Here is some trivia – the bore diameter of a 12 gauge shotgun is derived by taking a pound of lead, making 12 balls exactly the same size and measuring the diameter of one of those balls. For a 12 gauge that measures to be about .729 of an inch. Here is the formula if you want to do the math:
If you make 28 balls out of a pound of lead then the diameter of a single ball measures about .55 of an inch. The 28 gauge, being 3/4 the size of a 12 gauge, yields a petite game gun that is a delight to shoot. I am no 28 gauge expert but so far, if I do what I am supposed to do, this little gun busts targets and kills birds as well as a 12 gauge – given that I shoot at things within range (say 30 yards?). Of course putting an additional 25% (or more) lead in the air with a 12 gauge gives the shooter more range and a better chance to hit the target! A lighter gun can be a challenge to shoot well but this little gun is a pleasure to carry in the field.
Here is an Armas Garbi 101 in 28 Gauge.
A diminutive jewel!
Decent wood is always a plus!
The lever rests right of center on this gun. That is a good indication that it has lots of life left.
Another indication of little use are strong case colors and rich bluing on the tang behind the trigger. These are the first areas to wear if it has been carried and shot a lot. I would bet that this gun has seen less than a few hundred rounds.
Compared to the venerable 12 gauge.
This gun performed well on west Texas quail! Longer barrels (29 inches) aid in gun handling, assisting a bit in swinging the gun on target.
Birdhunter 
Good lord that’s a beautiful gun! Congratulations on your recent acquisition. -b
Interesting shot of the 12 and the 28 together. You can see the receiver is wider on the 12, but both seem to use the same size, or similarly sized, butt stocks.
Anyway, enjoy your 28. I look forward to future tales of you afoot in the field with that gorgeous shootin’ iron.
Thanks Dean! The stock and the locks appear to be about the same size as a 12 gauge. The rest of the gun (standing breech, fences, forearm) are in proportion to the small barrels. In hand it feels really small at first but after you carry it and shoot it for a while you get used to it. Looking down the smaller sighting plane seems to be more precise than the wide 12 gauge view. I am not sure if that is good or bad but is it quite fun to shoot – except for the cost of the shells. Thank you for visiting!
i’m drunk and reading your blog, woot woot! any of ya’ll ever seen a grown man naked? would a four ten gauge bring down an elephant? robert kraft ain’t no ho’ chaser
Party On Captcha! Thanks for visiting the Birdhunter during cocktail hour.
You have acquired an excellent shotgun. I hunted with a Garbi 28 gauge for the first decade of my upland career. It was very reliable but did not have the long barrels and nice wood yours does. It is still being used after 30 years and I saw it at a field trial recently. The guy I sold it to hunts a ton and loves it.
The only things it needed was ejection timing adjustment in one of the barrels and some choke adjustment [ they were really tight in spanish guns at that time]. Fortunately for me I live in a area where English apprenticed gunsmiths are readily available and this was easy to do. Definately be careful who you let work on the gun if it needs it in the future.
Hi Robert, I could not agree more on the Garbi! I bought the same gun, a 101 except in 12 gauge, in 2002 and for 17 years it has never let me down. It is difficult to find them in good condition at a reasonable price so I did not hesitate when this 28 appeared. Thank you for visiting the Birdhunter!