28 ga Repro

[Scott Gentry]

New to new me a nice straight grip two trigger 28 with 26” imp/mod barrels. It is a 800 serial number gun but was a bit surprised when I checked chokes, right .004 and left .018.
No signs of having barrel work that I can tell, this fall in normal range for chokes?

I love the combination just curious. Thanks

[Dean Romig]

That sounds more like Q1 & Q2 chokes to me but I’ve heard of other Repro chokes that didn’t measure to correspond with the choke stamps on the flats.





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[Daniel Carter]

New to new me a nice straight grip two trigger 28 with 26” imp/mod barrels. It is a 800 serial number gun but was a bit surprised when I checked chokes, right .004 and left .018.
No signs of having barrel work that I can tell, this fall in normal range for chokes?

I love the combination just curious. Thanks

As you go to smaller gauge the amount of constriction needed for a particular choke designation becomes less. For example in 12 skeet is .005, in 28 .003.Mod in 12 is .025, in 28 .012. This table was found on Google and attributed to an obscure organization called the PGCA.
When i first found this i checked a .410 Stevens ''turkey '' gun made to use TSS and to my suprise its ultra full choke was .017.
According to that table your gun is skeet and improved mod. a great upland gun or it is as stated imp/mod.

[Dean Romig]

Kathy’s 28 gauge Repro’s chokes measure Rt. .005” and Lt. .007”…. FWIW





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[Greg Baehman]

For comparison purposes my 28ga. DHE factory stamped IC/M chokes measure .006/.016. I am the original owner having purchased the gun new from Cape Outfitters at the closeout in 1995. The chokes are un-touched original.

[edgarspencer]

My 26", marked IC & Mod, measures .011" and .020". That sure looks like Mod & Full to me.

[Scott Gentry]

My 26", marked IC & Mod, measures .011" and .020". That sure looks like Mod & Full to me.

The charts I have reviewed mine is Skeet/ imp. Mod.

[Daryl Corona]

I can't comment on a the reproduction chokes but I learned over many years of shooting 28 gauge guns that you are much better off ballistically with tighter chokes.

[edgarspencer]

ballistically

Damn! He is good too

[Bill Murphy]

Edgar, yours are proper mod and full. However, 28 gauge Repro fulls are usually .039, twice a normal full.

[Greg Baehman]

... ***snip*** ... I learned over many years of shooting 28 gauge guns that you are much better off ballistically with tighter chokes.

Would you please expound on this a little more?

[Daryl Corona]

Sure will Greg. First off this is my experience after shooting two original Parker 28's for 40+ years. My 26" VH measures .011/.20 and the 30" measures .012/.022. I believe that smallbores benefit from tighter chokes. That's just my observation. I know that a few members here have shot the 30" gun and shot it lights out. Just ask Chuckie B.

Now for the reason I say that. I have a high end 28ga o/u with choke tubes. I started out with .004/.013 and just wasn't happy with the target breaks or the lethality on live birds. I ended up screwing in .014/.026 tubes and it changed the whole complexion of the gun.

Once again this is just my opinion.

[Bob Jurewicz]

Sound to me the issue is not ballistic but pellet count on target.
Bob Jurewicz

[Daryl Corona]

Definition of ballistics

: the study of the processes within a firearm as it is fired.

Yes Bob pellet count, pressure, velocity and choke constriction are all part of the equation. As I said before, this is my experience and what works for me. Your mileage may vary.

I'm planning on having a 28ga. side event on the Baby Whoop this year at Hausmann's. Let's bring some 28's to have fun with. The proof is in the pudding.

[Greg Baehman]

Sure will Greg. First off this is my experience after shooting two original Parker 28's for 40+ years. My 26" VH measures .011/.20 and the 30" measures .012/.022. I believe that smallbores benefit from tighter chokes. That's just my observation. I know that a few members here have shot the 30" gun and shot it lights out. Just ask Chuckie B.

Now for the reason I say that. I have a high end 28ga o/u with choke tubes. I started out with .004/.013 and just wasn't happy with the target breaks or the lethality on live birds. I ended up screwing in .014/.026 tubes and it changed the whole complexion of the gun.

Once again this is just my opinion.
Thank you for the reply Daryl. I can agree with much of what you say, especially for many 5-stand targets, sporting clays targets and perhaps pheasants when you're looking for more pellet count with larger shot. But, it's shots taken at skeet, woodcock and grouse where the bulk of your shooting is done at less than 25 yards that may put you at a disadvantage with your theory of being "much better off ballistically with tighter chokes".

