Beretta 28 Gauge white onyx

JR Felchock

JR Felchock

New member
I recently won this gun at a DU fundraiser. I always wanted a small gauge over under (they are very intriguing) My question is who has used this gauge to hunt ducks/upland birds and what shells do you use? I picked up three boxes of the "classic double" hevi shot to pattern with the Beretta extended choke tubes I got. I think winchester make a 28 gauge steel load also. Any advice, or concerns.
 
You can kill anything with a 28 that you can kill with a 12. A friend of mine Bubby Squires, will go goose for goose with his 28 or .410 with anybody in the pit who has a 12. I've always wanted one, I think you'll end up loving it
 
I have a few friends that are successful with 28 gauges on waterfowl. I have seen them drop everything from green-winged teal to tundra swans with 28 gauges. You just have to know how to operate it.
 
Come on Pete McMiller . Tell him what you know. i have used a 28 on grouse and clays but mine is way too nice to let the dog walk on it in the bottom of the boat. Enjoy your new toy it is soo much fun to shoot a smaller guage. My 20 has become my big gun. Like I said no non toxic experience myself but will be following this thread.
 
Here I am Tom. :)
Ah yes, the mighty 28 ga. I got my 28 ga O/U in 2005 and have probably killed 150 pheasants (game farm) with it. In addition, I have dabbled with ducks and been quite successful with the true hevi-shot. A couple years ago I was able to take 20 ducks, mostly divers, with my 28 ga. and hevi-shot. All my hevi-shot loads were reloads as it is not commercially available for the 28.

Classic Doubles BY Hevi-shot is not really hevi-shot as we know it but more along the lines of bismuth ie. the density of real hevi-shot is around 12, lead is 10.8, bismuth is 9 and steel 7 and I bring this up so you get a perspective. Though I have reloaded Bismuth for the 28 ga. I don't have enough extensive experience with it on ducks to really can't give you much advise. I don't hunt much with my O/U right now as it is too nice to be jammed into the bottom of the skiff. I am, though, on the lookout for a SxS 28 ga. for a role as a layout gun.

For upland game I think the best load is one that is considered a "square" load for the 28 - 3/4 oz of shot that I have bumped up to 1290 fps. I shot 1 oz lead loads for a year or so and didn't find any advantage to the extra pounding. 3/4 oz of # 5 or 6 shot is plenty for a pheasant if you use the proper choke. Remember that you have only 3/4 oz of shot and choke accordingly to get the pattern density that you need for the expected ranges you will be shooting. That said, I usually keep the IC and MOD chokes in all the time and only rarely choke any tighter than that.

There is a lot to be said for this gauge and I think it would have a much wider following if there were better non-toxic loads available for it. To become really familiar with this gun you almost need to reload or at least have deep pockets as they want an arm and a leg for the shells.

Any specific questions, ask away.
 
Yes, you can shoot anything with it. Just need high dollar shells or be really close. For reloading, time is money.

I bumped into a fellow several years ago that was hunting ducks with a 20 and bismuth. I had a few birds already and he was complaining that even the coots wouldn't drop. I will stick with the 12 for ducks. I wouldn't mind having a 28 for upland, but I rarely hunt upland anymore. I considered getting one for my son when he is ready to hunt, but a 20 is more versatile. Also the small shells are expensive, when you find them.

It just depends on what you want to do.
 
Thanks guys for some insight, I would be using this gun for mostly early season teal and wood ducks. I guess if I really get into this 28 I guess I'll have to buy a reloading die. From what I have been told so far is that the 28 is a little big gun and can put birds down. Thanks again I'm going to have some fun with this gun and try not to break the bank on shells!
 
Did you win it at the Lehigh Valley DU dinner last weekend? I was there, It was a beautiful gun, but I couldn't see buying the ticket for a gun I'd be afraid to hunt with.

I've seen quite a few guys use a 28 for grouse and dove hunting as well so there's lots of stuff you can do with it, Congrats on the win!
 
Dave
I've used my 28 gauge S/S over decoys with deadly results using Hevi-shot 2 3/4 in and 5/8 oz # 4 shot. The shells are expensive but I plan on reloading using some of Pete Mc Miller's receipts before the season starts. Have fun with the gun.
wis boz
 
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JR,
I know a guy down here who invited three of his friends to go on a duck hunt several years ago. All four of them used 28 guage shotguns. Their goal was to shoot 5 greenheads and 1 bull sprig each----they did. Just like the other guys have mentioned, it is a killing machine. All you need to do is know what your limitations are.
Al
 
There is an upland guide up here in the Adirondacks that uses a 28 ga. 1100 only. She's always dropping grouse and woodcock. I have one myself (spanish sxs) I've never used, sorry to say. Have fun with it!
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Congrats on winning the gun! Like the other posts brought out, realizing it's limitations, the 28 is a great little gun and a potent waterfowl/upland gun. It's really become my primary hunting gun. One load that I've found kind of interesting for upland work on longer flushing birds is the Fiocci Golden Pheasant 7/8 ounce load. It patterns very well out of both of my 28 gauge guns. Overall, the 3/4 ounce loads work quite well however. I bought a bunch of Bismuth when it was available and have been pleased with that on waterfowl.
 
Pete, take a look at the Stoger Uplander(side x side) in 28 ga. For the money they are nice guns. Only fixed chokes though. I have a 20 ga and it actually has very nice wood and shoots good.
 
Edward,

That sure is a good price for a SxS but I just can't do 26" barrels. I can't fathom why the manufacturers are stuck on short barrels for sub-gauges. My SKB 20 ga. SxS has 30" barrels and I love it - swings great and is the only duck gun I shoot now. My O/U 28 ga. is a Rizzini and it has 30" barrels also. They are a bit more common in O/U guns than SxS. The only problem with the Rizzini is that it is just too nice to take into the marsh. Not a problem upland though and it is my go-to pheasant, grouse gun.

SKB made 30" barrels in one 28 ga. SxS - guess how many were imported ...................TEN!! I have found four of them but was always second in line to buy one. I guess it wasn't meant to happen :)
 
Edward,

That sure is a good price for a SxS but I just can't do 26" barrels. I can't fathom why the manufacturers are stuck on short barrels for sub-gauges. My SKB 20 ga. SxS has 30" barrels and I love it - swings great and is the only duck gun I shoot now. My O/U 28 ga. is a Rizzini and it has 30" barrels also. They are a bit more common in O/U guns than SxS. The only problem with the Rizzini is that it is just too nice to take into the marsh. Not a problem upland though and it is my go-to pheasant, grouse gun.

SKB made 30" barrels in one 28 ga. SxS - guess how many were imported ...................TEN!! I have found four of them but was always second in line to buy one. I guess it wasn't meant to happen :)
Click to expand...

I agree on the longer barrels. The duck gun I would like to have is a SKB sxs in 12 and 30" barrels.
 
Andy,

The last two SxS's that SKB made, the 385 and 485 were never made in 12 ga with 30" barrels. The only 30" barrel configuration was the SKB-385, Sporting Clays Model in 20 ga. or 28 ga. I have that model in 20 ga. Both of these guns were discontinued several years ago and, in fact, SKB is no longer making guns - period. There still is a SKB-USA around for parts but not new guns except left over stock. From what I have heard, someone bought all the tooling for the guns and brought them to the USA in order to start making them again - nothing further yet.
 
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