I know some guys have set up an H&R 20 ga to be a good turkey gun out to 40 yards. I was wondering if it could be done with a 28 ga. Here is a thought. If a guy could get a choke and some Nitro shells with Hevi 13 #7s, I think it could be done. I know it my not be the best money spent, but it would be a light little gun for young hunters and myself to hunt with. So is it worth looking into or not? Some day I will have a 28 ga because it is one of the two gauges I don't own so it will happen and I would like it to be able to shoot a turkey at the furthest range possible.
It might be a waste of time but that's fun too. I know it would be a challenging set up. Ammo, choke and gun would all be tough to come buy. One of the guns I most regret selling was a beautiful Remington Wingmaster 28. Someday will have one again! For alot of things they are an incredibly sweet gun!
This is funny. I am building a set of 28ga chokes now. I am about to pull my hair out. This is a YILDIZ. Sold by Academy. Now I think I saw on a post that someone had worked up a hand load for the 28. I know a 28ga is a bad boy. They say it is one of the most blance bore/load combos out on the market.
I think there is something to the "load balance" of a 28gauge. They pack a lot of punch for the shell size. I have killed many pheasants with the little 28 and it always seem to hit a lot harder than it should!
And why would you want a 28ga. to turkey hunt with? ??? Seriously?
I would think finding chokes/ammo would be quite difficult. ???
Quote from: beagler on May 03, 2011, 07:27:06 PM
I would think finding chokes/ammo would be quite difficult. ???
From what I can find out with the Hand Loads you get by with sporting clay chokes. Now other then that we would have to work up a custom choke. Find a shell and it would not be hard to come up with it.
It would not be a turkey only gun, but a gun that if wanted could be taken to the turkey woods. I have a 12 that is turkey only. I just need a 28 for my collection and gauge slam. Like I said, I am bored and when that happens I start to think and that leads to trouble for the checkbook.
I grouse woodcock with a 28 ga at times and love carring a light 28 that's made on a 28 ga frame. But I think getting much range out of a 28 ga may be hard to do. I just can't imagine it being very effective beyond 25-30 yds. I certainly would be interedted to see a good choke and maybe Hevi 13 #7's.
I have saw them on the sporting clay field and they make you think. I have saw them brake targets that you think is a long shot for a 12. I think they would have the same punch but the thing is how much shot could you get in the shell. I think Hal needs to fill us in on the hand loads.
A friend of mine is going to take a gobbler this year with his 28ga just because.
It throws a good pattern out to 30 yards I saw the targets on Sunday.
Not sure what he's using for shells.
Not legal in Kansas - 20 gauge is the min.
I think it would be a fun little project they hit hard upto 30 yards 40 yards with a choke shouldnt be to hard.
20 ga is the smallest one can legally turkey hunt with in ky as well.
I'm betting the 20 ga minimum in several States was to discourage people from even thinking about using a .410 for turkey. The 28 was probably never considered.
I once owned a 28 and handloaded a 1oz pheasant load for it (might even been 1 1/4). It worked. No reason a hot loaded 28 wouldn't work inside 30 yards, maybe even a little further with a good choke and plenty of time at the patterning board.
Come on in. The water's fine!
Hognutz, there are two reasons I carry a 28 in the turkey woods. First, by the 3-4th week of season it gets H-O-T hot down here and after 35 years of chasin' these fool chickens I really like toting a gun that weighs in at a little over 5 lbs. So when it heats up, I put down the big ol' 20 ga and pick up my darlin' lil' 28. Second, I can do ANYTHING w/ that 28 out to 40 yds (and maybe further, but that's not the point) that you or anybody else can do w/ a 10 ga. A pellet of equal size delivered to the target at equal velocity will have the same energy AND penetration no matter if originates from a peashooter or a cannon! It is SIMPLY a numbers game (bigger gauge=more of those pellets). And if you are shooting lead or hevishot, I win. My numbers are a little higher than Hal's (198 @ 40yds) but not nearly as even and pretty. And he was shooting T8's where I was shooting T9's, so his pattern is REALLY impressive!
