Description
The Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge is a specialist tool and makes no apology for it. Twenty eight gauge, a 26 inch deep bore barrel, satin walnut over an aluminum humpback receiver, and a weight around five and a quarter pounds. This is a gun built for people who walk a long way for a small number of shots. Part number CRACEUL26, UPC 193212036162.
Why anyone chooses 28 gauge
Twenty eight gauge throws about three quarters of an ounce of shot. That is less than a 20 and far less than a 12, and within its range it kills quail, woodcock and grouse just as dead. What you buy with the smaller payload is a smaller, lighter gun and recoil that barely registers, which over a long day in the field is worth more than the extra pellets you gave up.
The Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge takes that logic to its conclusion. An ACE-R Upland Ultralight 26 inch in this gauge is one of the lightest semi-automatic shotguns you can buy, and a 26 inch barrel on a frame this small points quickly in thick cover where a longer gun catches on everything.
Unusually for a 28 gauge semi-auto shotgun, the chamber is 3 inches rather than the 2 3/4 that most 28 gauge guns are built around. That gives you access to the heavier 28 gauge loads if you want them, which is a genuine flexibility most guns in this gauge do not offer.
How it is built, and what to check
The Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge uses an inertia system Retay calls Inertia Plus, driven by a rollover torsion spring rather than the conventional arrangement. Like any inertia gun it runs clean, since there is no gas being routed back into the action, and it contributes to how light the Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge can be. That Inertia Plus humpback receiver is also what gives the ACE line its distinctive outline.
Barrels on the Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge are deep bore drilled with a factory lengthened forcing cone, which is Retay’s approach to pattern quality, and the gun ships with a generous set of choke tubes rather than the usual three. Retay also fits their AIRY recoil pad and claims up to a thirty percent reduction in felt recoil; on a 28 gauge that is largely academic, but the pad is comfortable.
One thing to confirm before you order a Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge. The distributor listing for this part number shows a 3+1 capacity, while Retay publishes 2+1 for 28 gauge on their own site. Call us and we will tell you what the gun in the case actually holds rather than have you order off a conflicting spec line.
Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge specifications
- Gauge: 28
- Chamber: 3 in
- Barrel: 26 in, deep bore drilled with lengthened forcing cone, vent rib
- Action: Inertia Plus, inertia driven semi-automatic
- Receiver: aluminum humpback profile
- Stock: fixed satin walnut
- Recoil pad: Retay AIRY
- Chokes: multiple tubes included, extended long range tube in the set
- Capacity: 3+1 per distributor listing, 2+1 per Retay, confirm before ordering
- Approximate weight: 5 lb 5 oz per Retay for 28 gauge
- Part number: CRACEUL26
- UPC: 193212036162
Two practical points. Twenty eight gauge ammunition costs meaningfully more per box than 12 or 20 and is stocked in fewer places, so buy your season in advance rather than expecting to find it locally in October. We do not currently stock 28 gauge shells, so plan accordingly. Second, Retay lists a 3.5 inch chamber in some of their walnut ACE-R marketing copy; that figure applies to the 12 gauge guns, not to this one. Retay publishes the platform detail on the Retay USA ACE-R page. Quote Retay CRACEUL26 when you order.
Compare the rest of our shotguns or browse in stock firearms.
Why it is worth considering
- Around five and a quarter pounds, which is about as light as a semi-automatic shotgun gets.
- A 3 inch chamber in 28 gauge, which most guns in this gauge do not offer.
- An inertia action that stays clean without gas system maintenance.
- Satin walnut and a humpback receiver rather than black synthetic.
Who it suits
The Retay ACE-R Upland 28 Gauge suits an experienced upland hunter who already owns a 12 or a 20 and wants something that disappears in the hand over a long day on foot. It is a poor first shotgun: the gauge is expensive to feed, the payload is unforgiving of sloppy shooting, and a beginner is better served by a 20. For the right buyer it is one of the most pleasant guns in the field.
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