Pattern Issues

[Penguin907]

First year turkey hunting. Using a Benelli Nova. Tried a Carlson Coyote choke .680, pattern master anaconda striker .670, and a Carlson extended turkey tube .650 construction. Cannot get a pattern at 40 yards that's ok except with a goofy 1oz #5 and 7/8oz #8 duplex load. Any advice? Tried six different loads with #5 shot. Prefer to make my own using BPI data.

[Bowguy]

Tell us how you're patterning gun? Is the backing big enough to capture all data?

[Penguin907]

I shoot a dot at about 10 yards on at least a 12x12 target usually a bit bigger. If my big hole/group is on the dot then I move back to 40 and shoot at a dot on at least and 18x12 target or an open pizza box.

Also just for more info I've tried two different barrels.

[bwhana]

I got my best 12 ga patterns with both LBXR #5 and Federal TSS #9 with an Indian Creek 665 fwiw.

[Bowguy]

Are you shooting lead? If so understand the lead itself has differences. It depends on how much anitomy as to how hard it is. The harder it is the less it deforms. The less it deforms the less flyers you'll get and better the pattern. 
Some guys use lead or nickel plated to help it stay true. There are also different buffers can sometimes be used but that can change pressure so don't shoot using it unless you have a pressure tested load.

[Bowguy]

The thing confuses me is you're stating 12ga choke sizes and 20-28ga load sizes

[CALLM2U]

The thing confuses me is you're stating 12ga choke sizes and 20-28ga load sizes

I thought the same, had to go back and read it again.  I think he's saying 1 7/8 oz load.  Blend of 5s and 8s. 

[Bowguy]

Maybe you're right CALLM2U

[Penguin907]

I'm using Eagle magnum lead and a 12 gauge. Does trying a different shot size seem like a good place to try next? Not sure how temperamental shotguns can be with shot size when dealing with longer range. Thinking of trying #6 shot

The thing confuses me is you're stating 12ga choke sizes and 20-28ga load sizes

I thought the same, had to go back and read it again.  I think he's saying 1 7/8 oz load.  Blend of 5s and 8s. 

.

This is correct. Duplex with 5s and 8s patterned decent, but I know 8s aren't considered acceptable for turkey.

[g8rvet]

I know this is not helpful but I struggled with a Nova in getting a good pattern and consistent POA/POI and just finally gave up and got rid of it.  May have been just my gun.

[bbcoach]

Welcome to OG Penguin.  I am not a Benelli guy, but I did go to the 12-gauge Benelli Pattern pictures    posting (looking back to 2011 and 2012) and saw the Nova's perform best with a .650 to .655 choke with lead.  Sumtoy Custom chokes website recommends a .650 as well with lead.  Some of the posts only stated 100 hits at 40.  A change to 6's would increase your numbers over 5's but not sure where the energy would run out.  Cleaning and polishing the barrel will probably get you a 10 to 20% increase in your patterns.  From what I can see, the Nova is at best a 40 yard gun with lead loads.

[g8rvet]

Welcome to OG Penguin.  I am not a Benelli guy, but I did go to the 12-gauge Benelli Pattern pictures    posting (looking back to 2011 and 2012) and saw the Nova's perform best with a .650 to .655 choke with lead.  Sumtoy Custom chokes website recommends a .650 as well with lead.  Some of the posts only stated 100 hits at 40.  A change to 6's would increase your numbers over 5's but not sure where the energy would run out.  Cleaning and polishing the barrel will probably get you a 10 to 20% increase in your patterns.  From what I can see, the Nova is at best a 40 yard gun with lead loads.

Pretty sure the Nova has a chrome lined barrel.  Some say you should not and some say only very lightly polish chrome.  The thread about has more info than one needs and I read the whole thing through before I did any polishing.

[bbcoach]

Welcome to OG Penguin.  I am not a Benelli guy, but I did go to the 12-gauge Benelli Pattern pictures    posting (looking back to 2011 and 2012) and saw the Nova's perform best with a .650 to .655 choke with lead.  Sumtoy Custom chokes website recommends a .650 as well with lead.  Some of the posts only stated 100 hits at 40.  A change to 6's would increase your numbers over 5's but not sure where the energy would run out.  Cleaning and polishing the barrel will probably get you a 10 to 20% increase in your patterns.  From what I can see, the Nova is at best a 40 yard gun with lead loads.

Pretty sure the Nova has a chrome lined barrel.  Some say you should not and some say only very lightly polish chrome.  The thread about has more info than one needs and I read the whole thing through before I did any polishing.

Thanks for the follow up.  I looked at the Benelli website but it didn't say that the barrel was chrome lined so I thought I would add that bit of info.  If the barrel is chrome lined then disregard please.

[g8rvet]

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-benelli-nova-pump-field-shotgun/

They may not be any  more though, this was from 2018.  And I am pretty sure mine was.

[bbcoach]

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-benelli-nova-pump-field-shotgun/

They may not be any  more though, this was from 2018.  And I am pretty sure mine was.

This definitely states "Chrome lined" so disregard polishing this barrel (some say you can but I personally would not because you never know how thick the chrome is).  A real good cleaning of the barrel may help some.  I tried to find Clarke Bush's advice on deep cleaning but it seems it has been taken down after his passing.