I recently picked up a gently used NEF Pardner single shot 20 with fixed full choke. I only had two types of shells to pattern with, Remington Nitromag 3" #4's and an old box of original 3" Federal Premium Mag Shok #5's. The gun shot very mediocre patterns with both rounds at 30 yards, with the Remington 4's putting the same number of pellets on the target as the Federal 5's. So I chose to use the Remington for more downrange energy per pellet.
After shooting I noticed that the front bead site actually penetrates into the barrel slightly, enough to feel with my pinky finger. Thinking this could be the cause of less than desirable patterns, I gently filed the bump down a bit with a "rat-tail" file...but was very apprehensive about making contact with the actual barrel. The bump has been filed down a bit and I averaged 9 more pellets on the target with additional shooting.
Should I risk taking the file to it a bit more? I don't have the money to take it to a gunsmith currently.
With that said, I took a nice 24 pound, 3/4" spurred, and 9.5" bearded gobbler this season at 32 yards during the virgin hunting expedition with this gun. I found 8 pellets that struck his head and neck at that range.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=a41ykh&s=7 (http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=a41ykh&s=7) Not sure how to post a photo here yet, but here is my tom taken this year with the 20 gauge.
Can you back out the sight bead and file or sand off just enough to clear the barrel? Just a thought.........
I tried getting an adjustable crescent wrench on the hex part of the bead base, but it seems like it's already a bit rounded. :(
Here's a few pics of my patterns that I traced over since the original targets were crumpled...these are before I filed down the bump. They are 3" and 8" circles.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/7669/1001123r.jpg (http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/7669/1001123r.jpg)
This second shot had some error on my part, as it was a bit to the left.
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/8744/1001125.jpg (http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/8744/1001125.jpg)
Unfortunately I don't have the patterns after filing the bead threads, since I shot them in the field and left the targets at our trailer. Both targets would've made a dead turkey, but there were clearly open holes in the pattern.
I would get some 3" Hevi 13 in #7 or 3" Federal Mag Shock Heavyweight #7 and try those. You will improve your numbers considerably and there good out to 40 yds. Then see how your patterns are.
Quote from: Twister on April 28, 2011, 11:03:57 AM
I would get some 3" Hevi 13 in #7 or 3" Federal Mag Shock Heavyweight #7 and try those. You will improve your numbers considerably and there good out to 40 yds. Then see how your patterns are.
I am a religious Pb shooter, for both cost and availability in my area. I would be happy with an average of 40-50 hits with Pb #4's at 30 yards in the 8" ring.
I still wonder where the extra 50 pieces of copperplated shot in the Federal #5 loads went. Granted, the backstop for my target was only a foot square so I didn't have a good reference of POI...but even with the bead issue I still expected a decent increase in hits over the #4's. I guess I will just save those shells for pheasant hunting ;)
Quote from: WyoHunter on April 27, 2011, 05:24:14 PM
Can you back out the sight bead and file or sand off just enough to clear the barrel? Just a thought.........
I just acquired a small crescent wrench and got the bead out and gave it a good sanding with fine grit sandpaper. Whew, now it will be back to the range for additional patterning!
:anim_25:
Let us know if that makes any difference. Thanks!
Quote from: IowaNate on April 28, 2011, 11:19:14 AM I am a religious Pb shooter, for both cost and availability in my area. I would be happy with an average of 40-50 hits with Pb #4's at 30 yards in the 8" ring.
I use Pb for all my Turkey Hunting. I get
THE BEST results with the following four loads.....
• Federal® Flitecontrol® Mag-Shok® 3" Mag 1185fps 1 5/16oz #4 (PFC258F 4)
• Federal® Flitecontrol® Mag-Shok® 3" Mag 1185fps 1 5/16oz #5 (PFC258F 5)
• Remington® Nitro-Turkey® 3" Mag 1185fps 1¼oz #5 (NT20M5)
• Winchester® Supreme® High Velocity 3" Mag 1200fps 1 5/16oz #4 (STH2034)
Using the Winchester® Supreme® #4 I smacked a 25# Merriams gobbler @ 42yds on 04/19. He was dead before his beak hit the dirt. Necropsy revealed 19 pellets in his head and neck. (I used a Wrights® .555" Swarm™ choke.)
Just went to my local Mal-Wart and picked up a box of Remington Nitro (NT20M5) and Winchester Supreme XX (X203XCT5) both in #5's. They were both under $8 a box so I couldn't pass it up, but I was hoping they had #4's. I really hope these perform better than the few boxes of Federal #5's (GST258) I obtained.