28 gauge for pheasant

[vdep217]

I've been looking at the tri star viper 28 guage.  Will probly get it mid summer.  Mainly thinking ahead as I do not want my kids starting with a 410 as I did I remember tge frustration and the 28 will be perfect until they can shoot 20 guage

[Recurve hntr]

I hunt pheasants with 16 , 28 and 410 the last few yrs. My go to is the 16 gauge. In my personal opinion all three gauges are great for pheasant or all small game. My guns are sXs . I’ve killed a ton of pheasants and rabbits with the 410.

[JD48]

1 hour ago, MikeStaten said:

Here’s mine…

 

 

great looking gun , class , not flash

[JD48]

30 minutes ago, Recurve hntr said:

I hunt pheasants with 16 , 28 and 410 the last few yrs. My go to is the 16 gauge. In my personal opinion all three gauges are great for pheasant or all small game. My guns are sXs . I’ve killed a ton of pheasants and rabbits with the 410.

what kind of sxs 16gauge , im using a 1936 Ithaca new field

[bowguide]

I love my Ruger Red label 28....great shooting gun

[JD48]

2 minutes ago, bowguide said:

I love my Ruger Red label 28....great shooting gun

their some what of a collectors item now a days , nice gun , had a 20 gauge years ago

[Recurve hntr]

45 minutes ago, JD48 said:

what kind of sxs 16gauge , im using a 1936 Ithaca new field

It’s an Ithaca . I inherited from my dad. I know it’s old. Has a bird dog on the side. It’s an amazing gun.  

[GunDogs]

I shoot a 28 ga as much as possible, whether it’s for pheasant or sporting clays. Ruger Red Label o/u. Both Fiocci and Federal 2-3/4” with  7/8oz of shot pattern great, and Fiocci golden pheasant is more lethal than any other load I’ve shot out of a 20ga. You can’t beat the nickel plated shot. However my best patterning load and 1st choice for pheasant or sporting clays would be Polywad Gram Crak-R shells. 
 

Gram Crak-R

[ratherbhunting]

I have a Mossberg 28 gauge  over under that I used to use all the time when I had my GSP.

[OldPiney Woods]

4 hours ago, JD48 said:

their some what of a collectors item now a days , nice gun , had a 20 gauge years ago

I forgot to mention the Red Label as a great option for a 28 gauge. I have had one for over 20+ years. The Red Label 28 gauge is considered the best handling of the Red Labels. The 12 and 20 gauges are on the heavy side. The 28 is very light. Unfortunately, Ruger has stopped making all Red Labels. Used 28 gauge Red Labels in good condition are hard to find due to their desirability as previously mentioned. I bought mine new for a little over $1000. Nice used ones are now being sold in the $1800 range. At that price range you can get a new Beretta Silver Pigeon as I previously recommended.

[nmc02]

8 hours ago, JD48 said:

get the itch every year to buy a 28 gauge o/u for pheasant ( state and preserve birds ) over a Brittany , been looking at  , franchi , berreta , rizzini , as you get older , its more of the challenge , then the kill , but dont want to wound a bunch either or be under gunned , your thoughts and advice

Love the rizzini sxs

[MPSR]

I own a Beretta Silver Pigeon in a 20. If you like the idea of a 28 try the next Savage line of over and under’s. For 700 bucks out the door the Savage will compete with some higher end guns. No it’s not a Beretta but it’s a 28, and if you hunt over a good dog like i do, shots to 30 yards with right choke and number 5 or 6s will be fine. I’ll be selling my 28 for another savage 20 as it’s just retarded to find shells, never mine looking for 28 gauge in a magnum load. The 410 in a 3inch mag is within 10% specs of similar loads of the 28. Either way your limited with both..

[JD48]

51 minutes ago, MPSR said:

I own a Beretta Silver Pigeon in a 20. If you like the idea of a 28 try the next Savage line of over and under’s. For 700 bucks out the door the Savage will compete with some higher end guns. No it’s not a Beretta but it’s a 28, and if you hunt over a good dog like i do, shots to 30 yards with right choke and number 5 or 6s will be fine. I’ll be selling my 28 for another savage 20 as it’s just retarded to find shells, never mine looking for 28 gauge in a magnum load. The 410 in a 3inch mag is within 10% specs of similar loads of the 28. Either way your limited with both..

just looked at savage online , as you mentioned , seems like a lot of gun for the money , only issue is, it seems they only come in 26 inch  barrels in 28 gauge , as i get older i need a longer site plane , i never go below 28 inchs , you would think 2 inchs would not make a difference , but with my eyes it does

[archer36]

In smaller gauges, the 26" is more or less a standard. Many reasons. Cut down on weight, fast swing, better in tight quarters. 

[JD48]

agree , i see a lot of call for 30 inch barrels now a days , even in 16 , 20 and 28 gauges , when i was a kid , 30 inch was the standard , with the theory it would shoot farther