patterning technique

[tha bugman]

OK so I made up some 3'X3' brown paper targets with a black dot in the center....so I shoot for the dot....then find the dense portion of the pattern and draw a 10" circle from the center of the mass to determine pellet count?  Is this correct?

[bowhunter2k9]

 
Don't forget its at 40 yds!

[stinkpickle]

yep

[tha bugman]

yes I know...but what I was going to do was shoot some dove loads at 20 yards to get my sights more or less on so I could then back off to 40 with the tureky loads and get it close to POA and POI being the same...does this sound logical?

Don't forget its at 40 yds!

[C J Stahly]

yes I know...but what I was going to do was shoot some dove loads at 20 yards to get my sights more or less on so I could then back off to 40 with the tureky loads and get it close to POA and POI being the same...does this sound logical?

Don't forget its at 40 yds!

Pattern first....or take a good cleaning kit with you.  You dont want to run a dozen shells through your gun and then try to pattern....all you will get is a headache and spend more money in chokes and shells because the pattern was sub-par.

[goblr77]

yes I know...but what I was going to do was shoot some dove loads at 20 yards to get my sights more or less on so I could then back off to 40 with the tureky loads and get it close to POA and POI being the same...does this sound logical?

Don't forget its at 40 yds!

That's what I usually do. No need wasting the good stuff while you get your sights adjusted.

[stinkpickle]

Here's what I do...

1.  Shoot dove loads at 10 or 20 yards to make sure my POA/POI is "in the ballpark".
2.  Clean barrel and shoot turkey load at 40 yards.
3.  Draw 10-inch circle around densest part and count.
4.  Repeat steps #2 and #3 until a good choke/load combo is found.
5.  Adjust for any POI shift with chosen load.
6.  Finally, shoot chosen choke/load at 20 yards to make sure POI is consistent.
7.  Go hunting.

[tha bugman]

8.  Shoot massive turkey gobbler and step on head.

Here's what I do...

1.  Shoot dove loads at 10 or 20 yards to make sure my POA/POI is "in the ballpark".
2.  Clean barrel and shoot turkey load at 40 yards.
3.  Draw 10-inch circle around densest part and count.
4.  Repeat steps #2 and #3 until a good choke/load combo is found.
5.  Adjust for any POI shift with chosen load.
6.  Finally, shoot chosen choke/load at 20 yards to make sure POI is consistent.
7.  Go hunting.

[davisd9]

8.  Shoot massive turkey gobbler and step on head.

Here's what I do...

1.  Shoot dove loads at 10 or 20 yards to make sure my POA/POI is "in the ballpark".
2.  Clean barrel and shoot turkey load at 40 yards.
3.  Draw 10-inch circle around densest part and count.
4.  Repeat steps #2 and #3 until a good choke/load combo is found.
5.  Adjust for any POI shift with chosen load.
6.  Finally, shoot chosen choke/load at 20 yards to make sure POI is consistent.
7.  Go hunting.

Not if you are shooting the right turkey load.

[tha bugman]

total decapitation...

8.  Shoot massive turkey gobbler and step on head.

Here's what I do...

1.  Shoot dove loads at 10 or 20 yards to make sure my POA/POI is "in the ballpark".
2.  Clean barrel and shoot turkey load at 40 yards.
3.  Draw 10-inch circle around densest part and count.
4.  Repeat steps #2 and #3 until a good choke/load combo is found.
5.  Adjust for any POI shift with chosen load.
6.  Finally, shoot chosen choke/load at 20 yards to make sure POI is consistent.
7.  Go hunting.

Not if you are shooting the right turkey load.

[redleg06]

yes I know...but what I was going to do was shoot some dove loads at 20 yards to get my sights more or less on so I could then back off to 40 with the tureky loads and get it close to POA and POI being the same...does this sound logical?

Don't forget its at 40 yds!

Pattern first....or take a good cleaning kit with you.  You dont want to run a dozen shells through your gun and then try to pattern....all you will get is a headache and spend more money in chokes and shells because the pattern was sub-par.

Agreed. Thats the reason I always pattern first then adjust.

Also, I usually take a few chokes to pattern and they all might skew the POI a little differently and I dont dial in my sites until I've determined which choke/pattern I'm going to hunt with.

[tha bugman]

so should I get the pattern equally distributed around the POA (black dot) on the paper? I got windage great, but dove load pattern is still a little high.

[yelpy]

Adjust her down and squeeze again. Could save you on the high dollar shells. My guns hit the same POI with target loads and turkey loads.

[tha bugman]

will do~!  Looks like these March winds may mess my plans to shoot today....

Adjust her down and squeeze again. Could save you on the high dollar shells. My guns hit the same POI with target loads and turkey loads.

[nyhunter]

JMO...If its windy I'd wait, no need wasting those turkey loads on a windy day only to be frustrated and have to shoot again later. Trust me I have shot on windy days and its not worth it.