz. loads and fairly open chokes, it is a killer!

I'd have to go with the Ruger Red Label....
But, the Benelli would be a close second.
AND, I really like the Remington 870 too. I guess what I'm trying to say, just go with the one you got, or get the one you want.

Do you load it or buy ammo?

DF

Buy....for now. Have a mec 16ga, but haven’t really looked into TSS reloading.

I load it for my Beretta Ultra Light in 28.

Talk about punching out of your weight class!

Browning Citori Quail Unlimited (41 of 100)














Franchi 48 AL Deluxe English

Great pair.

DF

I only have one....so it has to be the favorite....

I have that one and a 1100. Use them all, like them all.

DF

The 1100 does throw the hulls 8-10" but doesn't scatter them that bad. Dove hunting I find most of them. Squirrel hunting, only a few; generally I don't worry about it. This one has a field type finish, not the highly polished Sporting Clays finish. I kinda like the dull finish.

The Ithaca throws them straight down and forward. Both handle very well.

DF

Nice Ithaca!!!

Thanks, It has some nice wood for a std. gun. I fitted a thinner pad, seems to handle better at least for me. I'm not too crazy about the big pistol grip, but it handles better than it looks.

DF

They did a nice job, overall. Checkered forearm was well done. I think the Ohio guns are about as good as any Ithaca, better than some.

DF

Dirtfarmer......how would the Ithaca handle with a straight English stock instead of the pistol grip ?

Only own one but surely one of my favorites. A Savage Milano that I picked up off GB for a pretty reasonable price. Dave

I'm shocked to see someone else with one of these. I don't think they made many. The most expensive gun I've ever bought (though that doesn't add or subtract from my enjoyment), and not only my favorite 28 gauge but one of my favorite firearms ever. I bought it after a windfall and even then, it was painful at the time, but I haven't regretted it, which I can't say for many other firearm purchases.

I had considered getting the English, straight grip. It would for sure look better. But, this one handles a lot better than it looks.

DF

Interesting, you and Battue have said the same thing about your Ithaca 28's regarding the more pronounced pistol grip.

It handles fine, however it would handle just as well with a better looking Prince of Wales grip. Why they went with this style remains odd.

I am considering having an acquaintance carve me out another with a POW and a nicer piece of wood. Normally I wouldn’t even consider changing it, but I have come to really like this 37.

A nice POW grip would be about perfect, IMO. That big ole grip is pretty ugly, no doubt.

Ohio gun quality is really good. Lots of CNC machinery. Seem I remember something about their wood being manufactured by an outside contractor. Not sure of the details on that.

DF

Agreed, a POW grip seems to more naturally fit the lines of this small frame shotgun. This is why I asked about an English stock as they do offer this option.

They did offer it at one time, but I don't see it now.

Seems like when I ordered mine, it was offered but not as readily available. I'm trying to remember, because the English stock would have looked better.

Had to have been a compelling reason.

DF

Yep, actually talked to a sales guy at Ithaca several months ago about an English stock on the Model 37, 28 ga. I stated I had noticed this option in their shotgun specs that one can download from their website. The guy acted like it was a PIA and maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't. Since I wasn't serious about ordering I didn't push him on it.

They are closed at this time and msybe they will open again as Ohio is supposed to start opening again May 1st.
If they do open, I will call them again or perhaps work through a dealer......and press them on ordering an English stock on the 28.

That sounds familiar.

Let me know what you find out.

DF

I will do that.

Those are some really nice scatterguns. I enjoy the pictures and all the knowledge without a doubt. I think something with the straight stock is in order once I sell thos beretta!

Exactly my thought.

The Benelli would be nice, but a Remington 1100 is still an 1100,. For a cheaper 28, I like my Turkish Mossberg. Heavy trigger, which can be fixed, but nice, light, properly-sized gun. A few steps or maybe half the track ahead of an 1100 in my opinion. I think I paid less than $500 for mine, which is an added bonus

Hunting bud got a 28 ga. Turkish “Benelli” and likes it. Forget what name brand they stamped on it. Light, handy gun. Deadly on doves, but he’s a pretty good shot. Gun does its part.

DF

Only have one 28 right now. AyA Matador. It's my go to gun!

I only have one it's a Ruger Red label. Got it for a song at a shop in Redding Ca. It was a trade in from a guy that used it as his skeet gun and it was worn out. Took a chance that Ruger would work on it.

When I got it the lever at closed was at 6:45 and considerable play in the action and the rib rattled worse than any other Ruger and they're all bad.

I called Ruger customer service and asked the nice lady if they would give me an estimate for repairs if I sent it in. She said sure thing and emailed a shipping label and would call me back after they got the gun.