So, Hognutz or anybody else, please don't castigate those who want to think, plan, and execute a project like this one. This is no fluke. I spent 2 years and a lot of capital both monetary and intellectual before taking this little beauty out. But when I did, it was w/ ABSOLUTE confidence in its abilities. That said, it is a HTL handloaders game. You cannot drop into WallyWorld the night before the season, pick up a box of shells and a choke, and go kill a longbeard at 40 yds the next morning!
I have killed turkeys w/ 10's, 12's, 20's, and now 28's. When it gets hot, I'll be packin' my lil' darlin'. And I'll pack her in the turkey woods w/ confidence...
(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll206/DocHolliday_photos/5df03dc3.jpg)
You guys are not helping my remorse for selling my sweet little 28! I wonder if we could get some serious turkey choke development for the rem choke 28? I loved my little Wingmaster!
I'm suited up and jumpin' in, Doc. I really have no problem with what gun a guy kills his turkeys with, or what ga. he chooses to use. I know very well about the energy thing, equal size/equal velocity/equal pellet numbers = dead turkeys. I applaud you for your diligence and for the homework needed to achieve what you have. Many would not have taken the time. As you said, these are not Walmart shells. A few states don't allow the 28ga. as a turkey ga., because of it's inherent shortcomings. There is no asterisk stating that if you hand load, it's O.K. I'm not saying that is right, I'm just saying. I know that there are more than a handfull of people out there that kill a turkey or two every year with a .410. Always have, always will. I guess that there's nothing wrong with that, either. I own a .410, and all the way up to the 10ga. Minus the 16. I have no need to hunt turkeys with anything less than the 12ga. That's just me. The weight is not an issue, and it is not that hot in Wi. at turkey time. Turkey hunting really is a numbers game, when in fact, it really only takes one pellet to kill one. After all, they are only turkeys. I will agree with you that the 28ga., in proper hands will effectively kill at long ranges. As will a .410... I will stick to my 7 lb. Benelli. I have no need for anything less..Other than my BPS 10ga....Good luck to you..Mike
Can we get some info on your set up Doc?
The choke will not be a problem. From what I can see a lot of the hand load stuff will work with sporting clay chokes. Now if we have a over the counter shell we would just cut it open to see what all in side it. Then lay the choke out and fine tune on it.
And why would you want a 28ga. to turkey hunt with? Seriously?
Hognutz:
I appreciate your clarified response. To each his own. I wish you nothing but the best in your efforts and none of my comments were directed as mean spirited, only to clarify from your original post. As to the numbers deal, there is a post in another thread about the H13 7's where a guy brags (rightfully, I guess) about his 3 1/2" , 2 1/4 oz, 12 ga putting 218 pellets in 10" @ 40 yds. My point is my little 28 put 18 fewer (yes, 18) more potent pellets in that same circle at that same distance! I fail to see the downside or inadequacies in what I'm trying to do based on those numbers. The states I hunt in have no such arcane poorly thoughtout restrictions. That said, were I not handloading tungsten I would not have pursued this project because factory 28's would be a 20 yd proposition max. So my response was simply directed at the original poster who was seeking input.
Sumtoy:
There are NO factory loaded shell I know of which I would hunt turkeys with. 7/8-1 oz lead loads would limit your effective range severely.
Quote from: DocHolliday on May 04, 2011, 12:34:29 PM
Sumtoy:
There are NO factory loaded shell I know of which I would hunt turkeys with. 7/8-1 oz lead loads would limit your effective range severely.
This is what I was refering to in my first post, Doc. Of the 2461 members here at the O.G. you can probably count on one hand how many seriously hunt turkeys with the 28ga. Without some serious homework, it is not an ideal turkey gun. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less. I also, meant nothing but the best to you and your efforts. This is obviously not your first rodeo, nor is it mine. I wish you well, and our paths will cross again. Mike
As stated earlier, I appreciate the clarification of your point. Glad to be in agreement.
I hope to get in the 28 game someday, but I have a lot of catching up to do. Doc that 5 lb setup is SWEET. Hal kill a fathead with that paper eater already and post pics.