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Q:
Alright, I need some insight on 28ga's for pheasant. I know the initial thought of them being on the light side for all but the most close in pheasants. Most of the pheasants I've flushed [yes, w/o a pup] have been straight up. After rooster I.D. I've taken the shot from belly-to-beak no problem. Shouldn't a 28 knock em out from underneath out to say 30-35 yds? I'm craving a 28, but don't want to give up my pheasants. Any advice?
Question by hi_tail. Uploaded on November 16, 2009
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Answers (12)
get a 20 ga they work real good
you wont have a problem with a 28 at 35 yrds with a load of 6s
People have shot turkeys with .410 at 30 yards, so i would say that a 28 would do just fine for pheasants at that range.
There is an old saying about the 28 gauge: "Shoots like a 20 gauge; recoils like a .410" In my experience, the 28 gauge shoots like a .410 and recoils like a 20 gauge. If you ever get the chance to shot a 28 gauge alongside a .410, you'll see what I mean.
I think I would go with a 20 gauge.
not worth the chance at crippling birds, I wouldnt use anything smaller than a 20 ga for pheasant.
Go ahead and get a 28 if you want one, but use it for quail.
I love the scaled-down look of the 28 gauge, so I can appreciate their appeal to bigger gauge shooters, but it is strictly an expert's gun. Include me out. It is not a practical choice for most shooters.
If you have lots of pheasants and lots of time to hunt them, a 28 gauge can be fun because it gives them a real sporting chance. Now days pheasants seem to be hard to find and spooky, often getting up at 30 yards or more. I personally would use something a little bigger to give me a good shot at longer ranges. Plenty of pheasants have been shot with a .410 but people using a 20 gauge and larger get about 900 pheasants for every one shot with a .410. A 16 gauage actually makes an ideal pheasant gun. It is light to handle, quick on the draw and has plenty of shot to reach out for the longest shots. A 20 gauge is very effective for pheasants and is lighter if you you don't want the weight of a 12 gauge.
Once in a while I get to hunt pheasants with a friend from Michigan who only uses a 28 ga. But he also has a wonderful setter who will set us up for some real close shots. If you are hunting without a dog, you won't be "set up" even if you happen to push them up close. By the time you've got yourself turned around and made the rooster ID, that bird is going to be out there a ways. More than likely it got up out there a ways in the first place - or just hung tight till you walked by (in which case you will never know it was there). I'd recommend you go with a 12 ga modified. Most of your shots (when you can get them) are going to be in the 30-35 yard range and that's too far for a little 28 gauge, especially if your hunting in country with broken tree/brush cover. I am assuming you're hunting wild birds. If you're hunting a farm-raised pheasant situation, then a 28 gauge would probably work. In fact, your boot would probably work too. Those poor stupid things often need to be kicked in the air.
I give a strong second to DakotaMan's nomination for 16 gauge (modified [if you could find one] or full). Problem is both the gun and ammo are getting hard to find.
If you're craving the 28, go for it. I just got back from hunting wild pheasants in South Dakota, and those smart birds were flushing a long way off. A fellow hunter had a beautiful 28g, that he used successfully, but I could tell he was a darn good marksman. I myself wouldn't do well with a 28g for wild birds, but if you're good, go ahead. Especially if you're hunting pen-raised pheasants.
That range is stretching it. 25 yards would be the max, but it will do it. The tradeoff is, of course, quick-handling vs range. Many people here move to a 28 or.410 after mastering the 20 gauge. Why not get one of each?
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not worth the chance at crippling birds, I wouldnt use anything smaller than a 20 ga for pheasant.
I think I would go with a 20 gauge.
get a 20 ga they work real good
you wont have a problem with a 28 at 35 yrds with a load of 6s
People have shot turkeys with .410 at 30 yards, so i would say that a 28 would do just fine for pheasants at that range.
There is an old saying about the 28 gauge: "Shoots like a 20 gauge; recoils like a .410" In my experience, the 28 gauge shoots like a .410 and recoils like a 20 gauge. If you ever get the chance to shot a 28 gauge alongside a .410, you'll see what I mean.
Go ahead and get a 28 if you want one, but use it for quail.
I love the scaled-down look of the 28 gauge, so I can appreciate their appeal to bigger gauge shooters, but it is strictly an expert's gun. Include me out. It is not a practical choice for most shooters.
If you have lots of pheasants and lots of time to hunt them, a 28 gauge can be fun because it gives them a real sporting chance. Now days pheasants seem to be hard to find and spooky, often getting up at 30 yards or more. I personally would use something a little bigger to give me a good shot at longer ranges. Plenty of pheasants have been shot with a .410 but people using a 20 gauge and larger get about 900 pheasants for every one shot with a .410. A 16 gauage actually makes an ideal pheasant gun. It is light to handle, quick on the draw and has plenty of shot to reach out for the longest shots. A 20 gauge is very effective for pheasants and is lighter if you you don't want the weight of a 12 gauge.
I give a strong second to DakotaMan's nomination for 16 gauge (modified [if you could find one] or full). Problem is both the gun and ammo are getting hard to find.
If you're craving the 28, go for it. I just got back from hunting wild pheasants in South Dakota, and those smart birds were flushing a long way off. A fellow hunter had a beautiful 28g, that he used successfully, but I could tell he was a darn good marksman. I myself wouldn't do well with a 28g for wild birds, but if you're good, go ahead. Especially if you're hunting pen-raised pheasants.
That range is stretching it. 25 yards would be the max, but it will do it. The tradeoff is, of course, quick-handling vs range. Many people here move to a 28 or.410 after mastering the 20 gauge. Why not get one of each?
Once in a while I get to hunt pheasants with a friend from Michigan who only uses a 28 ga. But he also has a wonderful setter who will set us up for some real close shots. If you are hunting without a dog, you won't be "set up" even if you happen to push them up close. By the time you've got yourself turned around and made the rooster ID, that bird is going to be out there a ways. More than likely it got up out there a ways in the first place - or just hung tight till you walked by (in which case you will never know it was there). I'd recommend you go with a 12 ga modified. Most of your shots (when you can get them) are going to be in the 30-35 yard range and that's too far for a little 28 gauge, especially if your hunting in country with broken tree/brush cover. I am assuming you're hunting wild birds. If you're hunting a farm-raised pheasant situation, then a 28 gauge would probably work. In fact, your boot would probably work too. Those poor stupid things often need to be kicked in the air.
Post an Answer