28 bore advice

[figgy]

I had a lightweight 28 bore, the cost and limited choice if carts made me realise it wasn't worth it over a nice lightweight 12bore sxs, the 28 offered nothing the sxs couldn't do better. I can shoot cheap 21g carts or big heavy carts and steel out my sxs. Swings as easy weighs about the same, cheaper to feed too.

Each to their own but I found it lacking compared to.modern 12 bore guns and cartridge choice.  28g size 6 or 5 shot 12bore carts around £7.00 box, 28g of same in 28bore just shy of £12.00 a box. 

[Lloyd90]

5 hours ago, figgy said:

I had a lightweight 28 bore, the cost and limited choice if carts made me realise it wasn't worth it over a nice lightweight 12bore sxs, the 28 offered nothing the sxs couldn't do better. I can shoot cheap 21g carts or big heavy carts and steel out my sxs. Swings as easy weighs about the same, cheaper to feed too.

Each to their own but I found it lacking compared to.modern 12 bore guns and cartridge choice.  28g size 6 or 5 shot 12bore carts around £7.00 box, 28g of same in 28bore just shy of £12.00 a box. 

Yes seems a bit mad that. 
 

Not sure why people are buying 28 bores and shoots big payload carts through them. 
 

As said you’d probably find it a lot easier to buy a 20 bore OU or SxS and shoot 24/25g carts, would it not be a lot cheaper and easier to find carts anywhere?! 
 

Or as you say a lightweight 12, which will fire practically anything you like. Gunmakers now even make guns that are specially “super light” etc. 
 

 

 

The appeal of the small bore guns is surely the light weight, speedy handling, and additional challenge of using a smaller bore gun. 

Using carts such as the: 

Eley VIP - 16/21 - 6’s ot 7’s or LV Express 14/21g 6’s or 7’s would surely be about as heavy as you’d want to go? 

 

[Old Boggy]

12 hours ago, bruno22rf said:

Made by Sabatti I believe?

The Macnab Highlanders were made by B.Rizzini.

It was the Macnab Lowlanders that were made by Sabatti.

The Highlanders are becoming harder to find but a secondhand one can be had for less than half the price of the B.Rizzini Aurum which is identical to the non sideplated Highlander apart from the fact that most Highlanders also have solid top ribs (quite desirable I think) and of course the Macnab logo of grouse, salmon and stag. There is a lovely cased pair of consectutive numbered 20 bores on Guntrader for £2500.

As many on here have found, myself included, the Highlander smaller gauges are lovely guns to shoot. However, the 16 gauge appears to be built on a 12 action and weighs in excess of 7 lbs, which rather defeats the object, in my view.

That 28 gauge at Holts appears to be excellent value.

OB

[Old Boggy]

On 30 August 2020 at 21:41, Dave at kelton said:

I have shot a number of 28 gauge over the years and currently have Caesar Guerini maxum but that is heavier than you have asked about. A super little gun if you can get one is the Macnab highlander made by B Rizzini or any of their own guns
 

 

A 20 gauge Caesar Guerini Maxum would be my choice of O/U but out of my price range, so quite happy with my 20 gauge Macnab Highlander. Lovely little gun.

OB

[Mr grumpy]

No falling out chaps.it was i who asked the original question.i have a 12 and two 20's.one 20 being an english sbs 5lb4oz,the other a beretta eell 6lbs.i never fire more than 5/8oz through the sbs and 1oz through the ou.

Due to arthritis and fibremyalga,both of which have good and bad days,i wondered about the light 28 bore ou.as an ou handles recoil better and in 28 guise would be around 5.5 lbs to carry.

Also wondered if the 19-21gm cartridges are up to killing average pheasants,in my case 15-30 yards.i am an average shot,sometimes even a good shot,or unlucky pigeon/pheasant etc.

Thanks for all the replies.mr g

[bruno22rf]

I stand corrected Old Boggy, although, in  my defence, Shooting UK  website states Sabatti for the Highlander.

[wymberley]

15 hours ago, button said:

Is it SHS and 26" barrels? How much you looking for?

Sorry, just seen this. Yes it is 26" barrels, but, no, it's an OU and has been Teagued. I can answer your question about price without breaking the PW rules as this is beyond my control havng asked UKGR to advertise it at whatever they think fit. As we speak, it is not yet on their website as neither is the W&S 700.