Your 28ga. side event that you're planning sounds like a real hoot. Beware of the Parker Repro guys that may be bringing out their set of M/F barrels. You may be wishing your Parkers had a little more choke! (dbl. wink!)

[Mike Poindexter]

Put it on paper at 30 yards with your hunting load and see if you get a killing pattern. If so, forget about the rest. If not, try a different shot size/load. JMHO.

[Tom Jay]

I have a 28 gauge Repro 2 barrel set. Bird hunting I can't hit anything moving or stationary (slight exaggeration but not far off) with the 26" IC/Mod barrel, but I hit almost everything with the 28" M/F. Is it the my physical mechanics of using a longer length barrel or the tighter chokes that give me better results with the 28" M/F barrel? The down side of the 28" M/F is I obliterate close birds with the Mod barrel and thinking of having it opened to IC or Light Mod.

[Scott Gentry]

Put two shots on my pattern plate, for upland gun I am happy with these.

Both Rio 3/4 oz number 8 shot. That is a 30” circle on plate.

[Bill Murphy]

Tom brings up an important observation. He hits (or kills) more birds with his tight choked 28 than he does with the open barrels. Obviously, he is hitting birds with the open barrels, but doesn't put them in the bag. He is crippling the birds he is hitting with the open barrels. Gives a little more credibility to Daryl's post. Tight chokes are the only choice for serious bird hunting with a 28, except for quail, woodcock, and sometimes, grouse. What do you open choke guys do with a grouse when you miss with the first barrel? Luckily, Tom learned from experience, as have Daryl and I. 28 gauge Repros with IC and MOD are a better choice for general bird hunting than the Quail 1 and Quail 2. MOD and FULL may be an even better choice.

[Daryl Corona]

(dbl. wink!)[/SIZE]

Well Greg the gauntlet has been thrown. Unfortunately I can't compete as I'm setting the targets and running the show. But... I will have my protege's there to help you see the error of your reliance on reproduction chokes.:cool::)

I know this sounds ridiculous to some, but I have made myself able to hard focus on the beak of a bird or the front edge of a target. If you practice some eye exercises you can direct your shot charge exactly where you want it using a tight choke.

Tom, don't change those chokes if you can score with them now. If you handload try working up a light 5/8oz load.

[Bill Murphy]

My friend, Daryl, obviously subscribes to my philosophy concerning tight chokes. "Learn to shoot." I have seen Daryl shoot and "he don't need no open chokes".

[Tom Jay]

What should the constrictions be for 28ga. Repro 28" M/F barrels? Briley choke chart says M/F should be .015/.024. Had my 28ga. 28" M/F barrels measured and the results were right .020 and left .045. Isn't this tight? I previously mentioned somewhere in this post I was obliterating pheasants over a pointing dog with the right Mod barrel under 20 yards. Could this tight choke be why or what am I missing? What measurements should 28" M/F barrels have?

[Greg Baehman]

My 28ga. 28" Repro's factory-original M/F chokes are .014/.034. I love them for 5-Stand and Sporting Clays, but aren't my first choice for much of the other close-range shooting that I do, such as grouse/woodcock and Skeet. For grouse/woodcock I'm shooting the 26" IC/M at .006/.016 and for Skeet I find the 26" Q1/Q2 chokes at .004/.007 about perfect. I've got a 2-bbl. set and a single barrel set that all three barrels sets are interchangeable between the two 28ga. Repros.

[tom tutwiler]

Certainly at lot of what one needs it based on the game one hunts most of the time. Since 80% of my shooting is Woodcock over Sophie, the Q1 and Q2 chokes should be the bee's knees out of my 28 gauge Parker Repro. FWIW, I currently shoot a Fox Sterly 20 gauge with chokes of .004 and .014 and I have destroyed Woodcock with the first barrel when centered at the normal distance of circa 15 yards. Where I hunt there is often zero chance of getting a second shot because of thick cover and even it I do that second shot will be max of 25 yards. For those who like to eat Woodcock a centered bird even when using open chokes at close range often turns into a skeet station 7 outgoing. An explosion of feathers and the dog trying to figure out what pieces to pick up.

[Dean Romig]

HOLY…. .034” is full choke for a 12 gauge, but in a 28 gauge ???





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[Ryan Brege]

I am hoping to come across a 28 Gauge Repro that tight for turkeys.

