12 gauge loads, but putting up to 100% more #5 shot holes … If recoil is an issue there are Low-recoil 20 gauge factory loads. 20 ga 2.75″ HW13 Load; 20 gauge hull cut aways, Win “Universal”, AA HS, CF; Rem; 20 ga 2.75″ >= 7/8 oz steel with CSD20 wad; Remington American Clay &Field 20ga RXP20 stitched wad fail; Pattern results RSI #116: 20ga 3″ 400gr; 20 ga Suprema vs Rio hull, cracked basewad; Best 20ga Commercial duck loads; 1350 vs. 1500 fps ranges & recoil Not enough to make a difference. Lest you write me off as Mr. Hyper Hyperbolic, let me assure you I didn’t come to the 28-gauge easily. Subtract 10 yards for the trajectory of the bird’s fall, and you still have a shot any 28-gauge can hang its hat on. Like most Dakota farm boys, I was a 12-gauge man for 14 years before adding a 20-gauge to my arsenal. 20-gauge shotshell—Many might consider this one borderline, but let’s run some numbers based on popular target loads: 28-gauge ¾ -ounce-12.8 ft.-lbs. Hitting shots may be more important than anything else for a beginner. If you're not competing there is little need to have a 28 gauge gun as the 3/4 ounce 20 gauge works extremely well. In one of many patterning sessions, this one in particular with lead turkey loads, I’ve had 1-1/4 oz. That can result in a dramatic increase in kick when, for example, 3", 1-1/4 ounce Magnum shells are fired in a 20 gauge upland gun appropriate for use with 2-3/4", 7/8 ounce loads. My 28 is a 32″ Perazzi MX-8/20 built on the 20 gauge frame. and 1-7/8 oz. I would skip 16-gauges and 28-gauges, because their recoil-to-energy ratios are so close to that of the 12-gauge and the 20-gauge, respectively, that it’s not worth the scarcity of gun options and loads for them. Sounds like I don't care for the 28? and 1-5/16 oz. I've shot a few boxes of those and plan on shooting more. But it does give up something. There are also 3/4 ounce 20 gauge reloads that replicate the ballistics of the 28. However, perceived recoil, what the shooter feels, is a highly subjective matter. When a beginner shoots a 28 gauge shotgun, he not only benefits from low recoil, but also a much better chance to hit what he is shooting at. In fact, it patterns much like a 20 gauge. 28's built on true 28 gauge frames are usually too light for clay target shooting. Ammo for them is also expensive. The barrels all weigh the same. Here are the free recoil numbers to give you an idea: 7-1/2# 12 gauge 1-1/8 oz shot at 1200 fps has 18.81 ft/lb free recoil 6-1/4# 20 gauge 7/8 oz shot at 1200 fps has 13.53 ft/lb free recoil 6-1/4# 28 gauge 3/4 oz shot at 1200 fps has 10.15 ft/lb free recoil. Choose a gun weight appropriate for the loads you intend to shoot. They are quite pleasant to shoot. Recoil out of the 28 using my reloads was slightly less than a 3/4 ounce 20 gauge reload. 28 Gauge: Ranking below the 12 and 20 gauges in terms of popularity, the 28 gauge shotgun is somewhat common in upland game hunting and skeet shooting circles. And that’s in a game where you can’t give up anything. 20 gauge loads clearly, vividly, dramatically outperform 1-1/2 oz. My 20 gauge averages were better than 12 gauge in part due to the recoil. In the right hands (unfortunately, often not mine), it is simply awesome. So, 20 gauge shells are yellow in order to make them easy to identify and to minimize the chances of loading a 20 gauge shell in a 12 gauge shotgun. In the 28 vs 20 gauge argument, the 28 doesn’t give up much in registered skeet if you look at the NSSA year book. If a 28- or 16-gauge is all you have, however, it’ll certainly do the job. The 28 gauge offers much better pattern performance with very little added recoil. 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