I hate to jump into the fray, but then again, when have I been accused of being that smart. A close personal friend received a very early 28ga. reproduction from Mr. Skeuse back in the day that was a 26" gun with marked skeet and skeet chokes. (He also had a first year production Browning 'Lightening' 20/28/410 three barrel set that has its 20 gauge barrels bored and marked with cyl and cyl chokes, which is still my go to rain gun to this day) The 28ga. was also 'delivered' with a leather covered recoil pad. Now don't shoot the messenger, but I was there as a gun at the field trial when it was foundled by all and shot for the first time. It could have been done by the Skeuse's/Reagant Chemical's inhouse gunsmith??? Sadly, the box is long gone. I ended up purchasing the gun in the early 90's and soon sold it as it had a straight stock and I am not a big fan for their use out in the grouse woods, too much one handed stuff going on. It had a super low two digit serial as I remember and about the best Turkish looking California walnut that I have seen on a reproduction, in fact it is/was as nice or nicer than the 28" SST 28ga. reproduction that I shoot which came from a well known outdoor writer.
As to M&F in 28 reproductions; mine, with its normal ton of reproduction choke, shoots perfect patterns at 20 yards with Polywad Spred-r's and really nice even patterns at 30 yards when fed Remington Express 7 1/2"s. I have learned to leave my lunch hooks off of tightly choked guns and go searching for a load that works instead. My 28ga. reproduction needs bending down a bit to be as efficient as my DT VHE 28, but I have been afraid to have someone attempt to bend it as the wild grain doesn't layout worth a darn in the grip area. Wouldn't make much difference these days anyway; eyes shot, fingers stiff, and shoulders need rotator cuffs fixed. I still go out to keep the dog in tune, and to answer some sort of ancient call. It must be in my blood. I sure do a lot of bird educating these days, just trying to get a bird or two. Just my two cents worth.
Remember: Life is Good, Treat it With Respect!