[edgarspencer]

What should the constrictions be for 28ga. Repro 28" M/F barrels? Briley choke chart says M/F should be .015/.024. Had my 28ga. 28" M/F barrels measured and the results were right .020 and left .045. Isn't this tight? I previously mentioned somewhere in this post I was obliterating pheasants over a pointing dog with the right Mod barrel under 20 yards. Could this tight choke be why or what am I missing? What measurements should 28" M/F barrels have?

I have never heard of a 28ga. choked at .045". .021" is considered by Briley to be a full choke in a 28.
It's no wonder you were 'obliterating' game. You could shoot through a Cheerio and not break it.

[mikeschneider]

my 28 gauge repro with 28" barrels is choked M/F...measured .016/.035...mod/super-duper full according to people smarter than me! I am probably going to have Jim Eyster open it to something in the .010/.020 range...I have been advised by many more wise than I am to stay a bit tighter with a 28 gauge...I have an Uggie 28 gauge that I had opened up to SKT1/SKT2 after getting it...have killed lots of sharpies and huns, and some ruff's with it...I will say I do cripple lots of birds...may shift to a 15/16 oz load of 7.5's instead of the normal 3/4 oz of 8's that I usually hunt with. I have a red label 28 gauge as well...haven't shot or hunted it much, but have done well with it...probably using IC/Mod tubes when I have hunted it. If I were going to describe what I am looking for with the repro, it would be LM/LF, basically...knowing I can have it opened further if need be. It will probably be used mainly for prairie birds in Sept/early Oct, pre-pheasant season...maybe a pheasant hunt or two? Great forum, much fun!!!!:)

[Greg Baehman]

HOLY…. .034” is full choke for a 12 gauge, but in a 28 gauge ???.
YESSIREE, only .034! Others here have reported even tighter -- like .039 and even .040 or more. One here even asked I wonder how the wad clears the bore? When shooting tight chokes in a 28 Eightbore says "Learn to shoot". I agree as these tight chokes make for some impressive breaks on those high 50+ yard crossers...lead 'em by a canoe length and they go poof!

[Bill Murphy]

I have two full choke 28 Repros. They both measure .039 with a very expensive Galazan mechanical bore gauge. I have always wondered about what happens to the wad on the way out of that bore.

[Dean Romig]

I'm sure the wad will compress through those tight chokes a lot easier than a shot column will.





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[Tom Jay]

My 28ga Repro Full measures .045 as previously mentioned and now I had my 20ga Full measured and it’s .042. I’m keeping my gunsmith busy.

[Kevin McCormack]

I can't comment on a the reproduction chokes but I learned over many years of shooting 28 gauge guns that you are much better off ballistically with tighter chokes.

Exactly, precisely right!! Also depending on the make and vintage of the gun, certain ones LOVE certain shot sizes. I owned 2 Parker 28 gauges, both early Meriden guns, one 26" and the othere 28". They both loved 7 1/2 shot, "liked" #8s, cared less for #9s and hated anything larger than #7s.

A Parker Repro 28 I owned for a while choked SK1 & SK2 didn't particularly "like" any conventional sized shot but would pattern #10 shot handloads I "put up" for railbirds like broadcasting tobacco seeds. An absolutely lovely little R15 Darne 28 gauge I shot for a while with 25" barrels was so deadly using #8s I was invited to "not bring it" on several game farm quail hunts; the same gun would homogenize skeet targets from any station with standard #9 loads.

Now I'm down to one Belgian Browning Superposed 28" Pigeon Grade 28 bored M&F, one 28" Citori 28 with Invector chokes, and one AH Parker 26" 28 (It's a 16 ga. 0 frame Briley full-length tubed to 28 ga with their choke tubes because the Damascus barrels are so rotten inside they're unsafe to shoot). Decisions, decisions........

[Gary Laudermilch]

I have never owned a 28 but I did some pattern work for a friend. It was an Arietta choked ic/mod using RST shells 8 shot. I have done a bunch of pattern testing for my own 20's and I have to say this 28 shell combo was the worst by far of any gun/shell/choke that I have ever worked with. It was and still is the only time I have seen a true donut hole pattern and the bugger would do it shot after shot.

[Dean Romig]

I have never owned a 28 but I did some pattern work for a friend. It was an Arietta choked ic/mod using RST shells 8 shot. I have done a bunch of pattern testing for my own 20's and I have to say this 28 shell combo was the worst by far of any gun/shell/choke that I have ever worked with. It was and still is the only time I have seen a true donut hole pattern and the bugger would do it shot after shot.


