28 ga the most underrated and fun shotgun you will ever shoot

I have several 28's and other than an occasional hunt with a 20 rarely use anything else even on pheasant's and Sage grouse. Have some beautiful 28 & 28's but honestly have not had a 12 out to hunt with for several years.
Currently looking for a Ceasar Guerini in 28 with 26" barrels. Had a chance to buy a matched set of 20 & 28 with 27" & 26" barrels respectively. Thought they were a little too high priced, now kick myself every day. The only ones I've found all have longer barrels, so I think this pair was early guns custom ordered.
I also have a couple early Browning's. Missed a chance to buy a Browning 20/28 combo.
Have two Ruger 28 Red Labels and despite distain for 12ga Red Labels, I truly love the 28's even have one in 20ga (slightly larger frame) that is a great gun.

ftrovato said:

It's so expensive to by shotgun reloading supplies that I just by ammo by the case now...

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You will save tons of money when loading 28 and 410s.

chashardy said:

Next shotgun I buy will be a 28. Been looking at the Berettas. The store in Dallas has a beautiful 687 EELL--but kinda pricey. Probably will go with a Silver Pigeon.

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I have a 28/410 siber pigeon combo. Great little gun. Then I found Bonita she's a 28 AyA. She is now my sweetheart!

I like my light 28 ga ou and semiautos that are just over 5 pounds so easy to tote .I love sxs shotguns single and double triggers ejectors and nonejectors .I am seeing alot of nonejector guns lately .I dont want to spend a bunch because its going to be a real hunt through hell gun thats not going to be babied .I grew uo at 8 using 20 ga and used it forever .I did use number 4 shot 2 3/4 mag shells in my guns to kill huge swamp rabbits and later ptarmigan and showshoe hares which are toough to kill .I think a cz 28 ga with pistol grip and beaver tail stock with single trigger and ejectors if possible .I do like 3 inch chambers for bigger stuff like turkeys too .

Rubberhead said:

I'm waiting for the Browning 28 gauge Citori guns to come out with a 3" chamber and I'm going to have a double of every common gauge to chose from...

I obviously have an opinion and theory on the 3" 28 gauge....

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I wrote the above earlier in this thread. I have long had a vision of a double gun in every gauge in the gun cabinet prior to my retirement. I wasn't looking for safe queens since I intend to carry and hunt with these guns a lot. I like to hunt and sometimes I just like a long walk with a gun with no real purpose.

By this past spring, I had money saved and allocated for the pair of O/U guns to complete my vision - the 28 and .410. I had approval from the Head of Finance (my wife). A Browning rebate of 10% offered as a "tax holiday" sweetened the pot so I decided it was time. I found a .410 that I thought was perfect. It was a "Davidson" gun. If you're not familiar, Davidson requests special runs of Browning guns with certain tweaks to make the noticeably different from the Browning standard offerings. This particular gun, called a Citori White Satin featured Grade I wood but the sliver receiver of Browning's Grade II Citori guns. The difference is that instead of a gold "Hunter" on the receiver it featured a gold Buckmark, which I actually prefer. This gun was destined to be my "rail gun". I can attest, now, after my first rail season with a .410 that it is the perfect gauge for these slow-flying birds.



None of the 28 gauge offerings, at the time, tripped my trigger, so to speak. More over, I found that SAAMI had recently published a 3" standard for the 28 gauge and manufacturing of the guns I was looking at hadn't caught-up with that standard yet. I was not in a rush so I was willing to wait for a near perfect 28 gauge to become available. I secretly wanted a rounded pistol grip to make the gun stand out against the straight stocks and standard pistol handles already in the gun safe. I was willing to wait years if I had to. I informed the head of finance that I would be holding the 28 gauge budget money in escrow.

Then, all the sudden, this showed up in the Browning catalog...


It was as if Browning had read my mind. It was exactly what I was looking for. There was a limited distribution so I had to make some phone calls and pay for shipping and FFL receiving but I made the deal and mailed the check. The check was delayed in the mail which kind'of irritated me but during the delay Browning announced their "Black Friday" rebate...the delay put me in the window of eligibility more than making up for the shipping and other costs. To top things off, the individual gun is beautiful with dark, scrawled walnut. This gun's first bird is out there somewhere and I've got some vacation coming up...

