in terms of the length and weight of shot column relative to bore diameter
Larry, that's Math, there's simply no way you can make anything else of it!!!
Also there is nothing you can apply that equally fits both the 3/4oz 28ga & the 1oz 12ga loads. If these two loads balance one another then so does the 7/8oz 20 & the 1oz 16. If you can't define what's equal how do you know it is. I have read articles by equally well know authors lauding the 12ga, the 16ga, the 20ga & the 28ga. I learned a long time ago you have to sift through a lot of chaff to get a little of the grain.
Regardless of how good or knowledgeable on gets they can still have little personal prejudices & hangups. I think the whole gist of the matter is Brister considered the 28 a "Small Bore" & "Expected" it to shoot simialr to the .410. When it shot much closer to the 20 as it was "Supposed To" he thought it somewhat Mysterious. There is however no mystery about it, that's what its supposed to do.