A couple of weeks later the rep from Ruger called and asked me if I would talk to the tech working on the gun. Sure thing I replied but had a sinking feeling the gun was toast. The service tech sounded like a nice young girl and said work was progressing well on the gun and chided me for complaining about the rib but she would fix it.

I thanked her and asked to direct me back to the cust service gal. Kinda freaked out because I wanted an estimate first before approving the work. Jaw dropped when she told me no charge and they were happy to do it. I reminded her that I bought it used and worn out and would compensate them for the work and parts. She wasn't having any of it.

Happy Ruger customer, must be why I have so many. Sorry so long winded here it is with completely new internals.

Hard to not like a company that’s takes good care of its customers.

Thanks for sharing. Nice shotgun.

DF

I think the Mossberg is closer to a Beretta in design. Both Weatherby and Mossberg have marketed them under the SA designation

And if I remember correctly, the bottom barrel was choked Improved Lawyer.

I think that ruger red label is just what I am look for haha. That is really a beautiful shotgun.

And speaks a lot for ruger.

Never have had an 1100 and I like their looks, but in my dotage have become fairly dogmatic about the gauges and their approximate weights and scale for game guns. 6 1/2 lbs for a 28 is at least 3/4 lbs too heavy and arguably a whole lb or more.

A 28 SA doesn’t need a recoil mitigating gas system. In the game fields, IMO, a gas-operated 28 is an anachronism. Fo me, same goes for the 20 mostly.

Clay target competitions are a different story.

I like my 28 ga. 1100. It handles well, kills above its weight class...

DF

Don’t tempt me. 🙂 As I said I like their looks.

DF, I’m a lefty and learned to not buy “left hand” shotguns because I’m a trader and a re-seller. So I pay attention to safeties on SA’s and if they are the plunger type, they must be fairly easily reversible.

Remingtons were until I think maybe 15 years ago. Now you have replace them with an aftermarket safety — at least that’s the case with the 1100’s.

I’m sure our litigious culture has a lot to do with it but Benelli still makes it easy-peasy. I applaud them for that among a lot of other things.

George, Benelli is a great design, hard to beat.

I just don't have one in 28 ga. I do have a 12 ga....

Those who have them really seem to like them, me included.

DF

The 28 G. does not get the respect it deserves. It is hard hitting often very light, and fast.

I have several , Including a Merkel , Al 48 Deluxe with a straight stock, simliar to one posted earlier , couple older Berettas . The Berettas trigger

guard jams my hand when firing. A couple Berettas in 20 G. do this also..

Pic is a Merkel 280 EL in a true 28 G. frame. I try to be careful dragging it through the brush Grouse hunting. I will use it and enjoy . My heirs can deal

with any history the scatter gun accumulates.

Very nice double gun there, cisco.

I like it. Bet it shoots as good as it looks.

DF

That's what I shot a gobbler with 28 ga 1 3/8 9s Apex TSS. They weren't working well, so had to do a 200 yard sneak across open pasture to get a long shot, but it worked. It was far enough my brother thought I was nuts, but he's dead!

How on earth do you get 1 3/8 oz in a 28 gauge shell?

It's tungsten super shot, it's about 70% heavier than lead if I remember correctly. You shoot 9's on turkeys, they weigh almost the same as lead 5's except there's a lot more of them! A 2 oz load of lead 5's has 340 pellets, a 28 ga load of 9's TSS has I think almost 500. They weigh the same so penetration and energy are pretty much identical. Unfortunately they aren't cheap, but you don't fire several hundred a year at gobblers.

By the way, I currently hunt mostly with a Ugartechea 28 sxs, and have another Beretta A400 28 ga.

Can you load TSS rounds, or do you have to buy'em?

DF

You can load them, but it doesn't save much money. the 28's are about 7 bucks a pop, but the shot costs $220 for 5 pounds. You have about $4 a round just in shot, no wads, no powder, no primers, and assuming you never mess up one. I shot a 24 pound gobbler with the 28 ga and factory full barrel at exactly 80 yards. I know it sounds nuts, but keep in mine the energy per pellet is the same as a 5 and there are 150 more pellets than a 2 oz load of 5 lead.

Have you broken a tooth yet, biting down on one of those small, very hard pieces of shot...?

That would be my concern, using TSS on game that I'm going to eat.

DF

I only use them on turkeys, so shoot head/neck on them. I haven't had a pellet in the breast.

Could happen.

To me, that may be an issue with game I want to eat.

DF

I guess you're more worried about it than I am! It can't be worse than steel shot in ducks and geese which are normally shot incoming.

Point well taken.

They do sound effective, possibly opening a new era for shotgunning.

