28 gauge

[madmurph]

It's been a few months since the last gun purchase and I am getting the itch again. I have been pondering a 28 gauge for some time. What is your choice, preferably no more than $1000. I would prefer one that is on a 28 gauge frame for the light weight. Only one person I have personally talked to has a 28, so I am looking to others for information. His was a Tristar, which I know is not top of the line. He is quite happy with it (won it at a banquet), and the reviews that I read have been mixed. I have not ruled out the Tristar, but would like to hear about others as well.

[skeet]

Having had a few 28s..or more.. My preference is for a semi auto. O/Us for under a 1000 bucks are really not what i call the great choices. I am also not a Browning fan but if you look you can find a nice Browning Citori O/U in 28 for under 1500. I looked at a bunch the other night on my way back from a gun show in Great Falls. All the Citoris were 1500 or a bit under. You may find a used gun for a 1000 or so..but check to make sure it is in good condition..With the price of 28 ammo where it is I doubt any used gun will have been shot too much. Reloading for the 28 is an easy straight-forward proposition and you can load 'em for less than 1/2 the cost of new. I have to say..I have had a few O/Us in my day...if you want to be happy..pay a bit more and get a quality gun. If it's under a 1000 bucks..believe me..the quality is usually lacking in some area. I'm not saying they are junk..but good O/Us are not cheap to produce.. Buy Smart I think you will be much happier..Oh..and if possible..get a gun with 28 inch bbls..or more. Those little gauges are light and swing a bit quick. I shot a Caesar Guerini 28 ga in 30 inch a bit..and was very impressed.. But they are a little pricey! The distributor leant it to me for a month a dove season or so back in the past

[jplonghunter]

madmurph

If you prefer o/u, Mossberg (made by Kayhan in Turkey). Purchased one for the wife three years ago. Excellent choice for her; low recoil,light weight,and enough pattern to make her competitive in the field or at the trap shoot. No problems mechanically,screw in chokes,and less than $1,000.00

[popplecop]

I have had 4 over the last 15 yrs. A Fautsi O/U, and a CZ Mini Bobwhite SxS which I gave to my son. The Fautsi was built on a 20 ga. frame with fixed chokes, but did come with a set of .410 bbls. and forend both 26" bbls, the CZ SxS has choke tubes and 26" bbls. I like longer barrels so have a Ruger Red Label 28 with a set of Briley 410 tubes this shotgun has 28" barrels, this replaced the Fautsi. Also have a Huglu SxS with 30" barrels choked IC & F, this replaced the CZ with 26" bbbls.

All 4 of these shotguns have had several thousand rounds through them in the 28 ga. without any problems. They get used year around for clay birds, bunny hunting and upland bird hunting. Some scoff at the CZ SxS, but between my son and I have a DeHaan SO in 12, CZs in both 20 and 28 and The Huglu Model 201A which was a special order SxS. None of these shotguns have caused either of us any problems and they get used. Will admitt my son has backslide some on ducks and not useing the the DeHaan as much, now shooting Browning BPS instead.

[skeet]

PC you have some nice guns there.. The CZs are nice well made guns for the most part. A friend has a Huglu in 20 ga and shoots it well. It was not all that cheap though and it seems to be a nice shotgun. The Ruger Red Label is kind of hard to finsd in 28 with the longer bbls. In 12 ga they punish you but in 20 and 28 are pretty tame. Got a fellow i work with a bit a nice 20 ga Red Label and he really likes it. But he bought it for his wife..and she won't let him play with it...less'n she's around. The gal can shoot it too. The DeHaan is a really nice gun.. Weren't some of them made in Turkey?? Gettin so I can't remember squat. I've never really messed with the Fausti guns. But have heard both good and some bad about them..but they were rumors more than fact. Otherwise..isn't the 28 a blast to shoot?? But then so is the 410!

[Rapier]

On the other hand. All of my 28s have been Browning guns and all steel frame guns. I carried an early Super Light all steel gun to Argentina and shot doves and ducks with it on a 10 day trip, about 6,500 rounds, no problems at all. I bought that fixed choke gun in Tulsa for $800, sold it for $900, to buy a Citori 28ga w chokes. Just look around and be patient a nice 28 O/U can be had at or just under 1K.

The 28 I have right now is a 525 Citori with 30 inch tubes and chokes. It was a bit pricey as a set, but, the Browning guns hold their resale value if you buy a nice used gun. Plus you do not take the instant new/used hit.

You go to Argentina or South Africa bird shooting and you see Browning Citori after Browning Citori, because they are built like a tank. You shoot a lifetime of shells on a single trip and the Citori just eats what you feed it and asks for more. In all of my trips across the ponds only one part have I ever seen break on a Citori, a friend had an ejector hammer spring break, the outfitter had the spring replaced in 2 hours and that was in Argentina out in the brush, in the middle of no where.

As has been said, the 28s reload like falling off a log. Which is a real plus as the 28s are costly since you rarely ever see 28s as an "on sale" item.
Ed

[gold40]

I recently shot one of the new Ithaca Deluxe model 37's in 28 gauge, and was very impressed. It was light, handy, and very well finished.

gold40