Pattern Quality

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

IMHO,

To get 13"-15" of good even coverage, it's not realistic to expect that all of the additional coverage will come from pellets that would have been outside of the 10" circle anyway.  You have to accept that your 10" circle numbers will probably be lower, because that super dense 10" pattern has now been opened up to cover 13"-15".

Suppose you are getting 180-200 in the 10 with Magnum Blend.  Are you willing to shoot Magnum Blend and drop down to 150-160 in the 10, in order to get more even coverage in the 15, by changing to a different choke constriction?

I like the idea of looking for holes in our patterns.  That's just plain smart there Clark.  I've always liked seeing pictures of evenly dispersed patterns.  Lead will do a great job of that out to 35 Yards, all day long.  But HTL works like magic to stretch what Lead does at 35, on out to 40, 45, etc.

Looking forward to your patterns.

[Clif Owen]

I don't  know a lot so bear with me. I often wonder if the tighter the choke the longer the shot string? If the turkey weaves, bobs, ducks or decides he's had enough, then a shorter shot string with more shot arriving at the same time is much better. I some times think Patternmaster chokes has the better mouse trap. I have never read anybody comment on this choke. If anybody has information, please post. I like a pattern with good coverage in a fifteen inch circle at forty yards. I feel more comfortable taking the shot with some room for error.    Many thanks, cluck

A good question as to whether or not a certain choke causes a longer shot string. A 20 gauge in and of itself has a shorter shot string than a 12 gauge I am told.

Raj...Are you sure about the 20?  My thinking may be flawed here and he expers can straighten it out if I'm wrong but here goes: A standard 2 3/4" 12gauge load is 1 1/4 oz. To get this in a 20; you need a 3" shell and this starts the shot string already in a longer column than the 12. No idea what happens if you compare same length shells in the different gauges.

[WickedBama]

I like the 10" circle at 40 then a follow up with a vital target.

[R AJ]

I don't  know a lot so bear with me. I often wonder if the tighter the choke the longer the shot string? If the turkey weaves, bobs, ducks or decides he's had enough, then a shorter shot string with more shot arriving at the same time is much better. I some times think Patternmaster chokes has the better mouse trap. I have never read anybody comment on this choke. If anybody has information, please post. I like a pattern with good coverage in a fifteen inch circle at forty yards. I feel more comfortable taking the shot with some room for error.    Many thanks, cluck

A good question as to whether or not a certain choke causes a longer shot string. A 20 gauge in and of itself has a shorter shot string than a 12 gauge I am told.

Raj...Are you sure about the 20?  My thinking may be flawed here and he expers can straighten it out if I'm wrong but here goes: A standard 2 3/4" 12gauge load is 1 1/4 oz. To get this in a 20; you need a 3" shell and this starts the shot string already in a longer column than the 12. No idea what happens if you compare same length shells in the different gauges.

I would think that you would have to keep shell length the same so that the max of a 2 3/4" load is generally 1 oz. - 1 1/8 . Let's get the experts as I noted that I have been told, not that I am certain.
You bring up good points as to shell length, load charge, choke used , etc.