# The Mighty 28ga



## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

First off, thanks to Toasty & Hamernhonks for all their help with data & recipes. I purchased some Tungsten #8's and Heavyweight #6's and loaded up few to try out on the pattern board before going full speed ahead. We headed up above Bountiful to do some pattern testing. (I was happy to see the lake looks the same as last year. I thought it would be worse.) We first tested some 20ga ,12ga loads with different choke combinations. The pattern board made of 1/2" plywood held up fine set up 35 yards from the truck. I thought #2 steel would penetrate deeper into the wood shot from the big 12. Next up was the little 28 loaded with 13/16oz of TSS #8's that were highly recommended from Toasty. The pattern was not huge but then I new it wouldn't be with 13/160z of shot. But what surprised me was the fact that those little TSS #8's blew through the 1/2" plywood at 35 yards. After testing the TSS shot we shot the HW #6's to see what choke combo looked best. Just like the #8's the HW#6's destroyed my pattern board. Having never shot these type of non toxic shot before I was surprised at the penetration it has. I will need new plywood before more texting lol

I can't wait to breakout the my old homemade corkers, LL Bean's and an old faded Carhart jacket and do a vintage hunt with the mighty 28


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

I know tungsten costs an arm and both legs. How's the cost of HW per pound?


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## tshuntin (Jul 13, 2008)

I would love to find a youth model semi auto 28!!


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

That's awesome man. Now I'll be waiting to see pics of piles of birds stacked up with the little bore!


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Don't bother looking for youth model 28. Get a youth model 20 and reload down to 28ga loads. Kids grow out of guns to fast.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Great report Jerry, I hope you found a choke to throw some patterns that look good. I'm looking forward to seeing how you like them on ducks. I've got some loaded up, just need to get out and see which choke works the best. Can't wait for the youth hunt.


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

Dang, that sounds fun! We've been hunting exclusively with 20's for a number of years now, and it has been a blast...but a 28...well now you are taking it to a whole notha level! Awesome!
R


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

rjefre said:


> Dang, that sounds fun! We've been hunting exclusively with 20's for a number of years now, and it has been a blast...but a 28...well now you are taking it to a whole notha level! Awesome!
> R


Yes, a whole notha level of good shell. That 13/16oz #8 TSS shell has about 215 pellets with a penetration comparable to steel BBB shot. His 28ga shell is better than any steel shell you can buy for any gauge shotgun.


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## Josh Noble (Jul 29, 2008)

You had me at 28.....


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

tshuntin said:


> I would love to find a youth model semi auto 28!!


I bought my son a Franchi 48AL in 28ga and put a youth stock on it. I can't wait till he gets a little bigger to put the regular stock back on....so I can shoot it as well. Fun gun.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Toasty what's funny is to get a better perspective of the pattern of TSS #8's. I shadowed the paper that I patterned with a light from behind the sheet of paper to see the full effect of those little #8's. There is more pellet holes than I first noticed. Skeet, Improved Cylinder were my best patterns at 35 yards. 

Then there is the damage to the back of the plywood from those little #8's.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

JerryH said:


> Toasty what's funny is to get a better perspective of the pattern of TSS #8's. I shadowed the paper that I patterned with a light from behind the sheet of paper to see the full effect of those little #8's. There is more pellet holes than I first noticed. Skeet, Improved Cylinder were my best patterns at 35 yards.
> 
> Then there is the damage to the back of the plywood from those little #8's.


Haha, that looks exactly like my pattern board. They don't last nearly as long as they used when I mostly shot steel at them.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

toasty said:


> Haha, that looks exactly like my pattern board. They don't last nearly as long as they used when I mostly shot steel at them.


How is it on barrels? Do you use the same choke as you would for lead or does it pattern more like steel versus choke setting?


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

LostLouisianian said:


> How is it on barrels? Do you use the same choke as you would for lead or does it pattern more like steel versus choke setting?


Neither. Because of the density the shot remains in a very tight pattern as it travels downrange. It needs a more open choke that either steel or lead, I usually end up shooting a skeet or cylinder choke with it to get a wide enough pattern with a 12ga and 20ga. For the 28ga, I end up going with a little more constriction and shoot a SKII with it.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

toasty said:


> Neither. Because of the density the shot remains in a very tight pattern as it travels downrange. It needs a more open choke that either steel or lead, I usually end up shooting a skeet or cylinder choke with it to get a wide enough pattern with a 12ga and 20ga. For the 28ga, I end up going with a little more constriction and shoot a SKII with it.


What is the lightest load that you can load for a 12? My wingmaster has a barrel with screw in chokes but all of my 1100's are fixed chokes that I don't really want to mess with. Being a pump, my wingmaster actually would allow me to shoot pretty much any weight load without having ejection problems that a semi auto can have with light loads.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

For a 12ga 2 3/4", I have data for 3/4oz steel shot and 7/8oz data for tungsten. If you don't have to cycle an auto, you can really load as light as you want.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Just sharing some 28ga TSS #9/ Steel #4 duplex patterns. I have tried duplexing hevi shot and steel years ago and was never able to get decent patterns, but this little load has some very promising results. It is a little tight for my taste, going to try it with a .544 constriction later this week. The steel and TSS is evenly distributed throughout the pattern. The load has 200 pellets and the TSS #9s have comprable penetration to steel BB and best part is this load is going to be around $0.90 a shot.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

That looks like Swiss duck loads right there toasty. Looking good man!


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