# The season of the 28. My goal for this season.



## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

I though I would share my season goal this year. I am going to be hunting with nothing but the 28 for everything from doves and quail to ducks, geese, turkey and if I draw a swan.

I will be hunting a bit of private in Utah along with some public, but 75 to 80% of my hunting time will be on a public WMA in the wastelands of the desert.

I have spent this summer working on patterns and loads for two new 28's. The steel loads, which I anticipate will be used for 80% of my hunting are looking to be effective to only 35 yards max. I have a bunch of high density stuff loaded for geese and swan if I draw that should handle the big birds.

Should be a lot of fun and will be interesting to see just how well I will do with such limited ranges with no big 3 1/2" shells with big fast payloads on some of the toughest hunting grounds in the west.

Heck thinking about it, it makes me wonder just how and what others would do being so limited on effective range.

Anyway the toils of my labor and the new guns for this season.










Good luck to everyone this season on all your goals.


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## richard rouleau (Apr 12, 2008)

I think you might need more shell there lol


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## richard rouleau (Apr 12, 2008)

My goal is to get a big bull sprig this year hope fully


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

richard rouleau said:


> I think you might need more shell there lol


Just waiting for more powder to finish my steel loading for ducks. Those there are only duck and goose hunting shells. I have over 1000 lead loaded and ready to go for the upland work. Bring on Sept 1 man!


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

I'm taking out my side by side .410 to kill teal on the opener. I've always wanted to try it.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

utahgolf said:


> I'm taking out my side by side .410 to kill teal on the opener. I've always wanted to try it.


That I'll want a report on man. Sounds like a bast!


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

That sounds like a goal that should be a blast... I know of a few guys that have went after similar goals.. Like the 32 waterfowl slam with a 20 or 28 gauge. Neat to see write ups on stuff like that! Your shots mean so much more! Hammer if you come up this way for swans, drop me a line and I'll take you out for a hunt! Good luck on your quest!


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

I would imagine that by the end of the season you will be a deadly wingshot! This sounds like a really interesting idea, looking forward to seeing how it goes! I saw some of your heavyweight patterns on another forum and I don't think you'll have any trouble putting down anything that that pattern touches.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

You're nuts, you can't shoot ducks and geese with a 28ga. I think you're afflicted with the "My gun is small than yours" syndrome. You're supposed to upgrade to an 8ga and brag about how your gun is bigger than all of ours.

I hope this doesn't happen, but when I tried an all 20ga season, I ended up bailing because I got sick of guys I hunt with shooting at birds 45 yards away and me not having the range with steel shot. When I hunt alone, not a problem most of the time, but hard when hunting with other guys. Tungsten shot fixes the problem, but is expensive. It is going to be a challenge on those tough days when you can't get birds inside of 35 yards, but if anyone can stick to you, you can. My bet is you end up shooting 60% tungsten to 40% steel.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

toasty said:


> You're nuts, you can't shoot ducks and geese with a 28ga. I think you're afflicted with the "My gun is small than yours" syndrome. You're supposed to upgrade to an 8ga and brag about how your gun is bigger than all of ours.
> 
> I hope this doesn't happen, but when I tried an all 20ga season, I ended up bailing because I got sick of guys I hunt with shooting at birds 45 yards away and me not having the range with steel shot. When I hunt alone, not a problem most of the time, but hard when hunting with other guys. Tungsten shot fixes the problem, but is expensive. It is going to be a challenge on those tough days when you can't get birds inside of 35 yards, but if anyone can stick to you, you can. My bet is you end up shooting 60% tungsten to 40% steel.


This is why I am only letting a select few hunt with me. Yes you can come lol.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

stuckduck said:


> That sounds like a goal that should be a blast... I know of a few guys that have went after similar goals.. Like the 32 waterfowl slam with a 20 or 28 gauge. Neat to see write ups on stuff like that! Your shots mean so much more! Hammer if you come up this way for swans, drop me a line and I'll take you out for a hunt! Good luck on your quest!


I will for sure be in touch man. I would love to finally meet you and your bro in person!


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

hamernhonkers said:


> This is why I am only letting a select few hunt with me. Yes you can come lol.


You know I think that anything within 60 yards is in range. Are you sure you want to hunt with me?

Would be a fine pic to show a couple pretty 28ga autos laying across 4 nice sprigs with some drake gadwalls, widgeon, mallards and a single drake hen bufflehead mixed in.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

toasty said:


> You know I think that anything within 60 yards is in range. Are you sure you want to hunt with me?
> 
> Would be a fine pic to show a couple pretty 28ga autos laying across 4 nice sprigs with some drake gadwalls, widgeon, mallards and a single drake hen bufflehead mixed in.


Lol yes it would be a great pic. Were doing it.


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## richard rouleau (Apr 12, 2008)

Do not forget about the drake shoveler or cinnamon teal


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

hamernhonkers

I've enjoyed reading your posts over on Shotgun World. I think with the product your loading you could stretch that 35 yard max goal just a little. 

I've patterned my 28's with the cheap Winchester steel #6's and they look great at 30 yards with an I/C choke. What I mean by cheap is they are dove/clay loads but they cost $15 a box lol. I would like to play with some high density loads myself for the 28. I took a 28 out on a ice hunt last year and was very surprised how well it folded ducks. 

I switched over to shooting a 20ga 80% of the time a couple of years ago. I thought it would be a handicap but that isn't what I experienced. I feel my shooting has actually improved. 

Warning The sub gauge game is very addictive


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## Stimmy (Sep 10, 2007)

JerryH said:


> hamernhonkers
> 
> I've enjoyed reading your posts over on Shotgun World. I think with the product your loading you could stretch that 35 yard max goal just a little.
> 
> ...