Now, if they weren’t so expensive.

DF

Citori White Lightning, 28" barrels. Just got it not long ago. First round of skeet was a perfect 25.

Gonna try it on doves over a small tank that is ringed with trees.

This is my first 28 and so far I am impressed with how well it breaks clays.

Beretta 686 SP1 with 28 inch barrels.

My one and only 28. Ruger Red label that I got for a song because it was worn out. The previous owner used it for skeet.

Sent it to Ruger for an estimate to rebuild and the nice customer service lady called a couple of weeks later to tell me it was done and to expect it in a few days. I told her I didn't authorize the repair because I never got a quote. She told me there was no quote because they were fixing it no charge and it didn't matter that I was not the original owner.

Ruger has run out of most parts for these guns and won't repair them. Glad I did this when I did. Love this gun.

bernadelli gamecock, also have a Spanish s/s English stock but its almost too light less than 5 lb a little whippy.

SKB 385,


The only 28 I have.

Churchill here.

Listed in order of preference:

Beretta SP3 on the 28 frame
Beretta SP3 20-28 combo on the 20 frame
Remington 870
Browning White Lightning

SKB 385. Had an 870 but never shot it after getting the 385 so it went down the road.

SKB over/under.My first 28 and I love it. Got the two barrel 28/410 with 28" barrels. Points very well, light weight.

Mine is a CZ Bobwhite 202b with 26” barrels and double triggers.

1.5 ounces of TSS and it stomps turkeys!

I only have two and like them both. One is Beretta silver pigeon II 28” and the other a Fausti round body. If having to choose I would go with the beretta as I have had it longer. My favorite gauge for everything but duck and goose.

Have a few but my Ruger RL is a pleasure

Beautiful shotguns here!!

The one I use the most is an H&R 1905 single shot with IC choke - weighs a little over 4 pounds and I actually shoot it pretty good. Also have a Remington 870 choke modified that is deadly and a Remington 1100 Sporting and use a Rizzini 20/28 gauge combo and/or a Merkel 280SL when I need to be fashionable😄. The .28 is my favorite and rarely use anything else these days the weight and handling are just to good to ignore as I get older!!

PennDog

I had a nice Weatherby Athena in 28 once upon a time. The Athenas fit me best of all the brands of O/U that I could try.

My only 28 gauge is a Ruger Red Label. 28” barrels and English stocked.

I only have one 28 Gauge shotgun; it is a CZ "Woodcock" with 28 inch tubes.
I purchased it new in 2007 .
It carries well, points well and kills very well.
I've used it for pheasants and bunnies in the Midwest, "Pats" and woodcock in the UP, multiple dove hunts and two quail hunts here in the southeast .

My shotgun snob friends have decried that the CZ is cheap Turkish junk and will never hold up. I don't shoot trap or skeet with it , I bought it as a hunting shotgun and it's doing quite well .

StarchedCover

Those are nice guns, your “snob” buds notwithstanding.

Such arrogance. Doubt they as smart as they think they are.

Just enjoy that fine gun. Consider the source.

DF

I bought my first 28, a Benelli Ultralight, last year and love it. It's light, fits me perfect out of the box, and just seems to hit whatever I point it at. I currently own 10 other shotguns in 12, 16 and 20 ga. and I like them all, but in the few months I've owned the Benelli it has become my favorite.

If anyone has any interest in a solid ribbed Winchester Model 12 28 Gauge, send me a PM.

My only 28 is a Darne, A French made sxs with a sliding breach action.

jkingrph:

I'm green with envy! How about a photo? What is the grade of your Darne and how long are the barrels?

I like Darnes a lot. Have 28 inch 10 gauge Grade 10 and a 30 inch 12 gauge Grade 19 built on a P style action.

Rem

Beretta 682 for clay targets.

Remington 870 for doves/fun.

The only one I've ever owned is an early 1100 25" barrel Sporting Clays model. I started using it on doves three or four years ago and it's all I've used for them since. I know it's not as Iight as most 28s but it seems light compared to the 8lb 12 gauge I was using and I'm getting as many as I did with the 12 over decoys. It's surprised me how many DRT kills I get with it using #8s with an IC choke.

I have a set of Briley tubes for my Beretta 682 but the only dedicated 28 I have for now is one of the Parker repros. Choked full/mod I'm always amazed at how it reaches out further than I think it should.

The wood is "fair"

Here’s my first 28, so it’s automatically my favorite…

I really like the Beretta 680 series 28 ga, I have a Beretta A400 28 ga and it is great, but want a O/U

S.I.A.C.E Concordia hammer gun with 29 inch barrels. Probably the nicest gun in my vault. And you'll go a long time before you see another one in any gauge.

