Went to see a buddy today who's owned a gun shop for going on 40yrs. We were discussing the ammo shortage and he said he doesn't imagine we'll see much of anything even this fall. Sure, some boxes will trickle in here and there, but as far as walking into a store and buying exactly what you want he said we might be looking at two years.
This got me to thinking, there are loads I'm wanting to pattern this year before season, but given that the shells I have may be all I can get for awhile I'm unlikely to pattern at my usual 20, 30, 40yds with the occasional shot at 10. I'm more likely to pattern at two distances to conserve ammo. So let's say you're wanting to pattern with two shells, what are the distances you're choosing and why? I'm leaning toward 20 and 40, but have entertained 15 and 35. Just curious what others thoughts are on pattern testing with two shots.
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40 yards and use the 30% equation. It will get you close.
I did a little testing last spring and found that if you sight-in/pattern your turkey gun at 30 yards, your going to be covered 10-40 respectively. With some of our shells averaging over 6 bucks a piece, I wanted to find an economical/efficient way to sight in/pattern my turkey guns. I invested in the Site-Lite laser bore sighter which I use on all my rifles and shotguns. It has a real good set of ferrules, when I bore sight a red dot or scope on a turkey gun, I almost never even need to adjust them. It paid for itself the first season. I also record on target cards each scope and red dot in case the gun gets bumped, or I bang the scope in a fall. Works perfectly. I have cut the amount of shells used down to a couple shells per gun max. Thanks, be safe, best of luck this spring....
Pattern with two shells? Probablyu 25 and 40 yards.
Sight in with two? Probably 15 and 40.
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 05:40:08 PM
40 yards and use the 30% equation. It will get you close.
Unfamiliar with what you mean by the 30% equation? Thanks for the help.
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Quote from: Tom007 on January 28, 2021, 05:56:02 PM
I did a little testing last spring and found that if you sight-in/pattern your turkey gun at 30 yards, your going to be covered 10-40 respectively. With some of our shells averaging over 6 bucks a piece, I wanted to find an economical/efficient way to sight in/pattern my turkey guns. I invested in the Site-Lite laser bore sighter which I use on all my rifles and shotguns. It has a real good set of ferrules, when I bore sight a red dot or scope on a turkey gun, I almost never even need to adjust them. It paid for itself the first season. I also record on target cards each scope and red dot in case the gun gets bumped, or I bang the scope in a fall. Works perfectly. I have cut the amount of shells used down to a couple shells per gun max. Thanks, be safe, best of luck this spring....
When you decided that one at 30yds was sufficient is it because you noticed there wasn't much difference in how the pattern opened from 20 to 30 (i.e. a pattern too tight at 20 also winds up obviously too tight at 30)? That's the primary range I wind up worrying about, or rather my question always becomes at what distance the pattern tightens so much my likelihood of pulling starts to rise.
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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 06:10:03 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 05:40:08 PM
40 yards and use the 30% equation. It will get you close.
Unfamiliar with what you mean by the 30% equation? Thanks for the help.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
increase your 10" circle pattern 30% for every ten yards closer or decrease 30% for every ten yards farther than 40.
For instance at 40 yarde my M2 shoots an average of 320/10" At 50 I can expect around 224/10". At 60 I can expect 156/10". These numbers are based on a mathematical equation not hard counts but it will get you close enough to have a realistic expectation.
Quote from: Tom007 on January 28, 2021, 05:56:02 PM
I did a little testing last spring and found that if you sight-in/pattern your turkey gun at 30 yards, your going to be covered 10-40 respectively. With some of our shells averaging over 6 bucks a piece, I wanted to find an economical/efficient way to sight in/pattern my turkey guns. I invested in the Site-Lite laser bore sighter which I use on all my rifles and shotguns. It has a real good set of ferrules, when I bore sight a red dot or scope on a turkey gun, I almost never even need to adjust them. It paid for itself the first season. I also record on target cards each scope and red dot in case the gun gets bumped, or I bang the scope in a fall. Works perfectly. I have cut the amount of shells used down to a couple shells per gun max. Thanks, be safe, best of luck this spring....
With the price of shells, a boresighter makes sense. Quick question, do you sight in your scope/red dot at 30 yards when using the boresighter?
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20 and 40
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 06:28:31 PM
Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 06:10:03 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 05:40:08 PM
40 yards and use the 30% equation. It will get you close.
Unfamiliar with what you mean by the 30% equation? Thanks for the help.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
increase your 10" circle pattern 30% for every ten yards closer or decrease 30% for every ten yards farther than 40.
For instance at 40 yarde my M2 shoots an average of 320/10" At 50 I can expect around 224/10". At 60 I can expect 156/10". These numbers are based on a mathematical equation not hard counts but it will get you close enough to have a realistic expectation.
