There is at least one practical application for the 3" 28 ga. and it would be pheasant hunting with a Benelli Ethos auto. At 5 lbs., 5 oz. it would be a light carry for pheasants. I don't envision my ever going hunting for pheasants or buying the above gun. But someone will and put it to good use. The 3" Fiocchi 28 ga. shell puts 1 oz. of #5's out of the barrel at 1300 fps. It probably wouldn't be the choice of a hunter in pursuit of the elusive boar with mammary glands, however.
https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2018/7/24/hardware-benelli-ethos-28-gauge-3-inch/ The hunters that are left, to a large degree, are a graying lot. My son was just recently thrilled to get custody of his late Grandfather’s Silver Snipe O/U, a 7lb and very small change shotgun, but, the very few remaining friends I have in the game have stepped down to smaller and lighter guns. Much lighter in a few cases. I used to see a very old man in one of my haunts, with a break action .410, who would walk down the logging path and pot a grouse on sunny afternoons. He had to fight like hell to keep his pickup and his shotgun, at the home he lived in, and figured at his age, he wasn’t doing much harm taking a bird for supper off the ground.
I agreed with him. He was over 90. Haven’t seen him in a few years.
Glad I don’t have to figure out what shotguns are going to be selling in a few years.
Best,
Ted
