# Firearms and Shooting > Shotgunning >  28 Gauge

## kiwijames

Anyone shooting a 28g?
Any issues with them being a bit lighter than a 20g or 12g. 
Was wanting it as a versatile sporter. Stationary ducks to upland game. Is it going to cut it?

----------


## MAJOR F

hi the twenty eight will do the job as long as you can i shoot all gauges and i love the 28 for its lite weight and speed you can get her into action its more suited to upland than a duck gun but it will do ,if its going to be your main shooting stick i think you should go with the 20 though as most guns here in nz the 28,s are just 20g actions with 28g barrels and so they weigh the same and in some cases are heaveyer then the 20g so the handling is no different ,one of my 20,s weights 2.5kg !if you are going to spend some good coin you can get a nice rizzini or fair that are built on true 28g frames then you have a very nice shottie indeed .there is no difference in hitting power between the two just the 28 has less pellets ie thinner patterens ;the 20 has a long shot string though ,i have found on quial that if i use cylinder choke on the 20 i use quater on the 28 just to tighten the patteren a little .if you do go 28 and after ducks i have found the wincester 1 oz loads work good and dont go skybusting ,if your going to be in the naki you are wellcome to try out a couple of 20s and 28s cheers

----------


## kiwijames

Cheers @MAJOR F. To be fair I'm far from a decent shot with a shotgun so any gauge may be a challenge. Great info you have there too thanks. No point in going to a lighter gauge and not reap the benefits. I think a 20g will be more what I need or even a 12. I just liked the idea of of a lighter, faster pointing shotty.

----------


## BRADS

> Cheers @MAJOR F. To be fair I'm far from a decent shot with a shotgun so any gauge may be a challenge. Great info you have there too thanks. No point in going to a lighter gauge and not reap the benefits. I think a 20g will be more what I need or even a 12. I just liked the idea of of a lighter, faster pointing shotty.


Get a 12 mate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## lophortyx

yes, the 28ga is lovely to shoot,but requires good skill/judgement.if you are going the semi-auto way,new. take a good look at the weatherby,also there is a near new 20ga on trademe.i have a rizzini RB in 28ga,but it is an indulgence,i find myself shooting more with the 20 ga.i love doubles,but if i could only have one gun on a budget, i would go for a benelli m2 20ga second hand.wonderful handling guns and adjustable to the individual.

----------


## lophortyx

also zoli make a great field gun 20ga ,well priced.check out mai mai supplies.

----------


## R93

Lighter and faster is almost a myth to be fair.
 I shoot an F3 (34" heavy) for upland and targets and a smelly Benelli 20 G (light) for everything else.
I do not notice any difference or need to change anything with either to fill my bag or smash a clay. Shotgunning is all about timing.
Technique will give you time no matter what the target or start position.

If your swinging a gun along time after you mount it, to hit or miss then maybe you need to adjust your style or a lightish gun will suit you.
Get a 20 or a 12. You will soon realize you need to have done a bit of shooting with success, to operate a light gauge gun and you would just sell it for something bigger if you are not put off in the first place.

When you come down for a cham we can sort you out on some clays and gun choice.
That is if I ever get out of here with all the snow😆


Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

----------


## kiwijames

> also zoli make a great field gun 20ga ,well priced.check out mai mai supplies.


Didn't even think about Zoli. I have a wonderful contact in the US for these! May be a bit too short notice for this season though.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

----------


## kiwijames

> Lighter and faster is almost a myth to be fair.
>  I shoot an F3 (34" heavy) for upland and targets and a smelly Benelli 20 G (light) for everything else.
> I do not notice any difference or need to change anything with either to fill my bag or smash a clay. Shotgunning is all about timing.
> Technique will give you time no matter what the target or start position.
> 
> If your swinging a gun along time after you mount it, to hit or miss then maybe you need to adjust your style or a lightish gun will suit you.
> Get a 20 or a 12. You will soon realize you need to have done a bit of shooting with success, to operate a light gauge gun and you would just sell it for something bigger if you are not put off in the first place.
> 
> When you come down for a cham we can sort you out on some clays and gun choice.
> ...


