Great discussion and all very good points. Now that I've got my foot completely extracted from my mouth I'll admit that for my own purposes a 28 is my first choice for the kind of upland hunting I do - ruffed grouse in tight cover with a smattering of woodcock tossed in. I have no experience on chuckar or wild pheasant (for nearly forty years now in my part of the country)and I don't hunt waterfowl (a married man can only spend so much time away from 'husbanding' and remain relatively happy) but I think I could easily become addicted to it... but I wouldn't use a 28. I use a 28 for skeet and sporting clays and score about the same with it as I do with a 16 or a 12. I don't reload so I just stay away from shooting a 20 these days as I find most 'off the shelf' 20 ga. ammo unpleasant to shoot and for me that entirely rules out any 3" 20 ga. ammo as well as any overloaded 28 ga. ammo. I just won't shoot something that is unpleasant to shoot - for my purposes there is no point in it - I hunt and shoot for the pleasure of it. At my age I'll continue to shoot my 28 ga. side by sides and my light 16 ga. side by sides and I'll even shoot my twelves once or twice a year but my gauge of choice will still be the 28 because it is so pleasant to shoot, the guns carry so easily, and when I've done my part the 28 has never failed me.
