Patterning Your Load?

[Lawdwaz]

Years ago when I spent some time patterning my loads/choke/gun I always used a 30" circle on a big hunk of cardboard with a Dr Pellham turkey head/neck right in the middle.  I always took my shot at 40 yards.

 

After the shot I'd look over the turkey head/neck target then count the BB holes in the head and neck area.  Then I would pull the target and count the BB's in the 30" circle, then section the target in quarters, counting the quartered areas.

 

Then evaluate the data. 

 

Good times................I was single then. 

 

Oh, I've patterned my gun since I've been married but not nearly as scientific.  A soda can at 40 yards has sufficed numerous times.  I picked up some of those Hevi13 mag blends today at Cabela's, 2 boxes should get me started.  $10 rebate per box took away some of the sting.

 

 

What method do you guys use for checking loads?

[turkeyfeathers]

First off , good job on catching the rebate on the Heavi blends.

When I first set up a turkey combo I also use the cardboard After that I'll check a gun at 35 yards on a turkey target. Both mine and daughters gun have bottom of the pattern covering low neck. Hate crunching pellets. They key is to aim a bit lower if they are super close.

I need to throw one down range one of these days with my gun and Heavi just to check it. Did buy a box of Winny XR for testing purposes too.

If I were you I'd throw one on paper at 20 and one at 40. I know you're going to like these babies

[DirtTime]

Just a question here, But doesn't patterning depend on your sights?

Patterning depends on the sights you have. If you are using a scope, dot, or even a peep or rifled sights you can move them to get dialed in.

If you are using the bead site that doest move, you have to figure out where the pattern is hitting and learn to aim accordingly.

[ATbuckhunter]

Turkeyfeather has the best strategy. Get it sighted in at 20 then take a shot or 2 at 40 and you should be good to go. 

[Pygmy]

In your case, Larry, the POINT OF IMPACT of your gun is a given. You have shot many turkeys with your gun and patterned it previously, and since the POI will not vary significantly from load to load, pattern density is your main concern. Because of that, the soda can method will probably suffice.

In the case of a person who has not put his gun on paper previously and may be unsure of the POI, or someone who is using adjustable or optical sights with which the POI may have shifted, using the big cardboard or sheet of paper is much more critical, because it will show if his gun happens to be shooting high, low, right or left.

[Lawdwaz]

 

If you are using the bead site that doest move, you have to figure out where the pattern is hitting and learn to aim accordingly.

 

Yes, mid bead with High Viz (I think) magnetic front sight. 

 

I've been using this high tech sight for a few years.  One of the guys at the Gun Center gave it to me out of pity when he saw what I was using on my SBE................a weed stalk.

 

[Nomad]

I bet you have match sticks taped to your bow for pins as well !

Red and white is 20 yards

Ohio blue tip is 30

Edited April 4, 2016 by Larry302

[Lawdwaz]

In your case, Larry, the POINT OF IMPACT of your gun is a given. You have shot many turkeys with your gun and patterned it previously, and since the POI will not vary significantly from load to load, pattern density is your main concern. Because of that, the soda can method will probably suffice.

In the case of a person who has not put his gun on paper previously and may be unsure of the POI, or someone who is using adjustable or optical sights with which the POI may have shifted, using the big cardboard or sheet of paper is much more critical, because it will show if his gun happens to be shooting high, low, right or left.

 

I like your thinking Dan.

 

Seeing as its your logic, I'll buy a 6 pack of Genny Light and shoot an empty. 

 

Pics to follow............

 

[wooly]

Single bead front site for me so I don't get too crazy.

I'll plug this guy once or twice before season and see what rolls out the hole in his tail.,lol

BTW- this is a 5 year old jake.... they are tough birds.

 

[Pygmy]

Excuse me , Larry, I'm not trying to highjack your thread and I ask the forgiveness of those of you who have heard this story before, but it is one of my favorites...

 

An acquaintance had a rifle with an old scope and the CROSSHAIRS were missing from the scope.

 

When another fellow looked through the scope and asked the owner how he ever hit anything with it since the crosshairs were missing, the owner replied...

 

" It's a real BITCH until you get used to it ".

