how many do you want in a ten in. circle

[leasburg]

Just picked up some new targets today, and i am going to pattern my new stoger, my nova, a youth 410 and 20 ga tom.  gonna take my time and really get er done, but what makes you happy with shot count

[K9Doc]

12 gauge 3.5" Mag
Lead 6s--130 in 10"
Hevi 13--6's 200 in 10"
Hevi 13--7's 275 plus in 10"
Fed. Heavyweight 7's--170 plus in 10"


Sorry I dont shoot anything smaller.

[bird]

I think there is too much emphasis on how many pellets you can put inside a 10" circle @ 40 yards.  A more effective "Killing" pattern would be to have a "even" & "full" 20" pattern.

[mossy835]

A good 20" pattern would give you a better chance to have a clean kill if you are off or flinch IMHO.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

20 ga: 150-170 hits in the 10" with htl 7s

12 ga:  230-280 hits in the 10" with htl 6s or 4x5x7

I have no interest in a 20" pattern

[Longshanks]

100+ in a 10 in circle @ 40 (minimum)

250-300 is possible with allot of work and choke/shell testing$  (12g.)

*Shooting a 20g you may be able to pull it off @ 40 with HTL.
*Shooting lead you may want to bring your max distance in from 40yds if your numbers are looking a good bit less than 100 in a 10.
*Lead out of my 20g has me shoot 30-35 max.  HTL has me at 40 max.
*410 is gonna be very close yardage gun unless you are gonna do some serious work on the gun and handload.( Based on my experience with a couple of .410's I would not recommend shooting a 410 at a turkey.) Use it on the squirrels.

[Tom Foolery]

It will never happen but I want all of them in a 10" circle. 

I would settle for all of them in a 20" circle, but that ain't happened either. LOL



A good even pattern with no gaps for hunting is all that is needed. 

Lead #5's:  10" - 100+ and 20" - 200+
Lead #6's:  10" - 130+ and 20" - 270-300
Hevi #6's:  10" - 170-200 and 20" - 300+
Hevi #7's - 10" - 250+ and 20" - 400+

[allaboutshooting]

Just picked up some new targets today, and i am going to pattern my new stoger, my nova, a youth 410 and 20 ga tom.  gonna take my time and really get er done, but what makes you happy with shot count

Pattern density and good even coverage should be our goal both in the 10" core pattern and in the fringe pattern of 12" to 18" or so.

A 20 gauge shotgun is quite capable of producing excellent killing patterns. In our state it's the smallest gauge that can be used for turkeys. With the limited load and normally very limited choices of chokes in the .410, it would not be a choice for me to use in the turkey woods.

Thanks,
Clark

[R AJ]

12 gauge 3.5" Mag
Lead 6s--130 in 10"
Hevi 13--6's 200 in 10"
Hevi 13--7's 275 plus in 10"
Fed. Heavyweight 7's--170 plus in 10"


Sorry I dont shoot anything smaller.

Are you stating that you want different numbers using different loads or is this what you have gotten with these loads? This can be confusing to newbies and old timers as well.

[chatterbox]

100 evenly spaced pellets in a 10" circle will kill a turkey every time.
For me, as long as I achieve that number at 40 yards, I am good.
Now, we all expect HTL will give significantly higher numbers than lead, and if I was only getting 100 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 with HTL, I would have to do some choke evaluation, as based on experience, that number should be much higher.

[K9Doc]

12 gauge 3.5" Mag
Lead 6s--130 in 10"
Hevi 13--6's 200 in 10"
Hevi 13--7's 275 plus in 10"
Fed. Heavyweight 7's--170 plus in 10"


Sorry I dont shoot anything smaller.

I believe these numbers are easily achieved with todays new loads and choke selections.  Yes my guns actually achieve these numbers and even better.  I would never hunt with a gun anylonger that would not print 100 pellets in 10"  and 200 in 20" at 40yards.  Just no need with modern equiptment.

Are you stating that you want different numbers using different loads or is this what you have gotten with these loads? This can be confusing to newbies and old timers as well.

[Jay Longhauser]

Im happy with 150 evenly spaced pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards. 

[runngun]

All I can get that is why I prefer to shoot NITROS!!!

[K9Doc]

I can buy Hevi 13 2.25 oz. #7s and achieve equal to or better #s
Hevi 13  @ $5 per shell.
Nitros @ $8 per shell.

[redleg06]

I think there is too much emphasis on how many pellets you can put inside a 10" circle @ 40 yards.  A more effective "Killing" pattern would be to have a "even" & "full" 20" pattern.

I agree 100%.