Looking For A 28 Gauge Shotgun

I am still looking for a good affordable 28 gauge shotgun that can be used for sporting clays and quail hunting. I have looked at all the options, especially the brownings. I can purchase them at about wholesale cost. This week while teaching a course called instinctive shooting, a client showed up with a Ruger Red Label 28 gauge with .410 tubes. After the class I asked the client if I could shoot a round of skeet with his firearm and quickly ran the field with a new box of Winchester HS loads. It had the shorter 26-inch barrel that normally I do not care for. It was a joy to shoot. The client informed me that he taken this 28 to Argentina dove shooting for the last 5 years and it has never failed him. He also has a Browning Citori lightning in 28 that he also likes. However the Browning had mechanical problems last year and he still did not have it back from the shop. I asked him how many rounds he figures he has put through his Red Label and his answer really surprised me. He stated that his ammo bill last spring was a little over $3,000.00 or about 9000 rounds. He felt that he had shot about 42,000 rounds in the gun over the last 5 years of dove and pigeon shooting. The little 28 still looked to be in very good condition.

After listening to his dissertation, I showed him my 12 ga Red label that has more than 20,000 rounds through it. The bluing on the back of the trigger guard is long gone. I use it for the class I teach and occasionally for sporting clays. Last year after a couple of rounds of sporting clays a crack began to run from the tang down into the pistol grip. I was devastated as the wood on this particular gun was very good indeed. Reluctantly I called Ruger just before Christmas and was told to send it right after new years. So shortly there after I packaged it up and sent it off wondering if I would ever see it again. Well 13 days later it was back with new wood and new firing pins and springs. I was elated but the best part was all the work was done for free. Hey Free is good; I mean this is a 10 year old gun! So after shooting another round of skeet with the tubes removed and only dropping one bird, I am thinking that I might consider going with the Red Label. However, I will look for a gun with 28 inch barrels. I am not sure if I will spring for the 410 tubes but I might in the future. I still like the Browning but at half the price and twice the service, I am giving the Red Label a closer look.

Over the years I have seen or heard lots of negative feedback concerning the Red Label. However, I have come to realize that most shotgun shooters have lots of opinions but very little expertise when comes to choosing a firearm. I am just as bad as I sometimes read articles about firearms written by people who really have no in depth experience with that particular firearm.

Last Saturday I happen to run into the one of President’s Guides on the range and guess what he had in hand, a Ruger Red Label in 28 gauge. It had lots of field and handling marks on the receiver and wood. I asked him if he liked it, He just looked down at it shrugged his shoulders and said ” well its no longer pretty but always works” I guess that kind of says it all doesn’t it.

By: Jim Kesel -

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James Kesel, MS Bruce Point Outdoors