[maytom]

Lawdwaz, like some have stated, I try to get my gun patterned at a closer distance first, just to see if my scope is still on. Then I try a shot at 20, 30, 40, and 45 yards. Mostly try to see how many pellets I can put inside a 10" circle with the center of my pattern. The old school 30" circle, mainly was for duck hunting and wing shooting patterns, I was to believe. With the tight choke constrictions and the new turkey specific ammo out on the market now, a 10 circle is the norm for pellet count because your mainly aiming at a turkeys head/neck area. I pick up some of those "shoot-n-see" targets, where they show a bright yellow or red after any hits. I then draw a 10" circle around the densest part of the pattern. The point where it really starts to "open up", use this as your max distance with that particular shell/choke or even a little closer.

[Lawdwaz]

Lawdwaz, like some have stated, I try to get my gun patterned at a closer distance first, just to see if my scope is still on. Then I try a shot at 20, 30, 40, and 45 yards. Mostly try to see how many pellets I can put inside a 10" circle with the center of my pattern. The old school 30" circle, mainly was for duck hunting and wing shooting patterns, I was to believe. With the tight choke constrictions and the new turkey specific ammo out on the market now, a 10 circle is the norm for pellet count because your mainly aiming at a turkeys head/neck area. I pick up some of those "shoot-n-see" targets, where they show a bright yellow or red after any hits. I then draw a 10" circle around the densest part of the pattern. The point where it really starts to "open up", use this as your max distance with that particular shell/choke or even a little closer.

 

Scope-less here. 

 

I think the Shoot & See targets are misleading. They accentuate each shot, making them look better than they are.  The 10" circle is fine but really, knowing where the entire pattern is isn't a bad thing.

 

Lord knows, gobblers aren't always standing still and awkward shooting positions are common.  A perfect sight picture isn't always reality...............

[Pygmy]

wooly, on 03 Apr 2016 - 9:03 PM, said:

Single bead front site for me so I don't get too crazy.

I'll plug this guy once or twice before season and see what rolls out the hole in his tail.,lol

BTW- this is a 5 year old jake.... they are tough birds.

 

 

[Pygmy]

wooly, on 03 Apr 2016 - 9:03 PM, said:

Single bead front site for me so I don't get too crazy.

I'll plug this guy once or twice before season and see what rolls out the hole in his tail.,lol

BTW- this is a 5 year old jake.... they are tough birds.

 

Wooly isn't kidding here..His firearms aren't real high tech

 

I've seen pictures of his turkey gun.  I think it came over with the pilgrims on the Mayflower.

 

I think his turkey load is half a handful of gravel and a few rusty nails.

[Lawdwaz]

Excuse me , Larry, I'm not trying to highjack your thread and I ask the forgiveness of those of you who have heard this story before, but it is one of my favorites...

 

An acquaintance had a rifle with an old scope and the CROSSHAIRS were missing from the scope.

 

When another fellow looked through the scope and asked the owner how he ever hit anything with it since the crosshairs were missing, the owner replied...

 

" It's a real BITCH until you get used to it ".

 

Hijacks are always welcome. 

 

 

See Dan, THAT guy is just what the DEC doesn't need.  How many deer did he kill with that hairless setup?  Probably not too many, lots of ammo burned but few tags punched. 

 

My friend Tom would call him a "Happy Day Wanger", lovingly.

 

Edited April 4, 2016 by Lawdwaz

[Pygmy]

Fortunately that was in the days before rifles were legal here for deer, and he claimed he shot (at) woodchucks with it.

 

A couple of years after he showed us his rifle he wrapped himself around a tree with his Harley.

[ants]

I shoot at 20 and 40 yards at a turkey head target. I usually just draw a crude neck and head on a piece of copy paper. To be honest, there have been a few seasons where I didn't check the pattern because I figured that its the same gun, choke and shells from last year so I should be good. just last week I had to replace the front and mid bead on my gun (broke them the last time I was out with the gun) so I will definitely pattern it this year. Those 3 1/2's are not fun to shoot unless its at a turkey.

[LET EM GROW]

I shoot a red dot on my turkey set up. I also remove it every summer to let the kids and family shoot clay pigeons and such. So in April when i put it back on, ill shoot it at 10-15 yards first. that way i can fine tune it more precisely by knowing the center of my pattern better, rather than guessing where the center of the pattern when its opened up some at 20-25 yards( depending on your gun). then ill shoot down range after the pattern is centered on the birds upper neck/head area. That is just the way i have always done it..

