Gun weight is important to the felt recoil. Given identical loads and stock dimensions, the heavier gun feel better. The total recoil is equal in both guns, but the heavier gun will feel more like a push than a stab

I agree. I have a pair of dehaan sxs's that when I think I will be busting brush they are my go to guns. One is a 20 gauge the other a 28 gauge. The 20 gauge feels like just about every 20 gauge I have ever shot. That 28 gauge is much lighter but the recoil is much sharper. 20 gauge feels like a push 28 feels like a quick jab, put less power behind it.

As if 28 gauge shells are not expensive enough, would love to see a 28 gauge load with tungsten in some 10 or 12 size shot. That could be the ultimate small bore game getter gun, especially in that left barrel.

#10 and #12 will not penetrate a flannel shirt at 25 yards. It is not for the humane dispatch of any game bird.

I hunted elk with a 375 H&H for a number of years and have shot it quite a bit from the bench and can say that how you place yourself behind the rifle makes a difference. When shooting from a bench you need to be sitting straight up behind the rifle, not hunched over it. By sitting straight up you're body is better able to give with the recoil and it is not so punishing. Better yet the British have used standing benches to test large bore doubles for years.

I'm planning to build a standing rest that is a small bench that clamps to the vertical roof supports at our local range, that way I can have good support and still be able to shoot more rounds accurately when testing loads for my big bore rifles.

I had a chance to get a 4 hour tour at the H&H factory. The man who is their rifle regulator was not a work that dy. He was having major dental work done. I suspect it was from too much exposure to .500 Nitro Express

I am with you when it comes traditional thinking when it comes to lead shot, but I am learning. It is hard to wrap your mind around it. I was skeptical like you with classic thinking about lead shot at that size, would be the same as shooting coarse table salt. I am talking about a theoretical tungsten load in that size and not lead though, and not even certain they make tungsten that small, yet.

They are now using number #9 shot in tungsten to kill turkeys at 50+ yards and since tungsten has a density of 18 compared to leads 12, that is a 50% increase in mass. The ballistics performance of this stuff is just phenomenal at what it can achieve with such small pellets. It is definitely a shift in thinking.

Just guessing but would think pellet count in 28 gauge with #10 shot would be about the same as 12 gauge using 7.5 shot in a 2 3/4 shell.

Here is some of the latest info on the new Federal Premium Heavyweight TSS (tungsten super shot)
... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ccWMOFEicQ

Bil

I built a standing bench rest years ago and used it quite heavily because it made a big difference back when I shot rifles up to 458. I had a 20 inch barreled Remington 700 C. A very light gun for the caliber. I also loaded up many reduced loads which is what I would mostly use if I were to play with the 375. Fun playing with the big boomers!

I seldom shoot a rifle off a bench but when I do use a very high front rest and “muzzle and elbow hold. Put my left hand on the rest rifle in my hand same way as if shooting offhand. Buttplate in the shoulder pocket elbows on the bench. Wear my old small bore prone coat with padded elbows.

Worst prone or bench recoilier I shoot is a Trapdoor with full power 500 gr bullets. Lot of drop to the stock and a Cresent buttplate. It’s OK muzzle and elbow.

However rifles zero different off a hard rest. More they recoil more off the zero will be bench to offhand. Best zero same position you plan to use hunting or in competition. Shoot a group from position calculate center of impact and make adjustments from center of impact. When I Shot a lot of small bore prone we never tested or adjusted bench rest, always sling and coat prone just like in competition. Considerable difference in zeros, considerable meaning scoring rings on a very small bulls eye target. Inches not much.

If the shooting will be from a stand with a rest zero from a hard rest. Other wise center up a group. It’s more pattern than pinpoint. 375 I bet will shoot 3 or 4 minutes low offhand vs bench. 30/06 sporter it’s at least 2 moa different

William

My big Game gun is a Model 70, Super Grade in .416 Rem. I had the original 24" pipe whacked to 21" with good set of express sights installed, and Talley quick release bases and rings, holding a 1X5X30MM Kahles. The express sights are regulated for 400 Grain Barnes Bonze solids and 400 Grain Sledghammers, the scope is set for a 300 grain Barnes X load to shoot 2" high at 100yds. I don't shoot the gun off of the bench often, but I can tell you this. The difference in 100 grains of metal is like the difference between a 243 and a 300 mag! When I practice with this gun I alternate between shooting sticks, offhand and bracing against a tree with the 400 gr. loads out to 100yds, to simulate dangerous game situations...I do the same with the lighter loads, at farther distances. but throw some prone position rounds out to 300yds...

I use the same method basically that William describes in his post of sighting in for center of group, as I'm a hunter, not a target shooter. I had a PH in Botswana one time that "made" me shoot from a rest at 100 yards to check zero...My rifle was almost three inches high, and an inch right...put three that would fit inside a quarter....he was digging around for something to change my scope, when I asked him to let me shoot offhand, shot four about as quick as I could, two cut the bullseye, 1 was an inch low and left, one was an inch high and right. He put his screwdriver back in the truck..