Hi guys,
I used to hunt with a Browning BPS with an Undertaker choke. The pattern was amazing and my kills were always immediate. A number of years ago I upgraded to a camo Benelli Super Nova with pistol grip for a dedicated turkey gun. I've patterned this gun using Benelli extra full, Sumtoy and an Indian Creek chokes with both Hevi-Shot and Winchester Longbeards. My pattern with the Sumtoy was poor, and is fair with both the Benelli and the Indian Creek. I can say for sure I'm not getting the performance you see in pics in the pattern picture thread. Not all of my birds have dropped in their tracks like in the past and I've had to finish a few off (no birds running off partially wounded thankfully). Worse yet, I've been passing on birds in the 30-45 yd range that I wouldn't have thought twice about with my old gun. I need something better. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
I didn't get any immediate answers and am a bit impatient. After poking around the pattern pictures thread for a bit I found references to some success with a Nova and a Jelly Head, so I just ordered one. We shall see!
You didn't mention constriction size? Hope I don't offend you but I don't know what you know so please forgive me if I repeat something you know. You mentioned good choke makers. Hard to believe the longbeards aren't patterning good if you want density. The problem is they don't halo well. I'm wondering do you pattern guns on large paper and adjust sights accordingly?
I'm just finding it impossible to believe those shells and chokes you used won't do well at 40 n under except to me they're actually too tight.
Try a rob Roberts final strut. It patterns well with my sbe3 with 24 inch barrel
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If your not getting patterns to kill birds at 30 yards with Indian Creek/SumToy and HeviShot/LongBeards you have an issue.
POA and POI the same? Shooting at a large pattern board to see the full pattern?
Thanks guys, happy to clarify. I have a 4' x 4' PVC target stand that holds a roll of 36" plotter paper. Slick set up - just roll down the sheet and clamp it, draw a large dot or put on a sticker in the center. After a shot, tear off the used portion and roll down fresh paper. So I definitely have the means to test and no issues with sights and point of aim and impact. By "fair performance" I mean that I don't have the defined tight pattern and as high of pellet counts in a 10" circle that others are getting at 30-40 yards.
I'd start with a super clean barrel for every shot. Some guns like a clean barrel. Clark aka All about shooting really improved my patterns with his advice. Might try different shot sizes too. One of my buddies shot some lb 4's this weekend and they are wicked. I wouldn't have thought they would be better than 5's or 6's but there's no comparison.
I have a Patternmaster code black turkey XF in my old Browning Gold 3 1/2 and will never change that choke, EVER. Just another option :OGturkeyhead:
Ive got a 24" SBE2 with a .650 sumtoy shooting Hevi-13 #7s. At 40 yards it is nice and tight.
I use a kicks .660 in my supernova. Patterns great with long beards 3.5" #6's. That being said, I'm not going to shoot at a turkey at 45+ yards with any gun or any load.
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Still got the old BPS?
I have a Benelli M2, 26" barrel that patterns very well using a Trulock Long Beard choke and Winchester #5 Long Beard shells. I assume that the Benelli M2 and Super Nova have similar bored barrels.
I've got a Supernova for a backup to my SBEII. Mine has a Kicks choke in it and it shoots well. I've tried Indian Creek and Sumtoy in the SBE and the Sumtoy out patterns the IC
Lots of choices here bro. Pick one and shoot em in the face :funnyturkey:
Quote from: rdjustham on March 11, 2019, 05:12:01 PM
Ive got a 24" SBE2 with a .650 sumtoy shooting Hevi-13 #7s. At 40 yards it is nice and tight.
I have a 26" SBE2 with the same choke. It is a killer with Hevi 6s, 7s, or Winchester Supreme 1&3/4 oz of 6s.
Jim
I have a nova that i hunted with several years before going sub gauge. I shot mag blends in it then switched to long beard 5s. Used a pure gold 670. It would lay the smack down on a bird, but it kicked like a mule.
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X3 on the kicks choke. I used to shoot a .660 in a binelli nova and it shot some of the nicest most even patterns I've ever shot. This was with lead and winchester loads. Preferably supreme 6's and gray box 4's. Way before the Longbeards came out.