 I am shooting my 20 gauge 95% of the time now. it is addictive. I feel it does not limit my ability, but enhances it..I have become a better shot, more selective and more patient. 20 is the new 12!


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

hamernhonkers said:


> That I'll want a report on man. Sounds like a bast!


I also want to go to the other side of the spectrum and take out my dads' super goose bolt action 10 gauge! now that'd be cool to pull up on a group and see how fast I could cycle that thing to pick up a double.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

One day last year we did a 410 shoot. I picked just about the worst spot possible to have a 410 shoot but it was fun. We had to be so selective on our shots because of range and where the birds would fall. There was more oohs and awes on that hunt than just about any other hunt I've been on. We were covered up with Mallards but they had to be right over the top of us to shoot. I shot my first Mallard last year with the mighty 410 using Winchester #6 steel Dove & target loads. Not the deadliest payload but it will work in the right conditions.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

JerryH said:


> One day last year we did a 410 shoot. I picked just about the worst spot possible to have a 410 shoot but it was fun. We had to be so selective on our shots because of range and where the birds would fall. There was more oohs and awes on that hunt than just about any other hunt I've been on. We were covered up with Mallards but they had to be right over the top of us to shoot. I shot my first Mallard last year with the mighty 410 using Winchester #6 steel Dove & target loads. Not the deadliest payload but it will work in the right conditions.


I think I'm going to order some non-tox classic doubles, 3 inch 4's. pricey at 30 bucks a box but I worry about shooting steel through that old .410 and the full choke on one of the barrels.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

utahgolf said:


> I think I'm going to order some non-tox classic doubles, 3 inch 4's. pricey at 30 bucks a box but I worry about shooting steel through that old .410 and the full choke on one of the barrels.


If you reload Golf, you can reload a little bit higher quality of shell with ITX or Fed High Density for about $1 a shell. I did some ITX in my 28ga for about $0.95 a shell. Wouldn't take to many shells saving $2 a shell to pay for a MEC jr. :grin:


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Here are some pics of a couple last years hunts with my 28ga. The HW15 #7 pellets in the pattern shown have a range of about 65 yards. I doubled on Geese at about 30 yards with them.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

JerryH said:


> hamernhonkers
> 
> I've enjoyed reading your posts over on Shotgun World. I think with the product your loading you could stretch that 35 yard max goal just a little.


Jerry there is no doubt that those loads will kill a duck a little further then 35 but when you shoot upwards of 2 flats a season on waterfowl those tend to run the cost up very fast.

I have been very fortunate to have learned how to hunt this desert WMA pretty quickly and I should be able to keep most of my shooting to well under the 35 yard mark and the steel loads appear as though they should handle any duck to that mark. Those day's where the birds are a bit tougher, well.......I will either just need to use the good stuff or I will have to see if I can change things up and figure out how to get the birds a little close



> Warning The sub gauge game is very addictive


No truer words have been spoken:O--O:


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

toasty said:


> Here are some pics of a couple last years hunts with my 28ga. The HW15 #7 pellets in the pattern shown have a range of about 65 yards. I doubled on Geese at about 30 yards with them.


Come on toasty we all know you used the 12 bore with 3 1/2" hevi joke metal or Remington hyper crap to kill those birds and then you just put your cute little Benelli 28 girls gun on the pile for the pic:boxing::boxing::boxing::boxing:


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

utahgolf said:


> I also want to go to the other side of the spectrum and take out my dads' super goose bolt action 10 gauge! now that'd be cool to pull up on a group and see how fast I could cycle that thing to pick up a double.


Oh heavens I want to be there with a video camera for this one. I miss the good old bolt actions Marlins. You need to do it man!!!!


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## bug doc (Apr 19, 2008)

toasty said:


> You know I think that anything within 60 yards is in range. Are you sure you want to hunt with me?


You're too modest...


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Thinking about taking a 20 gauge only to Canada this year with 2 3/4" steel 4's. I wish factory steel in 28 wasn't so pricey. Smaller shells, less powder, less shot, we'll charge you double!


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Ah ha! ^^^ i knew it wasnt your shoes i heard squeeeaking the other day!


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Longgun said:


> Ah ha! ^^^ i knew it wasnt your shoes i heard squeeeaking the other day!


Not cheap. Fiscally responsible.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

paddler213 said:


> Not cheap. Fiscally responsible.


Lol. I am sure your cheap loads will do well up north.


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## Josh Noble (Jul 29, 2008)

28's are cool...I tried it a couple times and had decent success, but still love my 12. As hard as it is to say perhaps I'm just not as good a shot as I think I am..:grin:


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

Josh Noble said:


> 28's are cool...I tried it a couple times and had decent success, but still love my 12. As hard as it is to say perhaps I'm just not as good a shot as I think I am..:grin:


Very nice Josh!

Those experts work ok but if you reload there are far better options.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

hamernhonkers said:


> Lol. I am sure your cheap loads will do well up north.


Hope so. I scored some Federal 2 3/4" 4s for $8/box. Not quites as good as the 20 gauge Winchester Xperts 6s, which were $7/box, but better for geese.



Josh Noble said:


> 28's are cool...I tried it a couple times and had decent success, but still love my 12. As hard as it is to say perhaps I'm just not as good a shot as I think I am..:grin:


Not what I heard, Josh. Somebody told me you're a very good shot. Don't remember who, but that's the word on the ramp. I've killed a bunch of birds with my 28's, and have never been accused of being a dead eye.


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