Was it caused by the gun or the load?





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[charlie cleveland]

my 8 ga did this I finally figured it out..the the over shot wad was going into the plastic wad cup and staying with the whole wad thus making a slug load out of it....charlie

[Gary Laudermilch]

Dean, I have no idea since we did not have any other shells to try. My friend initiated the request to pattern it because he could not hit any grouse or woodcock with it and he does not shoot clays. He was so disgusted after the patterning work that he sold the gun but I would not be surprised if just changing shells may have yielded different results. Unless you do a bunch of pattern work most shooters do not realize just how fickle shotguns can be.

[Tom Jay]

Bill, why are 28ga Repro's tight and how tight should a 28ga Full be? Is .045" like mine too tight? Ballistically, and in general, do 28ga Full barrels have to be near .045" to be effective?

[Dean Romig]

I think that in order to determine how effective or ineffective .045” choke constriction in a 28 gauge Repro are you’ll need to pattern it with various loads using various shot sizes at realistic yardages for the kind of shooting you intend to do, otherwise it’s mostly guesswork.





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[Daniel Carter]

Bill, why are 28ga Repro's tight and how tight should a 28ga Full be? Is .045" like mine too tight? Ballistically, and in general, do 28ga Full barrels have to be near .045" to be effective?

I found a chart online by googling -choke constriction in shotgun gauges that appeared on this forum. It went from 12 to 410 and as the bore got smaller so did the amount of constriction needed to get a particular choke designation. For instance .045 for full in 12 but only .017 for 410
It may be that .045 in a 28 is doing just the opposite of what one would think.
The so called turkey chokes i have tested in some guns shoot a weak mod. pattern
Each is individual to the specific gun and load.

[Daniel Carter]

The chart i mention is here in the FAQ section on the home page , it is #12.

[Bill Murphy]

Tom, the 28 gauge full choke Repro constrictions are off the chart. Parker Brothers full choke in 28 gauge is .020. Whether the "off the chart" full choke in a 28 gauge Repro is effective depends on how it looks on the pattern board. I will shoot some patterns when I get time and report back.

[Brett Souder]

Tom brings up an important observation. He hits (or kills) more birds with his tight choked 28 than he does with the open barrels. Obviously, he is hitting birds with the open barrels, but doesn't put them in the bag. He is crippling the birds he is hitting with the open barrels. Gives a little more credibility to Daryl's post. Tight chokes are the only choice for serious bird hunting with a 28, except for quail, woodcock, and sometimes, grouse. What do you open choke guys do with a grouse when you miss with the first barrel? Luckily, Tom learned from experience, as have Daryl and I. 28 gauge Repros with IC and MOD are a better choice for general bird hunting than the Quail 1 and Quail 2. MOD and FULL may be an even better choice.

I just measured my 28 Reproduction 28" and the right barrel is .033 and the left barrel is .044, this is way off the charts for a MOD / FULL choke barrel. I haven't patterned it mainly because I shoot the 26' IC / MOD barrel so well.
-Brett

[John Dallas]

.044"? Wow! And I thought .044" was tight in my 12 gauge Fox Sterly

[Brett Souder]

I can not even get the Galazan Dial gauge to go into the left barrel its so tight. I had to measure the bore diameter from the chamber end and mic the muzzle end.
-Brett

[Greg Baehman]

Brett and others, what are the choke constrictions of your 28ga. 26" IC/M barrels?

The reason I'm asking is that I'm seeing some variations in 28ga. Repros IC/M and M/F choke constrictions, but the Q1/Q2 chokes are very consistantly within a thousandth or two of .004/.007.

[Brett Souder]

Brett and others, what are the choke constrictions of your 28ga. 26" IC/M barrels?

The reason I'm asking is that I'm seeing some variations in 28ga. Repros IC/M and M/F choke constrictions, but the Q1/Q2 chokes are very consistantly within a thousandth or two of .004/.007.

Funny I never checked them before and to my surprise the they are right barrel .008 and left barrel .023.
-Brett

[tom tutwiler]

Funny I never checked them before and to my surprise the they are right barrel .008 and left barrel .023.
-Brett

Wow. That Mod is actually full its seems.

[Greg Baehman]

Thank you Brett.