You can see a 12 gauge version ( not mine, but the first photo I could find on line) at https://www.durysguns.com/shop/siace-concordia-sxs-12-ga-used-gun-inv-204880

My Beretta A400 28 ga with 28" barrel is a sweet hunting gun. Did all my upland hunting in 2021 with it...chukars, blue grouse, sharptail and ruff grouse in BC. Mainly 7/8 oz #6 or 7.5 shot reloads. 5.5#s empty weight, great balance and handling! It also is a fine informal skeet gun with typical 3/4 oz loads of #8 or 8.5 shot. I do run a heavier magazine cap off the Beretta A400 Xcel Black Sporting 12 ga for skeet...adds almost 4 oz to the weight and helps my follow through. My AYA #2 16 ga RB SxS and Grulla 20 ga RB SxS both got a rest last season, and may again this year. That little Beretta semi-auto is a fine hunting gun!

I also have a 686 O/U Silver Pigeon two barrel set with upgraded Coles wood. The 20 ga with 28" barrels is much nicer than the 28 ga with 26" barrel in my opinion, or at least I shoot it better. Don't use the 28 ga barrel set hardly at all. Even though chasing empties is eliminated with the O/U.

There is nothing like shooting a quality 28 gauge!
I use a 28 gauge for all my upland bird shooting. Pheasants fear me!
My favorite is a Browning Superposed choked Skeet and Skeet with #5s.

So is mine , I'd tell the so called friends to kiss my ass if I was you .

Just curious....what wore out on a Ruger?

I have 3 and its hard to pick a favorite, but If I had to put them in order:

1. Franchi 48 AL. Basic model, but it just shoots like a dream.

2. Ruger Red Label Golden Quail. Built on a 28 gauge frame and just tons of fun to shoot

3. Beretta Silver Pigeon III. this one is on a 20 gauge frame because it has a set of 20 gauge barrels. Love shooting it, but its just not as fun as my RRL.

Right now, I’m looking at a Rizzini BR 110, but I want to make sure I get something on a 28 gauge frame.

Arrieta round action

Cisco, that is a beautiful little gun.

Beautiful!!!!

My favorite 28 gauge



A little color case hardened Huglu/CZ Ringneck!

ya!

GWB

I recently picked up a Stevens 555 in 28ga. I’m not a shotgun snob and I could care less what anybody else thinks of my guns. It weighs 5lb 1oz!!! I will use it 80/20 upland/targets. I have a Mec 600jr to load shells as they are quite pricey! It’s slow but a case a year is not a big deal. Only thing I’m gonna do to the gun is upgrade the chokes to Carlson’s extended. So far I’m very happy and can’t wait to carry it this fall in the field!
Kinda always wanted a 28ga BPS too. Maybe someday!
Elk Country

Looks like the dogs are having a great day!

I only have one 28 gauge but it doesn't go outside.

Browning Model 12 Grade V.

Currently own 3. A Fabarms Elos B, a Beretta BL3 and a Beretta a400 semi auto. Fabarms is by far the best looking and the first one I grab to carry around in the field all day. The A400 gets the nod for clay shooting and the BL3 is my "loaner" for visiting friends if we decide to hunt.

Beretta silver pigeon. My favorite out of many shotguns I own.

I have an 1100 Sporting with 27” barrels and I love it for any kind of upland bird hunting, it’s probably my favorite “fun” shotgun. It’s not as light as some of the other guns listed, but it’s still lighter than most bigger framed guns and I don’t mind it a bit. It’s also my girlfriend’s favorite gun for sporting clays.

I also have an ATI O/U, and it shoots well, too- and I know that’s not a high volume kind of gun, but it’s fine for hunting. Since the GF took a liking to the 1100 for clays, I will use this one more for hunting going forward.

Currently it is the browning cxs 20/28 combo gun I own. such a dream to shoot!

I had a Browning OU, schable, straight grip, I think 26” barrels. Loved it for ruffed grouse and probably should have kept it, but traded it in on a Merkel SXS sidelock.

So far, I got more use out of the 28 than the twelve.

Trying to make this one acquired last year a favorite....but so far it sits below the Model 37 for hitting....It is about to go into fall training camp....

How about that Buck rub on a corner post....

My 1100 is my only and only until next week when my Winchester 23 comes in, I can’t even sleep good, I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve.
Bit the bullet and one of each except the 16ga.
I’m enamored with the Franchi SLX o/u, pleasing to my eye but don’t have a clue about quality of the brand.
28’s came to me in my 50’s after my madness for simple killing subsided, the art of a correct kill is highly satisfying these days. If that makes sense.