Beretta says 28 Gauge isn’t Dead

Written By

Michael Crites

Licensed Concealed Carry Holder

Reviewed by

Editorial Team

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Updated

Jan 2023

British gunmaker W.W. Greener first marketed 28-gauge shotguns back in the 1880s and they were exceedingly popular in Europe for taking small, nimble game such as quail, pheasant, and rabbit. While over on this side of the pond the smaller .410 bore filled this role while larger 20-, 16-, 12-, and 10-gauge shells took care of everything else, that doesn’t mean the 28 didn’t catch on at least a little bit.

With its “square” load because of the balance between its hull payload vs bore diameter, it proved magic when it came to busting clays of all sorts and continues to do so, hitting accurately and reliably out to all practical shotgun ranges while having a soft recoil. Often called “the thinking man’s 20-gauge,” the 28 has become even more popular in recent years, especially when using non-traditional (i.e., not lead shot) loads.

With that in mind, it isn’t surprising that Beretta this month announced a new 28-gauge model of their A400 Upland series of over-and-unders. Of course, they are $1,800, but we are talking Beretta and over/unders here, so you knew this wasn’t a topic for the poors.

Meet the Experts

Written By

Michael Crites

Licensed Concealed Carry Holder

Michael Crites has served as executive editor of AmericanFirearms.org since 2016 and previously held positions as associate editor and range correspondent dating back to 2000. He discovered his passion for precision shooting at age 12 during his first visit to his grandfather's shooting range, eventually earning an Expert classification in three different shooting disciplines before age 18. During his studies at University of Wyoming, he earned four varsity letters on the collegiate rifle and pistol teams, serving as team captain for three consecutive years. He became the first UW student to complete the NRA Range Safety Officer certification while maintaining full-time student status. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Communications. His diverse career has included roles as Range Safety Coordinator for the National Rifle Championships in Camp Perry 2001; editor-in-chief, Precision Shooter Quarterly; series editor, Modern Firearms Handbook collection; managing editor, National Shooting Sports Foundation Newsletter; editor, Competitive Shooter Magazine; operations director for Western Arms & Ammunition Co.; senior editor for the Shooter's Reference Annual (Cheyenne); content director for The Firearms Report, published by the American Shooting Coalition in Billings, MT; firearms correspondent for Hunting & Shooting, produced by Outdoor Sports Media Group in Jackson, WY; and publisher for Wyoming Shooting Sports Journal in Casper. He has contributed as a regular columnist for American Rifleman (NRA Publications), technical editor for Precision, a publication of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (Phoenix, AZ); and as firearms specialist for the Gun Owner's Annual. As a digital content creator, he has written more than 400 articles on AmericanFirearms.org, developed shooting technique coverage for the Brownells Shooting Blog (Montezuma, IA) and Federal Premium "Range Notes" platform (Anoka, MN), and served as lead content strategist for International Defensive Pistol Association (Berryville, AR). Beyond Tactical Firearms, his current endeavors include content development for the Wyoming State Rifle Association (Cheyenne, WY) and technical manual production for High Plains Publishing of Laramie, WY. He has contributed to the 12th, 13th, and 14th editions of Modern Sporting Rifles Guide and edited The Complete Guide to Tactical Shooting and Competitive Shooter's Reference Manual (Gun Digest Books).