Thanks so much! Had not heard that before.
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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 07:16:45 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 06:28:31 PM
Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 06:10:03 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 05:40:08 PM
40 yards and use the 30% equation. It will get you close.
Unfamiliar with what you mean by the 30% equation? Thanks for the help.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
increase your 10" circle pattern 30% for every ten yards closer or decrease 30% for every ten yards farther than 40.
For instance at 40 yarde my M2 shoots an average of 320/10" At 50 I can expect around 224/10". At 60 I can expect 156/10". These numbers are based on a mathematical equation not hard counts but it will get you close enough to have a realistic expectation.
Thanks so much! Had not heard that before.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's a TSS rule
Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 06:14:40 PM
Quote from: Tom007 on January 28, 2021, 05:56:02 PM
I did a little testing last spring and found that if you sight-in/pattern your turkey gun at 30 yards, your going to be covered 10-40 respectively. With some of our shells averaging over 6 bucks a piece, I wanted to find an economical/efficient way to sight in/pattern my turkey guns. I invested in the Site-Lite laser bore sighter which I use on all my rifles and shotguns. It has a real good set of ferrules, when I bore sight a red dot or scope on a turkey gun, I almost never even need to adjust them. It paid for itself the first season. I also record on target cards each scope and red dot in case the gun gets bumped, or I bang the scope in a fall. Works perfectly. I have cut the amount of shells used down to a couple shells per gun max. Thanks, be safe, best of luck this spring....
When you decided that one at 30yds was sufficient is it because you noticed there wasn't much difference in how the pattern opened from 20 to 30 (i.e. a pattern too tight at 20 also winds up obviously too tight at 30)? That's the primary range I wind up worrying about, or rather my question always becomes at what distance the pattern tightens so much my likelihood of pulling starts to rise.
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I carry a range finder when I hunt. I log all the turkey info in my record book for turkeys from each harvest. My average yardage of my shots is always hovering around 28 to 31 yards. I have found that if I have my desired pattern at 30, it works great at 40, (which is my max that I want to take) and is tight but good at 20. I use optics, so the 20 yard shots are not a problem. When I set up on a Tom, I range a few trees at 30 in the direction he's coming. Works good. 30 is my optimum, full consistent pattern. Works for me........thx, be safe
Quote from: davisd9 on January 28, 2021, 07:44:32 PM
Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 07:16:45 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 06:28:31 PM
Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 06:10:03 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 05:40:08 PM
40 yards and use the 30% equation. It will get you close.
Unfamiliar with what you mean by the 30% equation? Thanks for the help.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
increase your 10" circle pattern 30% for every ten yards closer or decrease 30% for every ten yards farther than 40.
For instance at 40 yarde my M2 shoots an average of 320/10" At 50 I can expect around 224/10". At 60 I can expect 156/10". These numbers are based on a mathematical equation not hard counts but it will get you close enough to have a realistic expectation.
Thanks so much! Had not heard that before.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's a TSS rule
seems to work close enough with everything else.
Quote from: Neill_Prater on January 28, 2021, 06:42:40 PM
Quote from: Tom007 on January 28, 2021, 05:56:02 PM
I did a little testing last spring and found that if you sight-in/pattern your turkey gun at 30 yards, your going to be covered 10-40 respectively. With some of our shells averaging over 6 bucks a piece, I wanted to find an economical/efficient way to sight in/pattern my turkey guns. I invested in the Site-Lite laser bore sighter which I use on all my rifles and shotguns. It has a real good set of ferrules, when I bore sight a red dot or scope on a turkey gun, I almost never even need to adjust them. It paid for itself the first season. I also record on target cards each scope and red dot in case the gun gets bumped, or I bang the scope in a fall. Works perfectly. I have cut the amount of shells used down to a couple shells per gun max. Thanks, be safe, best of luck this spring....
With the price of shells, a boresighter makes sense. Quick question, do you sight in your scope/red dot at 30 yards when using the boresighter?
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I start inside at about 15 yards. Then I confirm the poi of the laser and red dot or cross hair at thirty. It's amazing how accurate the Site Lite laser gets your poi. Definitely should have had this years ago, would have saved me $$ on shells.....
20 and 40 would be my choice!
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Save your ammo. Pattern one shot at 30 yards and if it's good don't shoot any farther than that, less when possible.
I would go with the 25/40 plus or minus if I was concerned. I have shot open sight/beads out of the same gun and choke for years so I don't worry about having to verify anything every year. I will usually shoot a handful of small game loads at paper prior to the season just to make sure nothing has changed with the "operator" and that the gun is still functioning properly. Other than that, I am just wasting ammo.