You're right (I think). There's a F3 on Trademe at the mo!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

----------


## kotuku

C404 has invested in one due to a longstanding shoulder reconstruction ,and on his first outing (and being the great mate he is )he presented me with two luvly fat canada geese both cleanly knocked arse over elbow out of the flightpath! 
Dinky wee Akbaar he has 
.The only downside i see is with DOC now having complete authority over Lake Ellesmere,  he'll be required to shot steel ammo for ducks .it appears at this point ,that this is almost unobtainable in NZ (source GSP follower)

----------


## lophortyx

r93.blasers may be very nice guns and lovely to shoot,but its not the gun i would enjoy carrying around hills,riverbeds all day,give a well balanced 20 ga,oh yeah way to go.the zoli's are a class gun,for $3500 very good. at the end of the day it depends on you're shooting,waterfowl or upland etc. after all you wouldn't play golf with just the one club.

----------


## kiwijames

> r93.blasers may be very nice guns and lovely to shoot,but its not the gun i would enjoy carrying around hills,riverbeds all day,give a well balanced 20 ga,oh yeah way to go.the zoli's are a class gun,for $3500 very good. at the end of the day it depends on you're shooting,waterfowl or upland etc. after all you wouldn't play golf with just the one club.


I was a porter for R93s F3 and it was no chore to carry. 
I'd really only be a weekend warrior with a smoothbore so I am not too keen to invest too much into one yet. I have a good mate who represents Zoli for the East Coast of the U.S.  If I get into it I may see if he can bring one in for me.

----------


## kiwijames

> C404 has invested in one due to a longstanding shoulder reconstruction ,and on his first outing (and being the great mate he is )he presented me with two luvly fat canada geese both cleanly knocked arse over elbow out of the flightpath! 
> Dinky wee Akbaar he has 
> .The only downside i see is with DOC now having complete authority over Lake Ellesmere,  he'll be required to shot steel ammo for ducks .it appears at this point ,that this is almost unobtainable in NZ (source GSP follower)


Is that an Akkar? I saw a 12g Churchill on TM that looked pretty OK.

----------


## kotuku

yeah ,thats the one .apologies for the mistake. bloody nice wee weapon all round

----------


## kiwijames

> yeah ,thats the one .apologies for the mistake. bloody nice wee weapon all round


Do you recall if the stock had any cast in it? I need a straight one being a lefty.

----------


## Bob Da Browning

I have fitted a couple of Akkar u/o  recently & one was for a lefty, I was quite surprised at how well made & how well they shot for the price...........a lot of "bang for ya buck" so to speak  :Have A Nice Day:

----------


## kiwijames

> I have fitted a couple of Akkar u/o  recently & one was for a lefty, I was quite surprised at how well made & how well they shot for the price...........a lot of "bang for ya buck" so to speak


Good to hear.

----------


## Ground Control

I have not shot a 28 at game , but I have used it quite a bit shooting Skeet .
It will easily kill a clay target and my averages are only fractionally down from the bigger gauges . I find no difference between the 12 and 20 in my scores . The real score killer is the 410 .
The 28 is a beautifully soft shooting gauge when used in a heavy 12 gauge with barrel tubes , I have no idea how soft they are in a scaled to fit purpose made 28 gauge gun .
Cracking a clay in half and killing a real bird are two different things though . In the real world landing as many pellets as possible on the target is the way to achieve success and humanly kill it , because of the 28's reduced shot volume the only way to achieve pattern density it to choke it more .
Tight chokes make shooting success more difficult , if you are after a challenge or your a sucker for punishment then go for it , if your wanting to fill the freezer then use a 20 or 12 .

Ken

----------


## Pointer

I'm in brescia Italy tonight, handled a Rizzini sxs in 28 today, nearly walked away with it!

----------


## gqhoon

> I'm in brescia Italy tonight, handled a Rizzini sxs in 28 today, nearly walked away with it!


Nice! But there's a Rizzini and then there is a Rizzini!

