So my setup is a franchi affinity 3 I've been using the past 4 seasons shooting apex 3" 1 5/8 oz of 9 shot. I have used a sumtoy 562 and currently Trulock 575. The 9s pattern great but I'm wanting to try the larger shot size due to the thick brushy woods I mostly hunt and also I feel they would penetrate through or at least be easier to find in the meat when cleaning a bird. I'm not a big pellet counter so not looking for huge number anyway. I would like a good 20" pattern with ideally most of the load dispersed in that. If anyone has any patterns I'd love to see em!
I have shot the 8s from Burgess Creek in my 870 20 gauge and they did great. But that's the only ones I have shot.
Have a good one, Bocephus
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I've shot Remington and federals through my M1 with a rob Robert's turkey choke and the federals did the best
I hate picking out shot too
My handloads straight 7.5s (1 5/8oz) at 40yds.
870 20ga. .568 carlson longbeard
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I liked the results of Apex 3 inch 15/8 oz #8. Did a nice job on the bird and have not experienced problem with shot in meat.
Thanks for the feedback. Roost1 that is a strong pattern for 7.5s! That'd leave the remaining approx 130 pellets in the 20"?
Tough call between the 7.5s and 8's. Ideally I'd like an even split between the 10" and 20" circle. May be easier to accomplish with the 8's. My franchi throws a nice even 50/50 pattern with just the bead so a lot of times I'm finding some shot in the breast meat. I destroyed the beard on the first gobbler I killed this spring had to use some super glue to salvage it lol
I shot 1 5/8 oz handloads in 7.5 for Iowa last year. The patterns were similar to the one pictured above, while they are solid they just do not compare to the 9s.
If I was going to a larger size I would go 8 or 8.5, the 9 and 9.5 I have shot have me spoiled I guess.
I was ekeptical of the 9.5 but they performed flawlessly!