Poll: Do you pattern your shotguns?

[CountryGent]

The thread title kind of says it. Do you pattern your shotguns?

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[Nosferatu]

Yes.

 

[Tlock]

I definitely do! My sbe 2 is one of my primary firearms for work so I must know exactly what it's capable of 100% of the time. I tested alot of different brands of ammo before I settled in on my go to load.

 

[edzz]

Sure do, do you sight in your rifle before you go hunting, or your hand gun before you go slumming? Same thing...

 

[AshWilliams]

I definitely do! My sbe 2 is one of my primary firearms for work so I must know exactly what it's capable of 100% of the time. I tested alot of different brands of ammo before I settled in on my go to load.

Just curious: what is your go-to load?

 

[awags_86]

I really should

 

[NobullSKS]

Never heard of it before my father in-law mentioned it a year or so ago…… he HAD to pattern his shockwave

Other than barrel length…. How different can it be? I guess the choke can change it….. that said I'm not familiar with them at all.

I probably would be more interested if I had a range to do it at…. My range is slugs only on rifle side (50 yards only) and or #7.5-8) on trap side or "pattern board" that so shot up already…. Guess I'm supposed to just paint it and see where my target loads hit at 25-30 yards. Why is that helpful?

Another consideration: I only have home security pump and AR12…18"ers. So I figured #4 or 000 bucks are paper plate size… little bigger.

 

[Tlock]

Just curious: what is your go-to load?

3 inch federal #4 buck for coyotes and faststeel 3 1/2 #2 shot for ducks and guls. Geese I use the same faststeel but in bb

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Yes I do.
Shotguns can be picky about loadings...good to know where to aim...and where / how the shot hits at various distances.
Granted I don't get all formal about it...but it is good to do.
Andy

 

[esbshaw]

Never heard of it before my father in-law mentioned it a year or so ago…… he HAD to pattern his shockwave

Other than barrel length…. How different can it be? I guess the choke can change it….. that said I'm not familiar with them at all.

I probably would be more interested if I had a range to do it at…. My range is slugs only on rifle side (50 yards only) and or #7.5-8) on trap side or "pattern board" that so shot up already…. Guess I'm supposed to just paint it and see where my target loads hit at 25-30 yards. Why is that helpful?

Another consideration: I only have home security pump and AR12…18"ers. So I figured #4 or 000 bucks are paper plate size… little bigger.

To tackle rising targets, a trap gun is configured so that it shoots slightly high. This enables the shooter to fire with the target in view just above the muzzle end of the rib, and hit it right in the middle of the pattern. That's why most trap clubs have a pattern board, so you can see if your particular trap barrel throws a 60/40 (60% of pattern above point-of-aim) pattern, or a 70/30 pattern, and so on. Also, your favorite new overpriced choke tube may not be perfectly concentric, and a pattern board will show you that, as well. The Seattle Skeet & Trap club in Ravensdale used to have (or maybe still has) a totally old school "wood frame and sheet steel, with bucket of grease and paint roller" setup that was kind of fun to use.

 

[NobullSKS]

To tackle rising targets, a trap gun is configured so that it shoots slightly high. This enables the shooter to fire with the target in view just above the muzzle end of the rib, and hit it right in the middle of the pattern. That's why most trap clubs have a pattern board, so you can see if your particular trap barrel throws a 60/40 (60% of pattern above point-of-aim) pattern, or a 70/30 pattern, and so on. Also, your favorite new overpriced choke tube may not be perfectly concentric, and a pattern board will show you that, as well. The Seattle Skeet & Trap club in Ravensdale used to have (or maybe still has) a totally old school "wood frame and sheet steel, with bucket of grease and paint roller" setup that was kind of fun to use.

Thank you. Had no idea. No trap gun here yet.
I was popping clay just cause, with my little pump. I was hitting. 4th rnd I'd say I was about 70% my first time out. But I saw lots of nice gauges and felt very inadequate.

 

[gmerkt]

I patterned some 00 buckshot into a closet door once. Out of an "unloaded gun."

In answer to the poll, I've done it a couple of times on one of my guns. But this past year, I've bought about ten more shotguns and none of those have been patterned. Some haven't even been fired yet. Which will be done next year. My grandson and I have started shooting informal trap, sometimes with my own reloads. So patterning would be a good thing.

Earlier this year, I tested a few slug loads including sabots. You might say some of those were patterns.

 

[pacNWvike]

Nope, but you should. The ducks haven't seemed to mind though.

 

[dplev4]

For turkey yes. Not really for waterfowl. Home defense nope.

 

[Capn Jack]

I needed a longer barrel on my Mod. 12 Winchester Marine Riot Gun for Turkey hunting, so I found one on E-Bay. When I checked the pattern I found it was 6" high and 6" to the left of P.O.A. with shot as well as slugs.

What really surprised me was when I checked the pattern out of my MKA 1919 with the full choked 18 1/2" barrel. At 25 yards all of the pellets were inside of a 30" ring

 

[orygun]

I've patterned one. I didn't vote because I've had several.
The one I patterned was because it seemed as one barrel wasn't shooting where it should.
Turned out I was right and the kid then started with upper barrel first.
I don't think I've patterned any other, even though I had ample opportunity.

 

[foxmeadow]

Years ago, I had 2 870's and a 1100. I'd done some reading about lengthening forcing cones to improve patterns and set about renting a forcing cone reamer from 4-D and doing it myself. Before cutting cones I patterned all three guns. After reaming and honing the cones, I patterned them again to assess the effect that my ream job had.
A few days ago, my nephew in Idaho called and picked my brain about why he missed hitting a coyote twice from about 10 yards with loads of 00B. I told him to pattern the gun to see where POA and POI might differ. I've not heard back yet...

 

[Tlock]

Years ago, I had 2 870's and a 1100. I'd done some reading about lengthening forcing cones to improve patterns and set about renting a forcing cone reamer from 4-D and doing it myself. Before cutting cones I patterned all three guns. After reaming and honing the cones, I patterned them again to assess the effect that my ream job had.
A few days ago, my nephew in Idaho called and picked my brain about why he missed hitting a coyote twice from about 10 yards with loads of 00B. I told him to pattern the gun to see where POA and POI might differ. I've not heard back yet...

In my experience 00 buck is a no go for coyotes. I tested alot of brands out of alot of guns with poor results. In fact I'm sitting on alot of "dead coyote" 00 buck if anyone wants to test some high end 00.

 

[JRuby]

Shoot a round or two of trap and you will figure out your pattern pretty fast. Works for me.

 

[Bobbygun]

I patterned my shotgun back when I used to hunt turkeys. I don't hunt waterfowl. My grouse "shotgun" is usually a .22 pistol.

I've never patterned my O/U that I use for clay pigeons, but I don't compete seriously with it.