[button]

Thanks, SHS , straight hand stock?

[Dave at kelton]

1 hour ago, Mr grumpy said:

No falling out chaps.it was i who asked the original question.i have a 12 and two 20's.one 20 being an english sbs 5lb4oz,the other a beretta eell 6lbs.i never fire more than 5/8oz through the sbs and 1oz through the ou.

Due to arthritis and fibremyalga,both of which have good and bad days,i wondered about the light 28 bore ou.as an ou handles recoil better and in 28 guise would be around 5.5 lbs to carry.

Also wondered if the 19-21gm cartridges are up to killing average pheasants,in my case 15-30 yards.i am an average shot,sometimes even a good shot,or unlucky pigeon/pheasant etc.

Thanks for all the replies.mr g

I shoot 21 or 24 gms no6 and they are absolutely up, to it.

[welshwarrior]

I’ve had and have a few 28s.   
 

A beretta 28 on the scaled action is very good but not available from what I can see in the higher end models.  
 

sbs 28s can be great guns if you can control and shoot them my are 30” and must be worked with but snap shooting is a joy.  
 

McNab lowlander (FIAS made) heavier than the 20b and barrel heavy ungainly gun.  
 

Rizzini was very nice 

looking for a CG 32” tried one loved it.  
 

cartridges I’ve found 28g lumpy and pattern generally very badly.  
25g fussy but can be ok.  
18-23 good and very capable.

16g pattern well and a nice junior load or sim day option. 

[wymberley]

20 minutes ago, button said:

Thanks, SHS , straight hand stock?

Yes and two triggers naturally.

PS As you might be showing some interest, I should perhaps add that to alter the choke I change the cartridge should it ever be necessary. The barrels were Teagued with fixed chokes to my requirements.

[markm]

14 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

I'A 20 Bore will with a 28 gram/1 ounce load give a better pattern than will any 28 Bore with the same 28 gram/1 ounce load and with less felt recoil. 

And I bet 10/10 people would struggle to see any difference on a pattern plate or out in the field, if the gun is pointed in the right direction. 
 

On another note, when looking at bore sizes. You could also argue why have heavy loads in any calibre and not move up a bore size. 

 

If people want to shoot 28gms in a 28 bore (instead of a 20), 32gms in a 20 bore (instead of a 12) or 3.5” in a 12 bore instead of a 10, that’s their prerogative.  
 

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by markm

[button]

56 minutes ago, welshwarrior said:

I’ve had and have a few 28s.   
 

A beretta 28 on the scaled action is very good but not available from what I can see in the higher end models.  
 

sbs 28s can be great guns if you can control and shoot them my are 30” and must be worked with but snap shooting is a joy.  
 

McNab lowlander (FIAS made) heavier than the 20b and barrel heavy ungainly gun.  
 

Rizzini was very nice 

looking for a CG 32” tried one loved it.  
 

cartridges I’ve found 28g lumpy and pattern generally very badly.  
25g fussy but can be ok.  
18-23 good and very capable.

16g pattern well and a nice junior load or sim day option. 

What s/s 28's do you use?

[welshwarrior]

 

1 hour ago, button said:

What s/s 28's do you use?

Westley Richards.  

[Old Boggy]

21 hours ago, bruno22rf said:

I stand corrected Old Boggy, although, in  my defence, Shooting UK  website states Sabatti for the Highlander.

Hi Chris,

This information I obtained direct from Patrick Keen who at the time had the Highlanders and Lowlanders made for him under the Macnab banner. 

I think that in this instance Shooting UK have got it wrong and misled you and no doubt many others. Every Highlander has the letters 'BR' (B.Rizzini) stamped on the action.

OB

[enfieldspares]

4 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

This information I obtained direct from Patrick Keen who at the time had the Highlanders and Lowlanders made for him under the Macnab banner. 

I think that in this instance Shooting UK have got it wrong and misled you and no doubt many others. Every Highlander has the letters 'BR' (B.Rizzini) stamped on the action.

I remember the long standing error that kept repeating that the Webley 702 cost more than the Webley 701. Nonsense of course. This was because the author of that folly had looked at one price list for one year for the 701 price and when he couldn't find the price also for the 702 looked at another price list of a LATER year for the 702 price (these were in the days of rampant inflation in the UK) thus the error. So as the post above says ORIGINAL SOURCES...Patrick Keen...always trump secondhand accounts.