 

My Mossberg 535 with a 22" barrel and factory XXfull choke and Longbeard XR 3.5" #4 shot, will pattern good on paper out to 65 yards. Not saying i would shoot that far, but on paper it can do it.  

[dbHunterNY]

a new barrel or choke I pattern with a cheaper lighter general purpose bird shot load at about 15 yards, 1" low.  assumed the drop and cast of the stock is already fitted if the gun comes with shims.  start at 35 or 40 yards with a 36" sheet of art or construction blue print drawing paper with a turkey head target in the middle.  10" diameter sharpie marker circle around the bullseye using a piece of string with a loop, if the turkey target isn't close to 10x10.  I finely sight in so pattern is center with where I'm aiming.  some sight in a little low, aim for head, and hit in the neck.  I don't like to do that.  count pellets in head and neck.  then count the rest on the right and rest on the left.  if it's not even enough pattern by eye then I change something.  otherwise I go with it and don't count quadrants.  I move out in 10 or 5 yard increments until I drop down to 45-50 pellets in the head and neck.  that's max range I figure as if the bird moves its head and you get a 1/4 of those in there it's still a stone dead bird.  as I move out I watch to make sure my pattern isn't still climbing and moving off target.

...that's what I do.  sometimes not all in one outing especially if you get into heavier 3.5" loads.  your noggin will be rattled a little.

 

[LET EM GROW]

Single bead front site for me so I don't get too crazy.

I'll plug this guy once or twice before season and see what rolls out the hole in his tail.,lol

BTW- this is a 5 year old jake.... they are tough birds.

 

 

 

I have done this before as well, with an old worn out hen decoy, she had a tendency to keep wanting to get in the fetal position out in the field, think she scared more than she attracted. lol so id freshly paint the head up a little and touch a shell off. was fun watching her "spin on the pole" 

[G-Man]

Patterned mine years ago 8 or 9 different manufactures,shot sizes, and shell legnths. then loaded up on the shells that worked best (bought a couple hundred) a shot at 30 is about a 3 in hole in paper so 1 shot before season to make sure reddot hasnt been bumped. and good to go

[Bowguy 1]

I shoot a red dot on my turkey set up. I also remove it every summer to let the kids and family shoot clay pigeons and such. So in April when i put it back on, ill shoot it at 10-15 yards first. that way i can fine tune it more precisely by knowing the center of my pattern better, rather than guessing where the center of the pattern when its opened up some at 20-25 yards( depending on your gun). then ill shoot down range after the pattern is centered on the birds upper neck/head area. That is just the way i have always done it..

My Mossberg 535 with a 22" barrel and factory XXfull choke and Longbeard XR 3.5" #4 shot, will pattern good on paper out to 65 yards. Not saying i would shoot that far, but on paper it can do it.

Very nice pattern but I must say bring we don't know who is reading, the pattern imo is too high. If you aim for the wattles half the pattern goes towards the head, half down the neck thus allowing more shot to hit vitals. XRs are very tight patterning and a miss is easy for lots of folks, you can see how much shot missed the bird.

Not trying to criticize just mentioning another method

[Bowguy 1]

I don't pattern myself-- what I do is practise some shots while sitting with light pheasant or dove ammo. I really think that sitting with one knee up is a tough shot . This is a learned skill. this unnatural position while sitting with one knee up. I personally favor standing next to a tree and becoming one with that tree! I have taken some turkeys like this and have yet to be (made) by the gobbler. Safety first though and standing may be a last resort. Alot of Spring hunters don't think about shooting from this position- but it is easier then shooting from from sit-down position. Just my view on it however.

Bill with all due respect are you saying you never pattern gun? I hope not as today's loads/chokes throw very tight patterns n often not where we're looking. We gotta know either way. Thinking perhaps I misunderstood?

[Skillet]

I don't pattern myself-- what I do is practise some shots while sitting with light pheasant or dove ammo. I really think that sitting with one knee up is a tough shot . This is a learned skill. this unnatural position while sitting with one knee up. I personally favor standing next to a tree and becoming one with that tree! I have taken some turkeys like this and have yet to be (made) by the gobbler. Safety first though and standing may be a last resort. Alot of Spring hunters don't think about shooting from this position- but it is easier then shooting from from sit-down position. Just my view on it however.

Wow. ????

[mike rossi]

If anyone wants to print out free turkey head / neck patterning decoys, here is a link.

 

http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/free-targets.html