Go here Gunmaker Italian shotguns - Luciano Bosis

----------


## Pointer

Certainly are,  I bludged my way into most of them. Zoli, franchi were good,  beretta were wankers and wouldn't let me in. Most interesting was a guy called Poli who builds 30 peices a year, one of the last remaining builders of hammer guns in Europe.  Love his sub gauge hammer guns! The engraving was amazing, think 25,000 euro and a years wait to do a game scene on the side plates. Was like looking at a photo

----------


## gqhoon

> Certainly are,  I bludged my way into most of them. Zoli, franchi were good,  beretta were wankers and wouldn't let me in. Most interesting was a guy called Poli who builds 30 peices a year, one of the last remaining builders of hammer guns in Europe.  Love his sub gauge hammer guns! The engraving was amazing, think 25,000 euro and a years wait to do a game scene on the side plates. Was like looking at a photo


Sounds like a fantastic trip! Very jealous! Hope you've taken a bunch of photos, looking forward to the trip report!!!  :Thumbsup:

----------


## Pointer

Yep plenty of pics, will do a report when I get off this stupid tablet. I don't know how I managed to turn a honeymoon into a gun shopping and kennel visiting trip! Must have married the right one

----------


## gsp follower

[QUOTE=Pointer;356122]Yep plenty of pics, will do a report when I get off this stupid tablet. I don't know how I managed to turn a honeymoon into a gun shopping and kennel visiting trip!* Must have married the right one[*/QUOTE]

or one planning a patience based revenge pointer: :Yaeh Am Not Durnk: 
your damn lucky tho mine groans when we pass a gunshop let alone stop.

----------


## Pointer

Nah she's a goodie, gets to a new town and looks up gun shops for me haha... anyway back to the 28 gauge.

I wouldn't say it's a do all gun, it is limited on pheasant due to pellet count in the bigger shot sizes as described above.  At best it is a nice 'sunny day' quail bore,  nothing more. Still want one though  :Have A Nice Day:

----------


## gsp follower

i,l be interested to see how c404 goes with his this opening he,s already got canadas to his credit but is a good shot picker and good shot.

----------


## madds

There are a couple of good Sporting clay shooters that use 28 gauges, and seem to punch out longish targets as good as anything.
I think though probably a bit of experience on clays or game with a 'big' gun would pay good dividends.
I personally use a 16 ga. on game and they are a pleasure  to shoot, just a matter of which one (U/O, SxS  or auto) to use on any day.
Upland, pond and the like I reckon they would be a dream to use, but may I humbly suggest that you have some experience at shotgunning and game shooting.
12, 20 are definitely are more widely available, with more combinations of barrel length, stocks, and configurations, but of coarse it's your call.

----------


## kotuku

like GSPF, im awaiting to see c494 debut this dinky 28g.good shot -understatement -bugger headed to sth canterbury the other day with his latest sexy wee beast a 7x57 mauser and dropped some very plump venison, which his equally talented other half promptly processed for the freezer.
BTW his other half does wonderful curries -so wonderful my ring would light up a whole intersection when this white boy goes to lay a log-compassionate is mrs C404 -"a..dear i only put half chillies in for him!."
  absolutely bloody delicious.remember my last opening day out the lake -twas colder than eskimo nells clit in a north pole orgy. I ate three pots of 404s duckshooters venison curry and boy did it do the job when it hit the spot.-a good cuppa and im defrosted raring to go again!
 if you ever get a chance give it a crack ,but dont cry as you sing "ring of fire"

----------


## C404

> yeah ,thats the one .apologies for the mistake. bloody nice wee weapon all round


It's not a weapon, it is a sporting firearm! Weapons are for other things.  No, there is no cast in the gun we are talking about. It is a really well made gun.
The 28 gauge has long been touted as the the "little gauge that could". Well it does it's bit for sure. My first shot, literally, was on a crossing Canada, and it dropped like a bag of rocks into the dirt. Next one took two rounds and dropped into the grass.

----------


## kotuku

> It's not a weapon, it is a sporting firearm! Weapons are for other things.  No, there is no cast in the gun we are talking about. It is a really well made gun.
> The 28 gauge has long been touted as the the "little gauge that could". Well it does it's bit for sure. My first shot, literally, was on a crossing Canada, and it dropped like a bag of rocks into the dirt. Next one took two rounds and dropped into the grass.


 then they dropped into my shed autopsied thrown in the pan ,through the guts and into the bog pan!buuuuuuuurrrrrrp-I love fresh organic meat!!
 righto this is it, its on saturday 0615hrs mayhem breaks loose .heres to happy huntin one and all.
 PS my son, a weapon is a weapon-not to be confused with your mutton gun-source NZarmy "introductory lesson to sexual differences male organs vs SLR7.62X51personal longarm"
 "that fuckers for shooting "
"thats for fun ........,get your greasy little paw off it laddie!!not on my bloody parade ground you dont spotty herbert"!!!!!!

----------

