Gun Dog Forum

DonF wrote:My 16 and 28 both have 28" barre3ls but, they are SxS's and don't have all that action like a pump or an auto loader. I picked up My friend Chris's 12ga 1100 with a 28" barrel and I couldn't carry something that heavy all day! It swings pretty well but my old Charles Daley 12ga SxS was smoother. I believe it's becasue of where they balance at, the longer actions tend to move the balanse point farther forward. My all time favorite upland gun was not a SxS, it was a Browning Double Auto with a 16" imp cyl barrel. I did have a Mod 870 Special in 20ga when they came out and it was really fast to point shoot. Grouse didn't have much chance. But on birds in the open where I had to swing the gun, it was a miserable failure.

Back to my friends Mod 1100, while I was looking at his 1100, I handed him my 28ga double. He said he didn't know guns could be that light, or something to that effect. When I was young, pump guns were the arm of choice and 28" mod barrels were every where. For shooting doves, ducks and game birds farther out, no dog then, it worked very well.

Don, That 28 ga. is one sweet gun. I'll trade my 1100 for it anyday.

I have occasionally toyed with the idea of getting a 28, but the shells are so expensive. I'd have to buy another reloading press too...

My Dad used a 16 ga double, he still has it. When I was a teenager, he an I went out to buy a 16 ga double for me and found at our price range, they were no longer available, so I settled for a 20 ga double. I still have that gun, though the extractors need work and I don't use it anymore. Later in life, my Dad gave me an old Remington 870 12 ga. Great gun, I still have it too - but it is heavy and kicks like a mule! Recently, I bought a Mossberg 500 20 ga shot gun with the idea of getting my two teen boys started off on a 20 ga. I found that one can now get 16 ga in a variety of guns, but I have to say that the Mossberg 20 ga I bought is very lightweight, super easy to handle and I plan on getting two more - one each of us to use. I shoot quail, grouse, squirrel, rabbit, etc., and have found the 20 ga to be up to the task. I have even used it with 3 inch shells for turkey chores.

I say buy the gun you feel comfortable with, 12, 16, 20, 28 or 410. They ain't no wrong gauge.

Happy hunting!
Bill

p.s.
I have also thought about fixing my boys up with the Mossbergs while Dad spends a little on himself for a nice Ithica 37...

26" 28gauge