My buddy Fjolnirsson asked.
Yes I know we have threads on the 28 gauge, then again, can one really have too many threads on the 28 gauge? NO
-As most know the Game of Skeet there are four gauges allowed and used; 12, 20, 28 gauge and the .410. Many Folks, such as myself shot all 4 events.
I might as well again mention Bob Brister's book - Shotgunning : The Art & Science Yes it is an older publication, still chocked full of most questions we see on gun forums today. Try www.abebooks.com
-Shotguns really are Art & Science, and truism is "The .28 gauge is better than it is supposed to be".
There exists a wonderful and unique ratio of the 28 ga and its 3/4 oz payload to its .540 bore. One can look at any Tote Board at any Skeet Range and the highest scores are in 28 gauge.
The 28 gauge "hits harder" simply because of this unique ratio of payload to bore, the shot string is short.
Allow me to clarify for newer folks. Shotgun pellets do not all arrive at the same time to a target. Take a garden hose with a trigger sprayer and "shoot a shot of water". Notice how the water does not all arrive at the target at the same time? Same principle applies to pellet loadings from a shotgun.
Flying targets , be they clays or birds can literally "fly thru" and load of pellets, in part due to "long shot stringing". There are other factors such as pattern density and all, I will get into that aspect.
The gist is - with a long shot string, by the time all the shot finally arrives, a bird can be missed.
- There is a Rule of 96, basic premise is the Weight of Gun in ounces to weight of payload in ounces and the RECOIL.
96 ounces equal 6 pounds. So the English came up with a 6 pound gun shooting a 1 oz load was "correct and mangagable". Actually the 11/16 oz load used in 12 bore was "proper". This is a great load, and we Silly Americans are just now realizing how good this load is - even though we use a 7/8 oz load in 12 ga. 11/16 - 7/8 real darn close. The English felt a 1 1/8 oz load was "heavy" and 1 1/4 oz loading was "magnum".
- 28 gauge- Skeet shooters in competition shoot 4 boxes of 25 shells, 100 rds in each event. Less Recoil for 100 rds, with a short string, heavy hitting payload - translates into higher scores.
Also translates into building confidence, self esteem and this enables a shooter to focus on correct basic fundamentals, focus on target and the cycle repeats.
Getting whacked with a ill fitting gun , with heavy payloads with improper mounting gun to face is going to cause flinching, getting fatigue, missing targets, getting frustrated, missing more targets...
We will speak of this again later.
Hence one the reason Competition guns in 12 ga , especially tube sets, weigh ~ 8#s. Rule of 96.
[8* 16ozs = 128...well you can figure the target load to gun weight and how this works for less felt recoil, multiplied X 100 rds per event ,and if shooting all 4 events plus any special event such as doubles or pump gun events]
- Hunting where there is a lot of walking and less shooting, the 28 ga is easy to tote, and still / most often the most effective Gauge to use for quail and other game birds. Small game such as rabbit and squirrel too.
Toting a 7.5# gun gets mighty heavy , especially for a new shooter, a lady, a kid, elderly person...
Again I will touch on this more later.
- Dove hunting.
Well some of you folks not only believe - also support the idea Shot Shell Mfgs invented Dove Season to sell more shells
Them gray missles with afterburners on, dipping, diving, shucking and jiving...
just like shooting a competititon of 4 boxes of skeet ...that heavy load , recoil, gun that does not fit...frustrates the living daylights out of you.
YOU "know" you "hit it"....umm remember them long shot strings? Gray Missle shot thru the "hole" in long shot string.
With a More Effecient loading of [short shot string] 28 ga , in a less recoil gun, you can continue to correctly mount gun to face, focus on the Dove, and that hard hitting short shot string will fell them.
-Learning to shoot.
Most kids get a .410 single shot to learn on. Granted some kids are small.
The .410 is the most inefficient load to bore ratio - go check out any tote board and scores.
Kids, ladies, small framed shooters, elderly, those with Physcial Limits...etc are being done a disservice learning on a .410.
Kids : "I got this wimpy kids gun and I cannot hit nothing".
Ditto for Ladies and other new shooters. These folks get turned off shooting.
New shooters need to make hits. One reason for little kids and ladies I use Popcorn Kernals instead of lead pellets in reloads so less recoil and they break balloons, even in .410.
Confidence.
Explain to a kid, they are not quite big enough, still you really really want them to learn and doing the best can with a .410. That kid, will respect the honesty, sincerity, and understand and learn. They will continue to shoot a .22 rifle and understand "they want me to, just I gotta get bigger before I can do shotguns better".
- Now get that kid a H&R Topper in 28 gauge, and they have "big person's gun". They will dust that stationary clay, blow a soda can to smithereens! The first targets from a clay target, or low 7 with break with authority! That first quail,dove rabbit, or squirrel - will "fell hard".
Remember this for later as well.