I have a 28 gauge Repro 2 barrel set. Bird hunting I can't hit anything moving or stationary (slight exaggeration but not far off) with the 26" IC/Mod barrel, but I hit almost everything with the 28" M/F. Is it the my physical mechanics of using a longer length barrel or the tighter chokes that give me better results with the 28" M/F barrel? The down side of the 28" M/F is I obliterate close birds with the Mod barrel and thinking of having it opened to IC or Light Mod.
Wilmurt, it would be interesting to see what your Repro 28ga. IC/M set of barrels mike out at. Would you please measure them and report back?

With the small sampling from this thread we are seeing some significant differences in the constrictions that varies from gun to gun with the 28ga. Repro's IC/M and M/F chokes.

So far the IC/M set of barrels the IC varies from .004 - .011 and the MOD varies from .016 - .023.

With the M/F set of barrels we're seeing even more variation, the MOD constrictions go from .014 - .033 and the FULL constrictions go from .034 - .045.

Any one have a theory on why there's so much variation in the above sampling?

[Tom Jay]

28 Gauge Choke Measurements (measurements repeated 4 times)

26" IC/M
1. R-bbl .007” .553” Bore
2. L-bbl .018” .553” Bore

28" M/F
1. R-bbl .020” .553” Bore
2. L-bbl .045” .553” Bore

[Greg Baehman]

I have a 28 gauge Repro 2 barrel set. Bird hunting I can't hit anything moving or stationary (slight exaggeration but not far off) with the 26" IC/Mod barrel, but I hit almost everything with the 28" M/F. ***snip***
Have you checked POI with your 26" IC/M set of barrels?

[Tom Jay]

POI was checked and there’s no issue

[Greg Baehman]

If the POI is hitting where your aiming, your .007/.018 chokes are, at least in my experience, sufficient and effective at any reasonable distance for a 28ga. with proper loads for the upland bird hunting I do.

If it were me, I would do a quite a bit of target shooting, i.e. skeet, 5-stand and sporting clays before giving up on them.

[Tom Jay]

My issue is not with the 26" IC .007/Mod .018 chokes, but the 28" Mod .020/Full .045 chokes and, yes I've shot about as much clays as possible to figure this out too.

[Greg Baehman]

I have a 28 gauge Repro 2 barrel set. Bird hunting I can't hit anything moving or stationary (slight exaggeration but not far off) with the 26" IC/Mod barrel, but I hit almost everything with the 28" M/F. Is it the my physical mechanics of using a longer length barrel or the tighter chokes that give me better results with the 28" M/F barrel? The down side of the 28" M/F is I obliterate close birds with the Mod barrel and thinking of having it opened to IC or Light Mod.
Tom, the above is what you wrote. I've read and re-read it several times, and each time I read it I come away understanding you "can't hit anything moving or stationary (slight exaggeration but not far off) with the IC/Mod barrel, but I hit almost everything with the 28" M/F." (The words in quotations are your words, not mine). I thought it was the IC/Mod set of barrels you couldn't hit anything with, I'm sorry if I misunderstood.

[Tom Jay]

Don't need to be confusing. I still can't hit anything with the 26" IC/M. with the gunsmith's assistance I believe the IC/M barrels are choked correctly and there's no issue with the POI. Also had the gun stock measured and compared to my 20ga. Repro and found the 28ga. stock measurements to be similar to the 20ga. As my father always told me about my shooting ills that "its not the arrow but the Indian".

Since I hit more clays and live birds with the 28" M/F barrel than the 26" IC/M my gunsmith has summized that my shooting technique is different with each barrel. It seems I swing faster and not as smoothly with the shorter barrels than with the 28" barrels. The added weight of the 28" helps my swing too. I am having the 28" M/F barrels opened up to more conventional 28ga. chokes of .013"/.027" than the current chokes of .020"/.045. I'll be keeping the 26" barrels in the case.

[Ryan Brege]

Man, I wish I had a set of barrels for you. I am in the opposite camp, I would really like to have a tight choked set of 28" barrels to turkey hunt with. It pains me to hear this....

[Craig Haberthy]

28 gauge DHE Parker Repro. Barrels match. Can’t figure out what the stamped ‘I’ is. Anyone?

[Greg Baehman]

28 gauge DHE Parker Repro. Barrels match. Can’t figure out what the stamped ‘I’ is. Anyone?

The "I" stamp meaning has been brought up several times in this forum. Like, Mr. Spencer, had responded previously to you-- no one seems to know. Here's one of those threads where it's been brought up before: http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5012