Dang it not a 28 ga but my best hitting sxs ever I just bought another winchester model 24 sxs 20 ga .I am thinking about having choke tubes put in , 3 inch chambers and rebluing this one and adding a double big site bead to it .The finish on this gun is crap but woods awesone .Its the poor mans model 21 .I am not kidding I shot 100 skeets 3 times in a row with my other win model 24 ..It is a grouse buster and is a little heavy compared to my 28ga OU but its under 7 pounds .I will still get another 28 ga a sxs but this model 24 is so sweet to shoot .Its plenty strong enough for 3 inch shells too.I shot the heck out of grouse with my win 24 just gotta find a place with alot of grouse again Alaska totally stunk this year hardly any grouse or ptarmigan or snowshoe hares .

The 28ga has become my preferred gauge for dove & quail. Haven't had a chance to try it on pheasant, but the identical Berretta 686 White Onyx in 20ga has worked well on pheasant, so I don't think the 28ga would be a handicap. I shot a 12ga for the first time in quite some time this year as I thought I'd have a chance to go after big ducks in North Carolina when I went there to visit & hunt with one of my nephews this fall. I would have preferred to have had the 28ga, or even the 20ga, when we went after woodies, but I did not have any waterfowl loads in anything but 12ga with me. As I really like the Fausti 12s I have, I'd like to find one in 28ga.

ftrovato said:

I have a Ceasar Guerini in 28 ga and another in 12 ga.

They are made to the same dimensions but the 28 is on a smaller frame and much lighter. Both are fast in your hands and I can get it done on pheasant with the 28 if the birds are holding reasonably well and I shoot 5 shot.

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Forget the shotguns what is the brass moose? Whatever that is, is really unique!

28’s are a great way to get women and children into hunting.

Hopefully i find a nice sxs 28 ga soon .I found that awesome 20 ga cz

I leave Jan 2 for a Kansas pheasant hunt and I am taking only my Browning 525 28ga. It rolled up pheasant just fine last time I took it!

Still no 28 ga sxs still looking

dgr416 said:

Still no 28 ga sxs still looking

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Acquire a 12 ga and have 28 ga tubes made.

Schüler Jumbo said:

Acquire a 12 ga and have 28 ga tubes made.

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Many people wanting a 28 want it for the svelte and graceful feeling of one. Not to mention how much lighter it would be to carry in the field for a day of hunting dove.

@dgr416 - Have you looked at this one?
GB - Beretta 486

I’m working on acquiring a vintage 2” 12 ga. If successful, my son will likely finally pry the 28 out of my gun room.

WAB said:

I’m working on acquiring a vintage 2” 12 ga. If successful, my son will likely finally pry the 28 out of my gun room.

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@WAB - I’m not sure where you are looking for the “vintage 2” 12 gauge” but you might want to look at Vintage Firearms in Grand Rapids MI. They have a large inventory of vintage SxS and also several gunsmiths that work almost exclusively on vintage SxS….also have a very large parts inventory. They sell and repair vintage SxS - which I’ve found is a “specialized” business. I’ve had an LC Smith as well as an AH Fox worked on by them and am pleased with their work.

HankBuck said:

@WAB - I’m not sure where you are looking for the “vintage 2” 12 gauge” but you might want to look at Vintage Firearms in Grand Rapids MI. They have a large inventory of vintage SxS and also several gunsmiths that work almost exclusively on vintage SxS….also have a very large parts inventory. They sell and repair vintage SxS - which I’ve found is a “specialized” business. I’ve had an LC Smith as well as an AH Fox worked on by them and am pleased with their work.

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Thanks, I have visited with them. I’m working with a gunmaker/gun dealer friend in London. I really like that approach as he does a full inspection and corrects any issues before the gun leaves the UK. It is also much less expensive than buying English guns in the USA.

WAB said:

Thanks, I have visited with them. I’m working with a gunmaker/gun dealer friend in London. I really like that approach as he does a full inspection and corrects any issues before the gun leaves the UK. It is also much less expensive than buying English guns in the USA.

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@WAB I did not know an English gun costs “less” when you buy it outside of the US. It’s good that with any vintage firearm you buy — it is Fully “inspected/Tested” before you take ownership. Both my LC Smith & AH Fox worked flawlessly “Until” I had some cosmetic/refinishing work done on them AND had triggers “polished/adjusted” —- then problems popped up (double discharge, safety resetting after 1st shot etc..). I had to find gunsmiths with experience working on older vintage SxS before both were eventually repaired properly. While I enjoy vintage SxS and especially appreciate their History - if you shoot them often, they can be like owning a Ferrari and require special care and repairs by a skilled GS.

Aya 4/53 28 ga