Question for you all. I just put the scope on my 870. I shot a great pattern with 3" 1 3/4 oz #6 Hevi shot loads with just the bead. I have 5 of these shells left. I could not find a decent price on these including shipping so I ordered 3" 2 oz in #6 Hevi shot from Gander with free in store pick up. Saved about 10.00 in shipping.
My question is if I am zeroed in with the 1 3/4 oz shot, will the 2 oz hit the same? What do you think the difference would be. I know how to sight in the scope using cheaper target loads to get your zero, but I want to check it at 40 yards. I was planning on fine tuning with some older reminton turkey loads, and hoping to shoot one or 2 shells of the Hevi Shot. I don't want to shoot more of these shells than I have to.
Hoping I can get it zeroed in with 1 shot after the fine tuning adjustments. Do you think it would me necessary to shoot one of the 2 oz loads once I have it zeroed in with the 1 3/4 oz?
As to what the difference will be, only shooting it will tell. It's cheap piece of mind to test one of the rounds you are going to hunt with and see first hand so my response would be, yes, shoot one of your 2 oz loads for nothing other than the confidence of knowing where you stand. I would assume that they would be close to the same POI, but you know what happens when you assume....
Every gun/choke can be a little different, and with how some of the factory loads change components from year to year, I wouldn't bet anything on consistency. My guess is that it will be right where you want it, but I'd rather KNOW than guess.
Good luck.
I always shoot at 15 yards and 40 yards right before the season with the same shells I will hunt with that season. I hate the idea of missing because something may have moved or changed and I didn't check. Theres no way to know until you shoot it. Personally I would rather spend the extra dollars on ammo to know the gun is shooting where I aim then to try and save that cost and miss, then you wasted the time, fuel, and shells, maybe even cripple a bird and not find it.
Harmonics.
Quote from: Jay Longhauser on April 02, 2014, 01:00:45 PM
I always shoot at 15 yards and 40 yards right before the season with the same shells I will hunt with that season. I hate the idea of missing because something may have moved or changed and I didn't check. Theres no way to know until you shoot it. Personally I would rather spend the extra dollars on ammo to know the gun is shooting where I aim then to try and save that cost and miss, then you wasted the time, fuel, and shells, maybe even cripple a bird and not find it.
x2 what he said
look at it this way you saved 10.00 shipping so shooting a couple to make dang sure is free!!! Agree with the others you gotta shoot em. I had a choke once that seemed to shoot everything perfect, just a hair low which I was OK with. I switched to a choke that patterned better but that and every other choke I've tried in that gun made the factory fixed sights shoot high...like over the turkey high. I found out the hard way...ended up having to buy a new sight now I'm good again. But it nearly cost me the bird. Don't risk it.
Don't be surprised when two shells that "should" shoot to the same POI... Don't. Winchester 3.5" 2 oz #6 Longbeards and XRHD with nearly identical posted muzzle velocity. Longbeards POI at 40 yards is a good 6" lower. Don't guess, go out and shoot it so you know.
ya have to test
Considering our major overall investments in the equipment,etc,etc,etc....I consider it "cheap" peace of mind by getting on paper with field loads at 15, then shooting my intended hunting loads at 35-45.. how ever many it takes to get it right..makes me sleep better...lol
QuoteI shot a great pattern with 3" 1 3/4 oz #6 Hevi shot loads with just the bead. I have 5 of these shells left. I could not find a decent price on these including shipping so I ordered 3" 2 oz in #6 Hevi shot...
I suspect that you will see some differences in POI but you'll see a great difference in the patterns, if your experience is like mine. The 2 oz. shell patterns far better than than you'd expect for just the .25 oz. difference in the payload.
As others have said, it's worth the expense to have the confidence in your gun and load.
Thanks,
Clark
Like everyone else said you should pattern it. I know a couple years ago some of us on here noticed a difference just in a lot number change.
Yep what everyone else said. You can't pretend it's a scattergun when we're using the chokes and loads we use.