My Browning B525L Hunter Light 28 Bore

[ChrisPCarter]

I've been after a 28 bore for a couple of years and finally bought B525L Hunter Light with 30 inch barrels the other day and took it out with my two pointers rough shooting at the weekend.

What a fantastic gun!

 

One of my permissions is a large area of forest and some of it is pretty dense and there's a lot of walking and pushing through trees between clearings but there's some great scrub and open moorland around the edges.

This light 28 bore was absolutely ideal as I covered a few miles without noticing I was carrying it yet you felt you had plenty of firepower for my likely targets - snipe, woodcock, pigeons, crows and the odd pheasant (which I was saving for shoot day).

My dogs worked really well for once, I don't usually take them both out shooting together as they just start playing and chasing each other about but they did pretty well and pointed and flushed a few birds for me, most of which I was fiddling about with the new gun and they got away!

I got a couple of pigeons and crows and a woodcock in the end which isn't a lot but it was a beautiful day out and with it being mostly forest the birds are a bit limited.

I have a Miroku MK60 20 bore which I love but it's a relatively heavy 20 and you still notice it on your arm after a couple of hours.

While not quite as nicely finished, the Hunter Light is definitely one of my better purchases and I enjoyed shooting it more than the 20 as its so fast and light.

The action is lightweight alloy with a titanium section set into the face of the action and the wood has been selected to keep the weight down too.

Somehow it feels far more effective than my 410 even though I haven't used it much yet - it feels like a "proper gun".

I was trying out a mixture of Eley VIP 21g 7's, 24g 6's and Gamebore Pure Gold 25g 5's. I've ordered some Gamebore 16g 6 & 7's, Fiocchi 24g 6's and RC 21g 6's and 24g 5's to try out too. I'll pattern a few and see which work best. I think I'll mainly stick to 7's and 6's unless I use it for a bit of driven where the 5's might work well on pheasants.

I've seen 28 gauge cartridges up to 28g but I don't see the point in them as you might as well use a 12 bore so I've decided on a maximum of 24g going forward.

It's fixed choke at 1/4 and 3/4 but they do multichoke versions too. I decided to go for the fixed so I didn't keep messing about with it and the barrels look more elegant as there's no bulge at the ends.

 

The RRP on these is not far off 2 grand and I've seen them on sale for about £1600 - £1800 but Malmo Guns had a few in stock which he was doing a deal on for £1400.

It was still more than I really wanted to spend but I'm glad I did as I can see it getting a lot of use now I've shot it.

I'd considered a Silver Pigeon but decided against as the Brownings and Miroku's have always fit me well and I know how they work and shoot.

 

Anyone else got one?

 

Couple of reviews here:

http://www.gunmart.net/gun_review/browning_28b_lightweight/

12g version: http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/reviews/shotgun/browning-b525-light-classic-shotgun-review

Edited January 9, 2017 by ChrisPCarter

[Esca]

I to am the proud owner of a B525l in a 28 bore. From the moment I found it nestled on the rack at my local gun shop, I knew it  was a 'good un'. I have been down the local clay club and my scores have improved. The gun feels like a natural extention to my arms. Looking forward season to start.  I have a day on walked up partridge which I think will be this guns perfect test

[dodeer]

28b is really a lovely calibre and I enjoy using one.

I always had great success when I do my part with 7’s and fibre wads. 

Found lighter loads around 21-23g work best and like you see no point in shooting 28gr with one.

[Esca]

I use a max load of 25grm 5s on a driven day and 21grm 6 for walk up

[figgy]

I used to own a  28bore but sold it. Ithink as a walk up mooching round the woods and fields with the odd chance of a shot, the lighter alloy actioned 28 bores takes some beating.  Better patterns than a .410 and longer range. 

For a light driven gun a nice balanced 20bore has it beaten everytime. But where's the fun in that.

I now use a old 12 bore sxs with short cylinder choke barrels and 25/26 gram carts as beat up mooching gun. Not worried if I had to use as a paddle or step to get over a wall.  Proper Zombie basher as bosher would say. Light enough to carry without your arm getting tired.

Edited August 20, 2019 by figgy

[Esca]

2 hours ago, figgy said:

I used to own a  28bore but sold it. Ithink as a walk up mooching round the woods and fields with the odd chance of a shot, the lighter alloy actioned 28 bores takes some beating.  Better patterns than a .410 and longer range. 

For a light driven gun a nice balanced 20bore has it beaten everytime. But where's the fun in that.

I now use a old 12 bore sxs with short cylinder choke barrels and 25/26 gram carts as beat up mooching gun. Not worried if I had to use as a paddle or step to get over a wall.  Proper Zombie basher as bosher would say. Light enough to carry without your arm getting tired.

I agree almost, I have found very little difference between the 20 and the 28. I still use my 12 sxs. However the 28 holds  nostalgic memory's for me, as it was the fist cartridge I used through a battered old single barrel hammer gun. 

[figgy]

If we used common sense the 12 bore does it all, different loading for all qaurry.  Lightweight alloy guns to heavy clay busters. 

Yet we all like to shoot different calibers at times. Because we can and enjoy using a little cartridge.

[Esca]

17 hours ago, figgy said:

If we used common sense the 12 bore does it all, different loading for all qaurry.  Lightweight alloy guns to heavy clay busters. 

Yet we all like to shoot different calibers at times. Because we can and enjoy using a little cartridge.

You sir have "hit the nail on the head" 👍