Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

Turkey Guns & Shooting => 20 Gauge Turkey Guns => Topic started by: Grant Flaming on April 07, 2011, 09:33:55 PM

Title: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: Grant Flaming on April 07, 2011, 09:33:55 PM
Hey guys. This is my first post so hello to everybody. I am wondering how to get the most out of my Remington SPR100 20 gauge shotgun(single shot). I have a Carlson's .575 nonported turkey choke. I am trying Federal Mag-Shock #5 and getting about 110 hits in a 10" circle at 30 yards and around 60 hits at 35 yards.

What loads would you recommend for my choke constriction? What else do I need to do to get better patterns?

Thanks,
Grant
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: coyotetrpr on April 08, 2011, 10:11:46 AM
I have had good luck with hevi 6's and a lot of people on this site swear by hevi 7's. No matter what choke you have most of the time the smaller shot will give a better pattern. (more pellets)
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: sugarray on April 08, 2011, 10:21:16 AM
In a 20, you are loosing a lot by using #5 shot.  The largest I would go would be #6 shot.  I would go tighter with a .562 Hastings or .550 SSX, or close and shoot Hevi #7 or Federal HW #7.  This maximizes your down range energy with larger pellet counts with the smaller pellets.
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: gophert on April 08, 2011, 02:38:50 PM
Quote from: sugarray on April 08, 2011, 10:21:16 AM
In a 20, you are loosing a lot by using #5 shot.  The largest I would go would be #6 shot.  I would go tighter with a .562 Hastings or .550 SSX, or close and shoot Hevi #7 or Federal HW #7.  This maximizes your down range energy with larger pellet counts with the smaller pellets.
:agreed:
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: dawei on April 08, 2011, 09:38:00 PM
Quote from: Grant Flaming on April 07, 2011, 09:33:55 PM
Hey guys. This is my first post so hello to everybody. I am wondering how to get the most out of my Remington SPR100 20 gauge shotgun(single shot). I have a Carlson's .575 nonported turkey choke. I am trying Federal Mag-Shock #5 and getting about 110 hits in a 10" circle at 30 yards and around 60 hits at 35 yards.

What loads would you recommend for my choke constriction? What else do I need to do to get better patterns?

Thanks,
Grant
I would advise you to try the Federal® Flitecontrol® Mag-Shok® 3" Mag 1185fps 1 5/16oz #6Pb. The load of lead 5's that you are shooting has 222 pellets. If you switch to #6 you get 288 pellets so you have a 30% increase in the density for your pattern.

If you wish to stick with #5Pb I recommend that you try Remington® Nitro-Turkey® 3" Mag 1185fps 1¼oz #5 (NT20M6). I've always had good patterns with this load through a variety of chokes in my three 20ga guns. Cost is $6.99 for a 10 round box. Additionally try Winchester® Supreme® High Velocity 1200fps 1 5/16oz #5 (STH2035), cost is $11.99 per box.

One load that I avoid is the more expensive Remington® Premier® Copper Plated Buffered 3" Mag 1185fps 1¼ #6Pb (P20XHM6). Although about 50% more expensive than the Nitro-Turkey®, this load patterns like crap through all my 20ga guns & chokes. Cost is $9.99-10.99 for a box of ten.

If it were me I would spend my $$ on different ammo before I spent a lot more on different choke tube(s).
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: Grant Flaming on April 09, 2011, 01:46:42 PM
Thanks so much for all the tips guys. I don't know where to find hevi 7's or HW 7's without ordering online. Is there a huge difference between them? I know the HW has 1 1/2oz. of shot.

I have heard that flite control wads like super clean barrels. Should I clean between each shot? Is there anything else besides load and choke stuff that I should do to improve patterns?

Thanks,
Grant
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: dawei on April 09, 2011, 02:24:55 PM
Quote from: Grant Flaming on April 09, 2011, 01:46:42 PM
Thanks so much for all the tips guys. I don't know where to find hevi 7's or HW 7's without ordering online. Is there a huge difference between them? I know the HW has 1 1/2oz. of shot.

