Weatherby SA-08 28 gauge

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Mike Irwin

Staff
Anyone have any experience with the SA-08 in 28 gauge, or the SA-08 line in general?

They look to be surprisingly affordable, and I'm getting the hankering again for a 28 gauge for shotgun games...
 
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A400 Fan

Moderator
The ones I have seen and handled have all been in 20 and seemed to be of decent build quality for the price point and seemed to function just fine
 
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TomADC

New member
Mike probably just me but if you reload I wouldn't get a semi auto in 28 ga, they are a little harder on the shells. I shoot two different 28's a SKB O/U and Browning copy of model 12 pump. I bought a case of AA28 ga shells when I bought the O/U and I still have most of them. Based on what I see with my Beretta 20 SA & Remington 11-87 12 ga you just don't get the milage out of the shells in a SA. Nit a huge difference but 28 ga are harder to find and more pricey then 20 or 12.
 
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A400 Fan

Moderator
At one time, I also had a SKB in 28 and a 1100 sporting in 28 - the only issue with the 1100 was how FAR it flung those 1300 fps factory sporting loads. They reloaded just fine - I averaged 10-15 with each one
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Hum....

Yeah, the tossing of the shells is a concern, because where I shoot recovering them is harder.

I have a couple of 12s (2 pumps and a semi-auto) and a 20 SxS. I had considered an SxS 28 before I bought the 20.

Maybe I should go O/U on a 28.
 
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A400 Fan

Moderator
In that vein, then you need to decide which frame. many are built on true 28 gauge receivers - which is great for all day carrying and doing some shooting at quail, etc. Others are built on 20 gauge frames, making them heavier which is good for all day shooting with little carrying (like a dove field) or clay targets
 
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TomADC

New member
Mike look at the SKB I think mines a 505 but it is in the 28 size frame. My shooting buddy has a Beretta O/U in 28 its even smaller than my SKB.
 
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BigJimP

New member
I'm not a fan of today's Weatherby .../ I'd suggest you pass on it based on the few I've seen at my club ...they had a number of issues - mostly feeding issues / and I think they were all 12ga ( but those issues could be aggravated by a lack of maintenance too on the owner's part )....but I was less than impressed by the fit and finish in general.

I like an O/U in a 28ga..../ but these days I do not think you're going to find many built on a true 28ga frame...most of them will be built on a 20ga receiver / which I think is fine --- but depends on what you want.

Browning makes a few of their O/U's in a 28ga ...at least in the Citori line of guns.

If you do an online search - you will find some Browning O/U's like from the Citori XS Skeet line / usually in 28" or 30" barrels...that were made as special order items for bigger dealers in 28ga and .410 on the 20ga receiver( I was told by one dealer several years ago the minimum order was for 50 guns for these special orders ), even though the 28ga or .410 were never in the Browning catalog. I picked up one in 28ga and one in .410 7 or 8 years ago.../ and I continue to see them around once in a while.

I suspect in the Beretta line ....especially for dealers like Joel Etchen....you will probably find some Beretta's that you won't see everywhere...or he can order what you want. I looked quickly at his site ...and he has a semi-auto A400 ...in 28ga ...that I don't think is in Beretta's catalog...( that would surely be a better gun, in my view, than anything made by Weatherby). But he must have some O/U's as well in stock / or that he can order for you.
 
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TomADC

New member
Mine:

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409893344.jpg
 
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A400 Fan

Moderator
Jim - the new A400 in 28 is on the street and while light and sweet, it ain't cheap. The Franchi would be better to save some cash

Mike look at the SKB I think mines a 505 but it is in the 28 size frame. My shooting buddy has a Beretta O/U in 28 its even smaller than my SKB.
Click to expand...

Sorry Tom, SKB, like Browning, made two frame sizes - 12 and 20. I also had the 505 in 28 (as well as still owning one in 20) and the frames measure the same. Beretta O/Us, especially in 28 can be had on either a 20 or a true 28 frame - all depends on the model)..If I am wanting a 28 O/U, I would want it on a 28 frame for hunting; if it is on a 20 frame, then save the weight and get the 20 and have the ability to shoot 20 ammo
 
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BigJimP

New member
That's good to know the A400 is out there....and no, I understand its not real cheap....but Joel Etchen's site says $ 1455 with the Kick Off ...or $ 1355 without it / and that's certainly not expensive either...

I'd buy the A400 ---over the Franchi ( every day ! )..../....the Franchi is probably a better gun than the Weatherby ....but I don't think its nearly as good a gun as most anything made under the Beretta nameplate.

But I'll defer to you on Beretta offerings...
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
I have no desire to spend over $2,000 on a shotgun that will only be used a couple of times a year.

I'll probably end up with a Stoeger Condor for under $500.
 
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Virginian

New member
I believe you would be much better served with a good used semi than a cheap O/U. A lot of people think O/Us are better, but they are not in all cases. An 1100, or a Franchi 48, or a Benelli, or a Beretta will all work well in the little 28. I will admit I love a scaled frame 28 SxS, and the ONLY O/U I have really even liked in 40 years was a scaled frame Beretta 28, but most of those are going to be way out of your budget. A good used repeater is a better tool than a cheap O/U in my opinion.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Well, this is strictly for amusement. I'm not going to be shooting tournaments, not going to be hunting, anything like that.

I'm just going to be breaking the occasional clay.

Realistically, I'm probably not even going to get one. I go throught these periods. I get a hankering for a 28 gauge, start looking in to it, and then for some reason the urge goes away.
 
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BigJimP

New member
Well ok, look for something used then...like one of the Remington 11-87's or the older 1100's they made quite a few in 28ga...

Might even be worth considering a gun like the Browning BPS Hunter model...its a good solid pump gun ...and its available in 28ga / and they're selling new for around $ 650 or so....its a good buy / and a solid gun...and easy to sell if you get bored with it ( Stoeger - not so much .../ especially on resale)...

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=011B&cid=012&tid=211
 
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A400 Fan

Moderator
If you want the challenge of a smaller payload, reload 3/4oz for 12 or 20 - works great, light recoil, easy on the wallet - and the main reasons I no longer own 28s!
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Nah, I have a bunch of pump guns. I don't really want a pump.

I also want to recover the shells, so as I noted above, a semi-auto isn't optimal.

A CZ Canvasback might not be a bad option, if I can find it for less than MSRP.
 
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zippy13

New member
A400
If you want the challenge of a smaller payload, reload 3/4oz for 12 or 20 - works great, light recoil, easy on the wallet - and the main reasons I no longer own 28s!
Click to expand...

It's a possibility, but you'll still have too hump a heavy 12-ga gun all day. I thought the reasoning was to get a light field gun. IMHO, a light gun is a hindered when shooting clays.

I don't own a dedicated 26-ga, but have several tubed comp guns -- the 28-ga hits like a 20 and kicks like a .410.
 
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