-1100 in 28 ga is what I prefer to start a new shooter with, teenager, and up no matter if a 6'4 adult male. I want to instill correct basic fundamentals and not worry about recoil or anything taking away from correct basic fundamenatals - while they powder targets
Once instilled, easy to transition to a 870 pump gun, or SxS or O/U in 28 ga.
Easy to transition to MY next favorite teaching shotgun - a Semi-Auto in 20 ga. I believe in working up as the student can to always maintain the correct basics, instill confidence and breaking targets.
-Age & Injuries.
I have worked with, know folks that detached Retinas , shoulder , neck , back surgeries. Doctors orders they Cannot shoot for some time, maybe never again. In some cases, with time and Dr's approval they can again shoot lighter recoil guns. Some are restricted to .22 lr, or .410. Quite a few can and are allowed to shoot the 28 ga. The 1100 again works real well.
In fact there is 28 gauge only Trap, and 5 stand ( other disciplines) set up by Detached Retina shooters first - then other physical limited shooter joined in.
These are fun! Challenging and allows shooters to once again shoot competition in something other than skeet. The 28 ga allows them to hunt again -within limits.
Elderly, arthritis can again tote that 28 ga, and take a grandson hunting, or shoot at a club.
- But the 28 gauge is too expenzive to shoot unless you shoot skeet
NO!! I beg to differ and my take:
How much is kid worth? How much is a Grandparent worth? How much is a person with a Physical Limit worth?
A heck of a lot IMO, in fact one cannot put a monetary value on these persons. You cannot put a value on a kid, learning and turning out to be OUR Future on Responsible Firearm Ownership. You cannot put a value on Grandparents getting to take that last hunt with grandkids, kids, family and friends.
$100 for a MEC single stage to reload 28 ga shells is a great investment in kids, family, friends, and passing forward Responsible Firearm Ownership.
I'm going to hit below the belt with one example, and I have others-
On a shelf in a den there is a Dove in a glass box a taxidermist did.
That was the first shot a little girl took on her first ever hunt, a dove hunt. That was the last hunt her Grandpa , her only surviving grandparent ever went on again. The little puppy grew old, and finally passed on that attended that hunt.
Little girl is a lady now, she still has that H&R Topper in 28 ga, and MEC reloader her and grandpa spent quality time on - and mom, daddy passed away when she was two.
I was there that day, and no amount of money would I take for having assisted that little girl learning on a 28 ga, being there when she felled that first dove, and outrunning the puppy to retrieve it.
Why a 28 gauge?
I believe in it for a whole lot of reasons - proven.
Steve
Yes I know we have threads on the 28 gauge, then again, can one really have too many threads on the 28 gauge? NO
-As most know the Game of Skeet there are four gauges allowed and used; 12, 20, 28 gauge and the .410. Many Folks, such as myself shot all 4 events.
I might as well again mention Bob Brister's book - Shotgunning : The Art & Science Yes it is an older publication, still chocked full of most questions we see on gun forums today. Try www.abebooks.com
-Shotguns really are Art & Science, and truism is "The .28 gauge is better than it is supposed to be".
There exists a wonderful and unique ratio of the 28 ga and its 3/4 oz payload to its .540 bore. One can look at any Tote Board at any Skeet Range and the highest scores are in 28 gauge.
The 28 gauge "hits harder" simply because of this unique ratio of payload to bore, the shot string is short.
Allow me to clarify for newer folks. Shotgun pellets do not all arrive at the same time to a target. Take a garden hose with a trigger sprayer and "shoot a shot of water". Notice how the water does not all arrive at the target at the same time? Same principle applies to pellet loadings from a shotgun.
Flying targets , be they clays or birds can literally "fly thru" and load of pellets, in part due to "long shot stringing". There are other factors such as pattern density and all, I will get into that aspect.
The gist is - with a long shot string, by the time all the shot finally arrives, a bird can be missed.
- There is a Rule of 96, basic premise is the Weight of Gun in ounces to weight of payload in ounces and the RECOIL.
96 ounces equal 6 pounds. So the English came up with a 6 pound gun shooting a 1 oz load was "correct and mangagable". Actually the 11/16 oz load used in 12 bore was "proper". This is a great load, and we Silly Americans are just now realizing how good this load is - even though we use a 7/8 oz load in 12 ga. 11/16 - 7/8 real darn close. The English felt a 1 1/8 oz load was "heavy" and 1 1/4 oz loading was "magnum".
- 28 gauge- Skeet shooters in competition shoot 4 boxes of 25 shells, 100 rds in each event. Less Recoil for 100 rds, with a short string, heavy hitting payload - translates into higher scores.
Also translates into building confidence, self esteem and this enables a shooter to focus on correct basic fundamentals, focus on target and the cycle repeats.
Getting whacked with a ill fitting gun , with heavy payloads with improper mounting gun to face is going to cause flinching, getting fatigue, missing targets, getting frustrated, missing more targets...
We will speak of this again later.
