I have a Mossberg SA-28 (made in Turkey). Fit and finish were surprisingly nice and the wood was better than expected. Weighs in at 5lb 13oz and has a 26” barrel, and 4+1 capacity. Took it pheasant hunting and it was nice and lite and killed pheasants as good as my 12ga.

Gun came with a nice plastic case with gun socks for the barrel and receiver/stock. Also comes with 5 flush chokes, IC, LM, M, IM, F. I think I got mine new for around $549.

They also make a black synthetic version.

Gun is very similar to the Tristar G2. Tristar has a few more finish options, but the guns seem pricier and only come with 3 chokes.

I am pleased with my purchase. However , I got the 28 gauge bug, and have since added a Benelli SBE3 28 gauge.

 

How does the $550 gun match up to the $1800 gun? Im not a Benelli fan, I know they make a decent product.

 

I also have added a Remington 870 Wingmaster 28 ga. Prices on these are north of $1000. I traded my cousin a custom shop 20ga 870SC Wingmaster I had for the 28 ga Wingmaster. We both made out well on the trade.

 

I would definitely enjoy a pump 28 gauge. The express is my preferred finish as a hunter.

For a short period of time, NEF made a single 28 that I would love to add to my collection.

 

The most FUN shotgun I own is my 28 gauge O/U. I use a Browning 12 semi-auto for pheasants a 12, 16, and 20 for everything else. A sensitive little guy, it 28 whimpers when I reach for other guns. We both smile when we hit clays and grouse. The darn thing just makes me happy. It is an over achiever!

 

I have found the 28 gauges fun to shoot, and don’t regret deciding to get into that gauge of gun. My cousin gave me one of his Browning 28 gauge OUs for my birthday, and I really love shooting that gun too. Just wish the ammo was cheaper, I’m hoping to start reloading 28 gauge in the near future.

 

I got my SBE3 around Christmas for $1599, and have shot 2 rounds of trap with no issues. The Benelli is inertial system vs gas in the Mossy, but shooting 28 gauge neither has much recoil. SBE has a stepped rib which I really like, SA-28 is flat rib which is like all of my other shotguns. SBE3 has a 28” barrel, which I like better. Both guns are light, but I think the SBE3 is about 4 oz less.

For the SA-28, the first 250 rounds of target shooting were with no issues. However, when I went pheasant hunting with it, I had over oiled it and it attracted the SW Kansas dust like a sponge. Toward the end of the day, it stopped cycling. I cleaned it and the next day, it functioned well until the end of the day when It got gummed up again. I have since cut way back on the oil, and haven’t had any issues.

The Benelli is built better, and has better fit and finish, but the Mossy wasn’t bad. I bought the SBE3, for the inertial system reliability. Down side is the SBE3 is only 2+1 capacity, vs 4+1 for the SA-28. One good thing is that the SBE3 can shoot 3” shells, but the SA-28 is limited to 2 3/4”.

Both guns came with shims to adjust the fit of the stock.

I like both guns, but my buddy has been bending my ear to sell him the Mossy. I may let the Mossy go.

So back to your question, do I think the SBE is worth the extra $1100, well that is subjective. Do I regret paying $1599 for the Benelli, absolutely not. Did the SA-28 suit my needs, yes, and did I need the SBE3, no. When I bought the SA-28, it was my first 28 gauge gun and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go down the 28 gauge rabbit hole. Therefore I didn’t want to jump in with both feet. Knowing what I know now, if I was going to do it over, I would have probably bought a Beretta A400 28 gauge to start with, as the SBE3 28 gauge wasn’t made at the time I bought the SA-28.

 

Yep, always a good day when I install the 28 ga Skeetmaster tubes into my Citori.

 

I have a few 28s and two of them are Tri Stars. I use them hunting. Great guns for the money. Load them up with tungsten and hunt ducks and geese with them. They kill all day long and long range.

 

Never--underestimate the 28-----

 

Truer words never typed!

The deer that fell to the little 28 and TSS was shot at 50 yards. Ever pellet was a complete pass through! I no longer need to carry a heavy 12 gauge with 3 1/2 magnum!

 

The 28 is a great round. I have a Zoli Pernice and Fausti DEA in this gauge

 

The only complaint I have for my $499 Turkish 28 Gauge Tri-Star Setter O/U with 28" barrels is that it has a stiff trigger. It shoots better than I do and breaks clays on the skeet field. Steel receiver and very nice wood and wood fit/finish. 6.8 pounds.

The action was stiff to open/close at first, but that resolved itself with shooting.

