Do most guys pattern a gun freehand or use a bench?

[sugarray]

Zero it on the bench.

Check it from a hunting position afterwards.

Always!!

Also, don't draw your circle until AFTER you shoot.  Sounds like you might be off a little

Why draw your circle after you shoot? When I am sighting in I use a 10" rimfire target and aim at the center of the target so that I can siimulate aiming at a turkeys head. It also lets me know that my POA and POI are the same. Am I doing this wrong?

If your gun doesn't shoot to POA, then you will miss the densest part of your pattern.  Also, if you pull off you miss the most dense part.  This is to help count pellets in the most dense part of the pattern.  If you are already lined in then you don't have to do this, but if you pull off then your 10" counts will be less and not truly representative of what you gun/choke/load will really do.

[Hooks' n' Beards']

I Pattern my shotgun the same way i Turkey hunt with it,I use a V-pod for a few shots and also freehand a few,to make sure im hitting where i want and thats it,Im Patterned.

[goblr77]

I sit in a Cabela's Gobbler Lounger and rest my left forearm on my knee.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

Freehand, while seated.

[30_06]

A bench and sandbags to get the gun sighted in. Turkey hunting position to get me sighted in.

[FttFttVroom!]

Every pattern I have posted was shot sitting on my butt, gun on the knee as if I were actually hunting.

I try to simulate the true shot I'll get in the field every time.

[sippy cup]

I line up my gun on a bench then i shoot it like i hunt setting beside a tree with gun on my knee

[CT Spur Collector]

Yep, get some good gobbler targets, start at 10 to 15 yards, sit down like you would be in the woods, put your knee up, rest your gun and let er' fly. I like to keep moving back or the target out to about 40 max. I like to get em as close as 20 yards and kill em' but I've killed them at 60. When the Benelli barks, it's all over. I like a clear scope with a circle and crosshairs. I've been very successful with my rig.

Good luck, be careful and have fun.

[jasperjet]

I use a bench and a towel under my shirt . I have heard using a lead sled can damage scopes because it shortens the distance the energy is absorbed..that was with magnum rifles so I think the same might hold true for us here. But they are nice accessories for punishing guns.