Hence one the reason Competition guns in 12 ga , especially tube sets, weigh ~ 8#s. Rule of 96.
[8* 16ozs = 128...well you can figure the target load to gun weight and how this works for less felt recoil, multiplied X 100 rds per event ,and if shooting all 4 events plus any special event such as doubles or pump gun events]
- Hunting where there is a lot of walking and less shooting, the 28 ga is easy to tote, and still / most often the most effective Gauge to use for quail and other game birds. Small game such as rabbit and squirrel too.
Toting a 7.5# gun gets mighty heavy , especially for a new shooter, a lady, a kid, elderly person...
Again I will touch on this more later.
- Dove hunting.
Well some of you folks not only believe - also support the idea Shot Shell Mfgs invented Dove Season to sell more shells
Them gray missles with afterburners on, dipping, diving, shucking and jiving...
just like shooting a competititon of 4 boxes of skeet ...that heavy load , recoil, gun that does not fit...frustrates the living daylights out of you.
YOU "know" you "hit it"....umm remember them long shot strings? Gray Missle shot thru the "hole" in long shot string.
With a More Effecient loading of [short shot string] 28 ga , in a less recoil gun, you can continue to correctly mount gun to face, focus on the Dove, and that hard hitting short shot string will fell them.
-Learning to shoot.
Most kids get a .410 single shot to learn on. Granted some kids are small.
The .410 is the most inefficient load to bore ratio - go check out any tote board and scores.
Kids, ladies, small framed shooters, elderly, those with Physcial Limits...etc are being done a disservice learning on a .410.
Kids : "I got this wimpy kids gun and I cannot hit nothing".
Ditto for Ladies and other new shooters. These folks get turned off shooting.
New shooters need to make hits. One reason for little kids and ladies I use Popcorn Kernals instead of lead pellets in reloads so less recoil and they break balloons, even in .410.
Confidence.
Explain to a kid, they are not quite big enough, still you really really want them to learn and doing the best can with a .410. That kid, will respect the honesty, sincerity, and understand and learn. They will continue to shoot a .22 rifle and understand "they want me to, just I gotta get bigger before I can do shotguns better".
- Now get that kid a H&R Topper in 28 gauge, and they have "big person's gun". They will dust that stationary clay, blow a soda can to smithereens! The first targets from a clay target, or low 7 with break with authority! That first quail,dove rabbit, or squirrel - will "fell hard".
Remember this for later as well.
-1100 in 28 ga is what I prefer to start a new shooter with, teenager, and up no matter if a 6'4 adult male. I want to instill correct basic fundamentals and not worry about recoil or anything taking away from correct basic fundamenatals - while they powder targets
Once instilled, easy to transition to a 870 pump gun, or SxS or O/U in 28 ga.
Easy to transition to MY next favorite teaching shotgun - a Semi-Auto in 20 ga. I believe in working up as the student can to always maintain the correct basics, instill confidence and breaking targets.
-Age & Injuries.
I have worked with, know folks that detached Retinas , shoulder , neck , back surgeries. Doctors orders they Cannot shoot for some time, maybe never again. In some cases, with time and Dr's approval they can again shoot lighter recoil guns. Some are restricted to .22 lr, or .410. Quite a few can and are allowed to shoot the 28 ga. The 1100 again works real well.
In fact there is 28 gauge only Trap, and 5 stand ( other disciplines) set up by Detached Retina shooters first - then other physical limited shooter joined in.
These are fun! Challenging and allows shooters to once again shoot competition in something other than skeet. The 28 ga allows them to hunt again -within limits.
Elderly, arthritis can again tote that 28 ga, and take a grandson hunting, or shoot at a club.
- But the 28 gauge is too expenzive to shoot unless you shoot skeet
NO!! I beg to differ and my take:
How much is kid worth? How much is a Grandparent worth? How much is a person with a Physical Limit worth?
A heck of a lot IMO, in fact one cannot put a monetary value on these persons. You cannot put a value on a kid, learning and turning out to be OUR Future on Responsible Firearm Ownership. You cannot put a value on Grandparents getting to take that last hunt with grandkids, kids, family and friends.
$100 for a MEC single stage to reload 28 ga shells is a great investment in kids, family, friends, and passing forward Responsible Firearm Ownership.
I'm going to hit below the belt with one example, and I have others-
On a shelf in a den there is a Dove in a glass box a taxidermist did.
That was the first shot a little girl took on her first ever hunt, a dove hunt. That was the last hunt her Grandpa , her only surviving grandparent ever went on again. The little puppy grew old, and finally passed on that attended that hunt.
Little girl is a lady now, she still has that H&R Topper in 28 ga, and MEC reloader her and grandpa spent quality time on - and mom, daddy passed away when she was two.
I was there that day, and no amount of money would I take for having assisted that little girl learning on a 28 ga, being there when she felled that first dove, and outrunning the puppy to retrieve it.
Why a 28 gauge?
I believe in it for a whole lot of reasons - proven.
Steve