 

The 28ga performs way above it's weight class. I had a Rem 1100 28ga. that I foolishly sold. I'd like to pickup a set of 28ga. barrels for our 686 20ga., or better yet a Joel Etchen SPIII Sporting Combo in 20ga/28ga or 28ga/.410

 

For the last few years, I've only used the 28ga for upland hunts. Most are lighter than 12/20ga guns and kills birds the same. My primary pheasant gun is the Benelli Ethos in 28ga. My grouse gun is a Browning Cynergy Classic in 28ga.

 

in the 28...What shot/shells do you use for fot pheasant and grouse.
I love my A-400, but use it primarily for turkey with #8 TSS

 

While I'll admit to owning seven 28-gauge guns and 28-gauge tubes for my Remington 3200 Skeet Gun in reality a 20-gauge can be had to do anything a 28-gauge can and on the upper end a lot more. And the 20-gauge ammunition is a lot cheaper and easier to find.

 

Me.I'm a huge 28 nut. I have 2 at present. I started my oldest grandson on a 28. He has become very skilled w/ it.

 

I got an 28G 1100LW with factory Skeet barrel at an estate sale. It was an impulse buy. I'll be darned if it isn't one of the coolest auto-loaders that I own. I really enjoy the 28G.

 

Love my 28’s. It is my favorite gauge at skeet. My Citori breaks birds about the same as my 12’s. I reload and ammo is not an issue.
I also have a nice Uggie sidelock 28. It has been to SD a few times. Knocks them dead when I hit them. Easy carry in the field.

 

I have a Beretta 686 in 28 gauge I have used the last couple years. I hunt wild pheasant, Huns and sharptails. I shoot lead 6’s when I can, Fiocchi golden pheasant. I hunt a lot of wpas so I use Bismuth 6’s from Kent or Boss. I may have to try some prairie storm if I can’t find anymore golden pheasant before next fall.

 

I have taken my 28's to South America for high volume doves. They will drop a dove at 60 yds when I do my part. They have tight chokes. In Argentina , you are shooting a 9/16th oz load (so 1/16th more than a .410 load) and they still work great on doves.

 

But the 20 is not as light as the 28 on a long hunt

 

Interesting that I happen across this thread. I"m in the process of looking for a 28. The first one I ever had was back in the late '70s or early '80s and it was a Franchi Falconet O/U. I just picked up a CZ bobwhite that a friend of mine immediately claimed so I'm looking for another one I can hide from my other shooting partners. I want to be under $1,000 and I've looked at the Yildiz which seems to be a very nice gun for the price point.

 

I ordered a 28 gauge, single shot, from Walmart. Before I FINALLY received it I heard that H&R went out of business. I gave up on it but they finally called saying that it was in! I'm betting that laminated beauty is the last 28 they made.(?)
Anyway, I was hooked. Great shooting, great patterning & practically no recoil!
Before long I bought a 28 gauge Stevens 555-E which I love. It has about 350 rounds down the pipe & I'm enjoying it more & more each time that I go shooting. While I'm setting no records shooting trap it has certainly improved my score behind the 12 gauge!

 

NEF / H&R single shots are selling for at least double what they were new! Your 28 gauge is worth a pretty penny!!!

 

Rem 1100 and Beretta SPV in 28 ga are my “go to” dove guns. That’s really all I use them for. But I wouldn’t own one unless I reloaded That gauge.

 

I’d love a 28ga. Single. But I’ll probably settle for a Yildiz. I got schooled by a buddy hunting Pheasant many years ago-the 28ga. made a lasting impression on me that day!

 

I stopped by a Scheels today and found some B&P nickel plated 6’s on sale. Once it warms up and stops snowing I’ll see how they pattern compared to the golden pheasant Fiocchi.

 

For what it's worth, in my Ethos 28ga and Cynergy 28ga, the B&P threw the same pattern as the Fiocchi. B&P patterned better out of the Ethos vs the Cynergy.

Factory Mod and IM chokes for both guns.

 

The diminutive 28 gauge is capable of breaking almost and target that you may use the 12 gauge for. I actually use my 28 gauge to shoot the 20 gauge competitions. I feel that I get as good, if not better breaks from that little 28.

 

Gentlemen,
Long ago I purchased an 1100 28 gauge skeet gun for my young wife, she hunted Mearns Quail in AZ with it and was extremely good with the gun, providing many great meals for us. She also shot skeet with the gun and the gun never failed. If you want a 28 gauge Semi-Auto I recommend the 1100 skeet gun in 28. The engraved guns are now going for big money.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man