Patterning a shotgun...

Tim

Tim

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I've never done it. Is there anything more to it than setting up a large target at 25-40yards, taking a couple shots and seeing what's what?

I understand looking for the "center" of the shot pattern to understand POA/POI and looking for holes in the pattern that a bird could fly through.

The gun that I have...reviews say that the OEM chokes suck. It came with an aftermarket skeet choke, but I'm more likely to use M/IM in the field. Should I go ahead and pick up aftermarket chokes before doing the patterning?
 
You'll want to pattern with the chokes you plan to use so if you plan on buying aftermarket ones you'll want to wait until you pick them up. The other consideration with less expensive O/U guns is are the barrels properly regulated to the same POA?
 
All I did with my 590 HD was put up a big price of paper at 20 paces ( max distance in my house) and shot a few different 00bk to c which one she liked better. Turned out to be my fav too Remington 00bk reduced recoil :)

I would guess it's the same for a O/U too. Just make sure you are using the chokes u want to use. Not sure of what distance you would want to test at tho?
 
I'll pattern at 25 and 40 yards. Bunny and dove distances.
 
Your patterning the ammo, much as the choke (initially).
Different brands/shotsize/velocity all effect the pattern and POA/POI.
Steel vs lead, #7 shot vs #6 etc etc.

Big piece of cardboard. Start at minimum expected field distance.

I use cheap dollar store wrapping paper, flipped to the white side, stapled to the cardboard.

Patterning is also a good time to find where the gun shoots when you mount it to your shoulder and shoot.
A slow aimed shot often does not translate to a shot taken from low carry.
 
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Having done more than my share of patterning shotguns, wait until you have the chokes you intend on using. It sounds like you're going too tight with M/IM. I use skeet and Imp/Cyl 98% of the time and will occasionally go to a LM if I have to. Bear in mind that a 20 will not have the pattern density of a 12, less shot = less pattern density. Keep your ranges to 20 and 30 yards. The 20 isn't a 40 yard gun.

You'll need targets of at least 40" x 40" to catch all of the shot and derive a meaningful result. Place an aiming point in the middle and pre-mount the gun for a couple of shots before attempting to mount/shoot as if shooting in the field. Use fresh paper with each shot or you won't know which shot produced what result. Try different shot sizes (7.5, 8 and 9's) to see which size gives better patterns.

I have a Beretta trap gun that will shoot consistent straights with 7.5's, but give low/mid 20's with #8. Then my Browning BT99 is just the opposite, go figure. I think the biggest issue you're going to find with the gun you have is barrel regulation. Lower priced OU's don't have the attention to regulation that a higher priced gun will have. It's an exacting science that takes a skilled craftsman to achieve.

Lots of luck, if I can help just holler....
 
Guess it really matters on what you are using it for. For competition 3 gun, I never use cardboard. I set up steel knock overs at 5 yard intervals. Then start at 10 yards with a choke that gives me the biggest pattern and shoot each knock over until one fails to fall. I note the distance and shoot it again to make sure it was not aim. I rinse and repeat for each choke / shot size I plan to use. Seeing what is on paper is nice but actually seeing what has the ability to knock the target over is what really counts.
 
TSConver said:
Guess it really matters on what you are using it for. For competition 3 gun, I never use cardboard. I set up steel knock overs at 5 yard intervals. Then start at 10 yards with a choke that gives me the biggest pattern and shoot each knock over until one fails to fall. I note the distance and shoot it again to make sure it was not aim. I rinse and repeat for each choke / shot size I plan to use. Seeing what is on paper is nice but actually seeing what has the ability to knock the target over is what really counts.
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Look for the key words in the OP, O/U, 25 yards, holes a bird could fly through, etc.... I really don't think he's shooting 3 gun..
I could be wrong, but......
 
TSConver said:
Guess it really matters on what you are using it for.
Click to expand...

Strictly field use....rabbits, grouse, pheasant, etc. and then only a couple outings per year. It “may” see trap or sporting clays.

I’ve always used my (grandpa’s) Ithaca 37 12ga with fixed Mod barrel until now. That gun has developed a crack in the stock that I don’t want getting any worse.

So, this is my first 20ga and first O/U.

I also have a Beretta 1301 semi-auto for more serious endevours.
 
This...

"Patterning is also a good time to find where the gun shoots when you mount it to your shoulder and shoot."

May be just as important/more important than the patterning exercise itself...

Your eye is effectively your rear sight, proper/consistent cheek weld/positioning is imperative
 
As stated above, make sure you are using the ammo you plan on using in the field. My 870 turkey gun with the ventilator choke will put 75+ pellets in the head and neck on a turkey target with Remington Copper plated 5s. Change the load to 6s and I am lucky to get 25. Both killing loads but a major difference which in my mind does not make much sense, as there are more pellets in the 6s. Also have noticed on the skeet range, using Nitro ammo, I consistently shoot in the 20s, drop down to field loads and my scores drop too. Some of it may be the speed. But for the hunting you are doing, if you get a 50/50 spread at 25 or 30 yards you should be good to go.
 
