Straight Grip DHE 28ga, 28” Barrels, Double Triggers On GI

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

Edgar, 99.96% of my shooting is done with reloads. About the only time I buy and shoot new shells is to replenish hulls for reloading. As a reloader of 28ga. I still have a bag and a half (500/bag) of 28ga. Spred-R inserts, but having 28ga. Repros choked Q1/Q2, IC/M and M/F I have little need to load up Spred-R's for my shooting needs. I can just use another set of barrels, but if the need arises I have a lifetime supply of the inserts on hand just in case. I don't know why the Spred-R would't work just as efficiently with #5, 6 or 7 1/2 shot as they do with 8s or 9s.

As for your counter question, I haven't any idea -- you'd expect that the gun would produce patterns commensurate with its choke designation. I also have to believe that your IC/M stamped Repro with .015/.021 constrictions falls outside the norm and is an exception rather than the rule.

Maybe you should have measured that IC/M stamped barrels before you wrote the check, eh?

I wonder if those in inserts are still available. I load 28s also, but it's kind of a pain to segregate ammo on a per-gun basis.
I am sure my 28 was more the exception and not the rule. I bought it from a gun shop on the opposite side of the country, and am not a fan of shipping stuff back and forth. I would have believed I could take it's stamping as truth, so never gave it a lot of thought. plus it filled the gap between my factory 24" and factory 28".
The two barrel set I gave my daughter measures exactly as marked.

[Jeff K.]

I have tried those inserts. They are fine for twenty ga. but are very tight fitting for 28.
The best I have found are brush wads. They aren't perfect, but do open up the choke some.

[Wild Skies]

I wanted to see and put on paper what a Spred-R disc did through my 28ga. Repro's FULL (.034 constriction) choke at 15 paces and compare that to the same load w/o a Spred-R disc. So I loaded up a few shells with the Spred-R disc on top of the shot. Yes, the disc is a somewhat snug and tight fit in the AA hull, but as Martha Stewart would say "That's a good thing!" I used my standard Sporting Clays load for comparison:

* AA compression formed hull
* W209 primer
* 12.9gr Universal Clays
* CB1075-28 wad
* 3/4 oz. #8 magnum shot
* 1200 FPS
* 10,800 PSI*

* It has been estimated that the addition of a Spred-R disc results in less than a 500 PSI increase in pressure.

The first pic below is the pattern at 15 paces with the Spred-R disc. It resulted in a 19" pattern spread. The second pic is a same load, but w/o the disc. This load resulted in only a 10" maximum spread at the same 15 paces.

[Bill Murphy]

I really like that 10" pattern. By the way, every full choke 28 gauge Repro I have measured measures .039 constriction. Every full choke Meriden Parker 28 gauge I have measured measures .020 constriction. Nothing wrong with either one if the birds are far enough away.

[Big D]

The tightest patterns I've seen on paper were out of my .044 Sterly. I can't imagine. 039 in a 28 gauge. Is it possible that the shot gets deformed enough that it begins to throw fliers which spread the pattern?

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I really like that 10" pattern. By the way, every full choke 28 gauge Repro I have measured measures .039 constriction. Every full choke Meriden Parker 28 gauge I have measured measures .020 constriction. Nothing wrong with either one if the birds are far enough away.

What would possess a person to even think .039" in a .550" bore made sense? I've had several repros with full chokes and never measured anything tighter than mid to upper 20 thous. My 24" VH came with .022" L&R, and when rarely connected, powdered clays, but I would consider it way too tight for Woodcock.

Originally Posted by John Dallas

I can't imagine. 039 in a 28 gauge. Is it possible that the shot gets deformed enough that it begins to throw fliers which spread the pattern?

Without question! Cramming 1/2 - 5/8 oz through that hole is going to yield a very unpredictable shot column.

[Bill Murphy]

Let's hear from some other full choke 28 gauge Repro owners. Edgar says his are all in the 20s, and everyone I have heard from on the net says .039. OH, me too. The truth is, who cares?

[edgarspencer]

You had me second guessing myself, Bill. I measured a bunch of guns yesterday, mostly 12s and .039 wouldn't shock me on a 12, but I was wondering if I was thinking 28. I looked at some chart I have glued in the top of my barrels tool box, and sure enough, .024 is "Extra Full" in a 28ga.
I'm not saying you haven't measured a bunch of Repros at .039" even though I haven't, which leads me back to my question; what would possess a person to choke a 28 so tightly?
And, to your point, Who cares?

[BS]

My reproduction 28 ga. Is marked mod/full and measures.022 and.044.
- Brett

[Wilmurt]

My 28 gauge Repro M/F measured .040/.047. A little tight.