If i do my part, the gun will kill whatever I am shooting at, at reasonable turkey-shooting ranges if and when I pull the trigger. In addition, the idea of shooting seven-dollar-a-piece TSS rounds at paper targets hurts both my shoulder and my pocket book,...not to mention making me question my common sense! ;D :toothy12: :angel9:
20-40
40 for pattern performance and poi.
20 for poa/ poi its gonna be tight with almost any turkey setup.
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 08:37:16 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on January 28, 2021, 07:44:32 PM
Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 07:16:45 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 06:28:31 PM
Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on January 28, 2021, 06:10:03 PM
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 28, 2021, 05:40:08 PM
40 yards and use the 30% equation. It will get you close.
Unfamiliar with what you mean by the 30% equation? Thanks for the help.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
increase your 10" circle pattern 30% for every ten yards closer or decrease 30% for every ten yards farther than 40.
For instance at 40 yarde my M2 shoots an average of 320/10" At 50 I can expect around 224/10". At 60 I can expect 156/10". These numbers are based on a mathematical equation not hard counts but it will get you close enough to have a realistic expectation.
Thanks so much! Had not heard that before.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's a TSS rule
seems to work close enough with everything else.
Lead loads can fall apart in 5 yards or less, the longbeards may be an exception to that but I have little experience with them.
I didn't read the other responses.
With todays Super High Quality turkey loads heavyshot and TSS. My standard is 40 yards. So if I only was going to shoot twice it would be 40? Say what? Naw? Yes 40.
2X 40! I can use low brass at close range and confirm my point of impact (POI). Then with a 3'x3' piece of paper I confirm my pattern and POI. If I'm hitting where I'm aiming awesome. If not I'd run an optic insure I hit the point of aim POA.
I've been shooting custom Nitro shells since 2007, 4x5x7 crazy pellet count at 40 yards in a 10" circle. I do use a scope.
I'm in this pattern process with my Son's 410 with TSS. So I started out at 40 yards. Horrible with TSS Federal and Apex Ninja, got a tighter choke and the pattern became acceptable at 40. I do not want my Son to shoot at 40. But that was the worse case.
I have two different TSS loads for Nitro coming to test out.
When I started out in the late 80's. 5 pellets in the head & neck was acceptable. So my 870 was a 35 MAX gun with copper lead shot. Both of my 12's put almost 300 pellets in 10"@ 40, heavyshot. Dead is dead. huge difference form years ago. Same gun, different spray paint scheme, different choke. LOL
Good luck.
Yes, it is a curiosity as to how our perceptions of what is needed to kill a gobbler has evolved over the decades. Most of us serious turkey hunters today would not even consider shooting some of the loads and patterns that were the norm back then.
Unfortunately, from what I see even today, there are those still shooting shotguns and loads at turkeys,... and at ranges they should never even consider shooting them,... that are both inferior to the task, and if the truth be told, unethical in terms of wounded turkeys running off after the shot.
One shot at 40 to confirm a pattern that is already sighted in.
Fortunately up close my turkey loads and a cheap dove load each hit the same, 15 yards to check zero and done!
I also like to burn a box of those dove loads off handed, I have killed a few birds over the years off handed, though I cheat due to being quite ambidextrous.
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Quote from: GobbleNut on January 29, 2021, 10:20:06 AM
Yes, it is a curiosity as to how our perceptions of what is needed to kill a gobbler has evolved over the decades. Most of us serious turkey hunters today would not even consider shooting some of the loads and patterns that were the norm back then.
Unfortunately, from what I see even today, there are those still shooting shotguns and loads at turkeys,... and at ranges they should never even consider shooting them,... that are both inferior to the task, and if the truth be told, unethical in terms of wounded turkeys running off after the shot.
Yep.
It all comes down to know your gun. If you haven't patterned it, checked poi vs poa and made adjustments, then you better stick to the "get them close" mindset.
40 and 20.
20 and 40.
Quote from: Gooserbat on January 30, 2021, 12:49:40 PM
Quote from: GobbleNut on January 29, 2021, 10:20:06 AM
Yes, it is a curiosity as to how our perceptions of what is needed to kill a gobbler has evolved over the decades. Most of us serious turkey hunters today would not even consider shooting some of the loads and patterns that were the norm back then.
Unfortunately, from what I see even today, there are those still shooting shotguns and loads at turkeys,... and at ranges they should never even consider shooting them,... that are both inferior to the task, and if the truth be told, unethical in terms of wounded turkeys running off after the shot.
AMEN.
Yep.
It all comes down to know your gun. If you haven't patterned it, checked poi vs poa and made adjustments, then you better stick to the "get them close" mindset.
15 and 40
40 and 60
Trap load at 10yds to make sure poa and poi match then one turkey load at 40. 2nd turkey load for ol tom on opening day.
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