New Benelli 28 Gauge Legacy

NICE! I have shot with many guys who describe the 28 gauge as having the recoil of a 20 gauge with nearly the punch as a 12gauge. By the way they hit clays, it looks close to a 12 gauge. I wish I could afford to feed a 28 gauge.
 
I'll be curious as to the recoil aspect of it since it is so lightweight. Really lightweight guns not only typically have harsher recoil, they take more conscious effort with your swing to keep from stopping the gun.

Hopefully, they'll be some nice reviews coming out soon
 
jimbobpissypants said:
I have shot with many guys who describe the 28 gauge as having the recoil of a 20 gauge with nearly the punch as a 12gauge.
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That may be a little optimistic, :D I like to say the 28-ga has the kick of a .410-bore and hits like a 20-ga. The 28-ga is a very efficient load and will ink-ball clay targets just like a big gun.

In my area, 28's have been gaining popularity with dove hunters for some time. I think the Benelli is in response to the 28's expanding market share. It's a whole lot cheaper than going after dove with a $10K+ tubed clays gun. Too bad the price of ammo hasn't come down, too. If I didn't reload 28s, there's no way I could shoot them as much as I do.
 
Zippy makes excellent points - among the group of shooters I know who go to Argentina - the 28 has become THE gun since ammo prices are about equal for all gauges now. These folks are using 28's on 20 frames for recoil, something to consider when you're shooting 1500-2000 rounds per day for several days.

IF, OTOH, you're walking up wild chukar in the "hills" of NV and ID, the weight of the Benelli really starts to look like a winner
 
It is an interesting gun however the light weight and the inertia action will increase felt recoil.

I agree it's too bad it doesn't come in a 28" length.

It's also too bad Benelli's parent company, Beretta, won't make the 391 in 28 gauge. :(
 
It's also too bad Benelli's parent company, Beretta, won't make the 391 in 28 gauge
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They would take the 28 ga world by a whirlwind if they did. I finally got my 1100 sporting in 28 - what a lot of fun to shoot........
 
Just a thought but a Citori 28 gauge with 30 inch barrel has the same Length as the 26 inch barrel on the Benelli 28. 47 1/2"
 
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As a guy who started shooting sporting clays with Berettas (three different guns) and was unsatisfied with their reliability, the Benelli is far better, in any gauge. I would love to have a 28 gauge, but don't feel I can afford to feed the thing. I guess I need to invest in reloading equipment.
 
but don't feel I can afford to feed the thing. I guess I need to invest in reloading equipment.
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A used MEC Jr., reclaimed shot, you can reload 28's for about 2.50/box.....doesn't take long to recoup the gun costs
 
"reclaimed shot" explain this to me. Where do I get it. What does it consist of? I have never heard this term before. Thanx for the help.
 
There are companies that go into a gun club and mine the earth for lead that has been shot. Usually in the western states where the soil is a little looser. They dig and sift the shot, clean, and then resell it at a discounted rate. You get a mix of sizes and the shot may be flattened a bit. I have been offered shot of this caliber but to date have not purchased any. Usually a good buy for practice rounds.
 
Even without "reclaimed shot" - my realoads for 28ga are about $ 2.95 a box ..... Northwest Shot at my club is $ 25.66 a bag ..
 
We had our club here in FL "mined" last year - the company removes the lead, cleans it, re-graphites it and the club got 40% of the lead to sell in exchange for the miner getting 60%. The miner was selling 3,000# drums of it - we were selling 30# bags of it - it was going for about .50/lb at that time. As mentioned, it will be a mish-mash of shot sizes from 7-1/2, 8, 8-1/2, and 9 - but for routine practice it works great. For a tournament, different scenario.

Jim - around here we have a local guy that makes shot; unfortunately, it always has a dimple so it isn't quite perfectly round, but it's a small step above reclaimed in quality and price and well below what stores around here are selling Lawrence or West Coast for - about $27/25#. Lawrence and WC are selling for 45 ans up - I think they got stuck with stock from when prices were REALLY high and they won't budge on the price to move it
 
Our gun club kept a big glass jar of reclaimed (harvested, cleaned, lubed and packaged on site) shot so you could see what you were getting. I remember one fellow saying that if he reloaded, he sure wouldn't use that reclaimed stuff. Another guy asked him why he didn't reload. The reply was that the saving wasn't that much compared to the dove and quail promotional loads he typically used on targets. The first guy then opened the crimp on one of the other guy's dove loads and poured the shot in his hand and moved his hand next to the jar.

The reclaimed target shot looked more regular that the floor sweepings that had been loaded in the low cost field load. Some of the re-loaders I know used reclaimed shot exclusively. Sadly, with the price of lead, reclaimed shot is no longer available at the club. There's more profit for the club if they re-manufacture the harvested shot off-site.
 
If the re-claimed shot is reasonably clean - I would use it too.

My club is selling reclaimed for $ 20.26 per 25# bag / Northwest at $25.66 and West Coast (which is harder shot ) at $ 28.87.

The problem with the re-claimed stuff we have is it's "over graphited" or something and its really dirty / so dirty in fact that its been gumming up some reloaders. I suppose you could wash it / or run it accross a screen with an air nozzle and get some of the excess graphite off it ... but at some point, its too much work. I just use Northwest most of the time / when I go to .410 , then I load West Coast .......but only guys like Zippy are good enough to shoot a .410 ...

Last week at my club we had 15 - 40 knot winds / constantly changing directions as the front went thru .... on station 7 ( I killed a high house - out of pure self defense - it was coming right for my forehead ...)... Targets were up and down 5 or 6 feet around the hoop ... reclaimed, or virgin shot would not have mattered ....

I think re-claimed shot is fine ...if its clean.
 
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