patterning shotguns

Zen Leecher aka Bill W · 09-10-2001, 08:15 AM

How many people here have patterned their shotguns to see how their choke tubes pattern and check to see where the shotgun shoots.

I did that to two of mine over the weekend. A 11-87 12 gauge and a Citori O/U in a 20 gauge. Found out the skeet and imp cyl tubes for the 20 gauge were a little ragged and the full choke tube kinda real tight. Modified was like modified should be. Then I started thinking that the skeet and imp cyl tubes would be good for close in birds. Surprising thing was the 20 gauge shot high, as in "like a trap gun".

The 12 gauge gave a real good pattern with the 1 1/4 oz pigeon load and gave a 50/50 pattern with the bead (front sight) in the center.

I never had a shotgun shoot that flat and now understand how I missed some clay pigeons shooting trap this last year. Also this will be real useful for the opening weekend of duck season.

So... anyone else "pop some shotgun caps" at paper.

As an aside I'll say that years ago shooting baby magnums at paper was a real thrill. One time I flinched so bad that I missed the entire paper. I really whined about the recoil as I took that second shot.

Baby magnums kicked with 45 foot pounds of recoil. 3inchers were worse. Never tested the new steel loads.

Dogfish · 09-10-2001, 10:25 AM

Try patterning a single shot 10 gauge. I gave up after 2 shots. andy

bigshark · 09-10-2001, 02:42 PM

Bill W
I play around with this quite a bit. I do a fair amount of reloading and am always playing with the number of slits in the wad, how much pressure on the crimp, buffer types, and the different hulls..etc. I am always awed by the amount of pattern change one can get with a little tweeking. I have some old guns that have served me well for years and I take them out and shoot them with
non-toxic,non steele shot. I am so taken by this the new hevi-shot that I bought a bag for rolling my own....but I want to shoot it in some of my good oldies....I thought I would get some kevlar wraps to protect the barrels and use the terrific Federal wads that I am so fond of. I should be able to shoot rocks through the barrels with that combo.......Anybody tried this or something like it?

Dogfish · 09-10-2001, 08:20 PM

HI Bill,

I just got off of the phone with one of the landowners with the pigeons. She said it was okay near the calf barn I told you about, but she needs to check with the tenant that owns the calves. I would love to shoot some "test patterns" on those birds with you.

I did do a lot of patterning when I shot trap a lot. My favorite load ended up being just about any load out of a Gold Medal hull, lots of blue dot, and a AA wad. Most of these loads were 1.25 to 1.5 ounces of shot for duck hunting, but then came the steel shot regs, and I stopped doing it any more.

Your post has given me something else to do this weekend, and I will pattern my Kent loads after I sight in my new slug barrel.

Andy

Zen Leecher aka Bill W · 09-11-2001, 07:00 AM

Andy,

My general practice load and probably pigeon load for 40 yards and under would be a 1 oz trap load that gives about 1150-1180 velocity.

My pattern testing on Sunday showed this one gives a good pattern and the 1 1/4 oz pigeon load I've used for years is even better with this new (for me) 11-87 shotgun I bought.

My purpose of testing was to see what the individual choke tubes did and the placement of the pattern.

This 11-87 is my duck and all purpose gun and I needed to know where the pattern hit so I wouldn't overshoot or undershoot birds. With this gun undershooting would be a big concern since it shoots so flat. I never had one this flat before. So, guess I cover them up with the barrel and pull the trigger.