Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: fishunt247 on April 03, 2010, 04:35:06 PM

Title: Patterning Oddities
Post by: fishunt247 on April 03, 2010, 04:35:06 PM: My roommate and I went out today to pattern our guns (make sure they were still on). I put 57 pellets in the head and neck (I didn't count ones that were touching the line) at 35 yards, but only 5 at 50 (I would NEVER shoot 50 anyway, just checking). He put 20 pellets at 35 yards (not a great pattern really), but 9 at 50. I was shooting 6's, him 4's. Any ideas why his patterned a little better at 50 despite being nowhere near mine at 35? I'm sure there's an explanation; I just don't study this stuff.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: jdb on April 03, 2010, 04:38:30 PM: man we've been having a tuff time getting our guns patterned well also.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on April 03, 2010, 04:43:19 PM: length of barrel, type of shot, type of choke lot of things that could make that differnce.

Joe
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: Turkeyman on April 03, 2010, 05:00:30 PM: Its all about choke constriction. What is the constriction on your choke? Guns with back bored barrels like mossberg, winchester X2 & X3, shoot better with a .670 or .680 Other guns with out back bored barrels you can go tighter .650 to .670
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: WDFW-SUX on April 03, 2010, 05:08:27 PM: Internal choke geometry.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: fishunt247 on April 03, 2010, 05:48:32 PM: I'm not complaining about my pattern at all. It would be hard to complain about nearly 60 pellets at 35 yards. Just wondering why his pattern didn't lose as much of its value out to 50 as mine did. I don't care, because I'll never shoot that far, I was just curious. I shoot a Benelli with a .665 choke. He shoots a Remington with a more open choke.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: turkeydancer on April 07, 2010, 12:11:34 PM: FH - Maybe the BB gods like him better .... :chuckle:
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: jackelope on April 07, 2010, 12:18:25 PM: It would be interesting to see where your #6's ended up at 50...I wonder if the weight difference caused them to drop off and hit low. His 4's with more weight didn't lose their momentum as fast??
:dunno:
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: dawei on April 07, 2010, 04:13:42 PM: Quote from: fishunt247 on April 03, 2010, 04:35:06 PM
My roommate and I went out today to pattern our guns (make sure they were still on). I put 57 pellets in the head and neck (I didn't count ones that were touching the line) at 35 yards, but only 5 at 50 (I would NEVER shoot 50 anyway, just checking). He put 20 pellets at 35 yards (not a great pattern really), but 9 at 50. I was shooting 6's, him 4's. Any ideas why his patterned a little better at 50 despite being nowhere near mine at 35? I'm sure there's an explanation; I just don't study this stuff.
Quote from: fishunt247 on April 03, 2010, 05:48:32 PM
I'm not complaining about my pattern at all. It would be hard to complain about nearly 60 pellets at 35 yards. Just wondering why his pattern didn't lose as much of its value out to 50 as mine did. I don't care, because I'll never shoot that far, I was just curious. I shoot a Benelli with a .665 choke. He shoots a Remington with a more open choke.
What gun, what gauge, what choke, what ammo, and shot size did you use? Was your ammo Pb or HTL?
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: fishunt247 on April 07, 2010, 05:05:15 PM: That'd be my guess, that they dropped of or when awry.
Benelli SBEII 12 gauge, Primos Jellyhead choke, Win. Double X Magnum 3" #6. They are the best load I've tried for this gun...and I've tried quite a few. And I'm special and don't know what Pb or HTL means.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: Intruder on April 08, 2010, 08:16:34 AM: A lot of variables....tough to answer. Did you guys trade shells and see how they perfermed in different guns.

Possible factors....
1. Having frewer larger pellets sometimes means they deform less and thus pattern better at longer ranges
2. Wads/Buffering
3. Chokes
4. Barrel design
5. Speed/Pressure
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: satchel3006 on April 08, 2010, 08:25:54 AM: Pb= lead HTL= heavier than lead
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: fishunt247 on April 08, 2010, 11:05:45 AM: Oh ok. They are copper plated lead. I've shot hevishot and Federal's heavier than lead, and both didn't pattern worth a *censored* out of my gun.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: Bofire on April 08, 2010, 12:56:33 PM: :)patterning is weird. in my testing I have yet to find a load that did not do well at 20 yards. At 40 yards I have never used a 3.5 inch load that worked well, some 3 inch work well and 2.75 work REAL well. I also got better 40 yard patterns with a normal full choke than my extra full or turkey full.
Worst pattern I ever got was a #4 3.5 inch load at 40 yards, no hits in the pie plate at all!!LOL
Carl
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: CP on April 08, 2010, 01:32:16 PM: Smaller drops loses velocity quicker than larger shot. The #6 that does stay in the pattern will not have much energy at 50y while the #4 not only stays in the pattern but will actually penetrate and kill at 50+ yards.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: fishunt247 on April 08, 2010, 05:19:45 PM: Noted. Thanks. Most of the places I hunt you can't even see 50 yards...I've only shot two gobblers ever that were even at 40 yards.
Title: Re: Patterning Oddities
Post by: bow4elk on April 09, 2010, 01:35:38 PM: Here's a 30 yard pattern from my Rem 870 Super Mag (26" barrel) with a .655" TruGlo choke shooting 3" Remington Nitro Turkey loads (6 shot, 1 7/8 oz). At 40 yards it opens up a bit more but still has about 13 pellets in the red.

Food for thought...