Bailey Boat gave some good advise. Shoot the distances your target will actually be at. For me it's sporting clays so I pattern at 25 and 40 yards. I found a roll of 36" wide paper at Hobby Lobby cheap that works well. I take a sharpie and draw a centered horizontal line and then a vertical line. At a glance now you can see where your pattern is favoring. Ideal for clays is supposed to be 60/40 (top/bottom). Do shoulder the shotgun a few times but I like to carefully aim to take the "me factor" out.
I recently did this with my Benelli and Beretta, both semi-autos and both with IC choke. Discovered the guns are not why I'm missing!
 
Bailey Boat said:
It sounds like you're going too tight with M/IM. I use skeet and Imp/Cyl 98% of the time and will occasionally go to a LM if I have to. .
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For small game, you go with Imp and Cyl? Since I'm used to Modified (12 ga), maybe I'll go Mod and LM
 
Tim said:
For small game, you go with Imp and Cyl? Since I'm used to Modified (12 ga), maybe I'll go Mod and LM
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You misread, Skeet and Improved cylinder.
The skeet choke is optimized at 20-25 yards (normal skeet ranges) and the Improved cylinder is optimized at 30 to 35 yards. They will overlap at 25 to 30 yards. With your barrel selector, and a quick thumb, you can have the right choke whether something is going away or coming to you. Like I said, that's what I use 98% of the time I'm hunting or shooting sporting clays....
 
Bailey Boat said:
Look for the key words in the OP, O/U, 25 yards, holes a bird could fly through, etc.... I really don't think he's shooting 3 gun..
I could be wrong, but......
Click to expand...


Never said he was but even patterning a O/U you could use my method and really know what your pellets are capable of. Just because they poke holes in paper does not mean there is enough energy left to poke holes in skin. If they will knock a piece of steel over at 30 yards probably gonna hurt a rabbit at the same distance.
 
TSConver said:
Never said he was but even patterning a O/U you could use my method and really know what your pellets are capable of. Just because they poke holes in paper does not mean there is enough energy left to poke holes in skin. If they will knock a piece of steel over at 30 yards probably gonna hurt a rabbit at the same distance.
Click to expand...

Obviously you're not a hunter. I have killed rabbits with a single pellet of #8's, they are not difficult to kill and neither are most birds. Regardless of what you're shooting the energy expended on the target is dependent on shot size and velocity. The larger the shot size and the higher the velocity, the more energy imparted on the target.
Most all "field loads" are loaded to a standard 1200 feet per second and you'll need to go to Sporting Clays loads to get to 1300. A faster payload also relates to less lead required to hit a target at distance. More than likely the loads that you shoot steel with are running about 1200 fps, don't know what shot size you use but that will play into imparted energy.
Your end goal is energy delivered to the target to make it fall. A hunter needs some imparted energy but more importantly they need consistent patterns in order to hit the target. A load that is too fast will blow the pattern into a doughnut shape and be ineffective. Shotgun patterning is more science than just knocking a piece of steel over..
 
Bailey Boat said:
Obviously you're not a hunter. I have killed rabbits with a single pellet of #8's, they are not difficult to kill and neither are most birds. Regardless of what you're shooting the energy expended on the target is dependent on shot size and velocity. The larger the shot size and the higher the velocity, the more energy imparted on the target.
Most all "field loads" are loaded to a standard 1200 feet per second and you'll need to go to Sporting Clays loads to get to 1300. A faster payload also relates to less lead required to hit a target at distance. More than likely the loads that you shoot steel with are running about 1200 fps, don't know what shot size you use but that will play into imparted energy.
Your end goal is energy delivered to the target to make it fall. A hunter needs some imparted energy but more importantly they need consistent patterns in order to hit the target. A load that is too fast will blow the pattern into a doughnut shape and be ineffective. Shotgun patterning is more science than just knocking a piece of steel over..
Click to expand...


You are correct never small game hunted with a shotgun. Have bird hunted but that was mostly pheasant when I was small in the Midwest. Just took what my dad handed me and shot it. Was just offering a possible alternative.
 
Just a comment on the part concerning holes in the paper where a bird can fly through. Pellets arrive at a POI at different times so just because there is a bird sized hole in a pattern doesn't mean a bird would make it through. The choke choice and ammo choice you pick for hunting is determined as much by what you are hunting as it is distance. You want to hit it, and kill it without blowing it up. As for occasional sporting clays with a 20 gauge I'd put in IC/Mod and work the barrel selector as Bailey suggested. If you don't have an IC use Skeet/Mod for 20 gauge clays.
 
Tim, if you are interested in knowing where the center of your pattern will be and if both barrels are shooting to the same center, take a big piece of cardboard and with a marker draw a target about the size of a half dollar. Then from your "game range", whatever you think will be most consistent with your hunting, get a good solid rest, bench or bags and shoot 1 slug from each barrel as hard as you can hold at your target. Where ever these rounds hit will be the "center" of whatever pattern you are throwing. I had 6 Doubles that I did this with and 1 old Stevens 311 will throw slugs on top of each other on the half dollar target at 25 yards. Kinda like a 720 caliber double rifle.
This is a sure fire way to find where the CENTER of your pattern is at your particular hunting range. And, oh yeah, down to 2 doubles now. That old 311 ain't goin nowhere. Hope this helps. Billy
 
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