I have heard that flite control wads like super clean barrels. Should I clean between each shot? Is there anything else besides load and choke stuff that I should do to improve patterns?

Thanks,
Grant
While my experience with Flitecontrol® is limited to Pb loads; my three 20ga guns pattern these rounds better from a dirty barrel - YMMVH.
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: Grant Flaming on April 09, 2011, 03:08:06 PM
I guess every gun can be different. I cleaned my barrel really well at noon today and went out and shot at 35 yards again. I had 12 in the vital parts of a turkey head/neck target. I also had 102 in a 10" circle now. Huge difference from last time.

I feel I cleaned it better this time. I got away from the Kansas wind as much as possible but I had a reasonable wind from straight behind me.

Also, I have had a thought floating around the back of my head for sometime now. Maybe it's just my gun but every time I hold the gun so it jumps and moves as little as possible, my counts go up. Call me crazy but I have now had to many cases like this not to do it!
:z-guntootsmiley:

Have you guys ever had anything like this happen?

Thanks for the input,
Grant
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: dawei on April 09, 2011, 03:43:05 PM
Quote from: Grant Flaming on April 09, 2011, 03:08:06 PM
I guess every gun can be different. I cleaned my barrel really well at noon today and went out and shot at 35 yards again. I had 12 in the vital parts of a turkey head/neck target. I also had 102 in a 10" circle now. Huge difference from last time.

I feel I cleaned it better this time. I got away from the Kansas wind as much as possible but I had a reasonable wind from straight behind me.

Also, I have had a thought floating around the back of my head for sometime now. Maybe it's just my gun but every time I hold the gun so it jumps and moves as little as possible, my counts go up. Call me crazy but I have now had to many cases like this not to do it!
:z-guntootsmiley:

Have you guys ever had anything like this happen?

Thanks for the input,
Grant
Proper hold is everything just ask any bench rest shooter.
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: SumToy on April 09, 2011, 07:57:53 PM
I would go with around a 560 to 565. With the HV-13 7 you should see 150 to 160 easy in the 10 at 40 yards.
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: Grant Flaming on April 10, 2011, 05:03:11 PM
It is kind of hard to find after market chokes for my gun. I would really like to stick with my .575 Carlson rather than buy another one. I know I won't shoot patterns as tight as most on this forum, but will Hevi-13 7's still pattern well to say 40 yards with my choke?

It isn't ported and it isn't very long (2 2/8")  .575 constriction.

Thanks for all the help,
Grant
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: dawei on April 10, 2011, 06:00:55 PM
Quote from: Grant Flaming on April 10, 2011, 05:03:11 PM
It is kind of hard to find after market chokes for my gun. I would really like to stick with my .575 Carlson rather than buy another one. I know I won't shoot patterns as tight as most on this forum, but will Hevi-13 7's still pattern well to say 40 yards with my choke?

It isn't ported and it isn't very long (2 2/8")  .575 constriction.

Thanks for all the help,
Grant
I have a Remington® SPR220 20ga SxS, in reality this is a Baikal® IZH-43. It came with CYL, IC, MOD, & FULL CHOKES flush fitting chokes. Remington® chokes DO NOT fit this gun, rather it takes Tru-Chokes. I get my chokes from Colonial Arms® ( http://www.colonialarms.com/ ) and have a .570 and .575" I'm very pleased with. Additionally I get chokes from Trulock® Chokes: http://www.trulockchokes.com/

What type of choke does your SPR100 take?
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: Grant Flaming on April 10, 2011, 06:25:51 PM
It takes Tru-chokes.

Grant
Title: Re: General Patterning Tips for a Newbie
Post by: Old Gobbler on April 10, 2011, 06:26:53 PM
Mag - Blends