Remington 870 20 and heavyweight numbers ?????

[Rem Man]

    Hi guys I was shooting my gun the other day, Remington 870 20 gauge youth 21 inch barrell. I was shooting a SSX choke and a Rem super full with heavyweight #7's. I have been looking at some of the members numbers here and I just don't know what im doing wrong. I was only able to shoot at about 33 yards and have been getting around 120 in a 10 inch and about 135 in the 20 inch circle. I have Williams fire sights and it was about 40 degrees. ANY TIPS?? THANKS!

[Sand Man]

Have you verified POA and POI?

If not, are you shooting at a 4' X 4' piece of paper and moving the 10" circle until you find the most dense part of the pattern?

Have you polished your barrel?

Have you deep cleaned your barrel?

[Balla1982]

What do mean by moving the circle?

[Sand Man]

What do mean by moving the circle?

He was drawing his 10" circle then shooting the gun at the circle.  This doesn't always give you a true representation of how the gun is patterning.  If you pull the shot, if the wind blows the shot, or if your POA and POI of the gun isn't the same then the center of your pattern isn't going to hit in the center of the 10" circle give you the results of your gun.

I take a 4' X 4' piece cardboard to pattern.  I set up sandbags or bags of shot on the corner of the bed of my truck for a solid rest at 40 yards.  I aim at the center of the cardboard.  I then have a 10" and 20" circle cut out of cardboard.  I got to the 4' X 4' piece I shot at and place the cut out over the most dense part of the pattern reguardless if it's left 2', right 2', up 2', down 2', etc, etc.  If my guns isn't hitting where I"m aiming I adjust my sight to move the most dense or center of the pattern to where I'm aiming.  This does two things:

1) gives you an accurate representation of how your gun/choke combo is patterning a shell
2) aligns your POA and POI on the gun.

Hope that makes sense.

drawing a 10" circle and shooting at it doesn't always tell the true story of the pattern

[Balla1982]

Gotcha. Pretty much, sighting in your gun and like you stated, shows how each shell/choke combo will pattern. I don't have adjustable sights or a scope so that's why I was wondering. I do plan on getting a scope for my sons shotgun and mine.
Thank you

[savduck]

Nothing is wrong. That 120 to 140 with that gun is on par with that choke. You get some that shoot better, but that's where a bunch of guys have been with that set up.


To me, that's my favorite count and pattern in a hunting set up. Anything tighter is to much.

[crenshawco]

Nothing is wrong. That 120 to 140 with that gun is on par with that choke. You get some that shoot better, but that's where a bunch of guys have been with that set up.


To me, that's my favorite count and pattern in a hunting set up. Anything tighter is to much.

That's exactly what I'm getting and you're right, it's a perfect hunting setup.

[3seasons]

+1  Sand Man

Polish your barrel if you can. 

I wish I had pattered my gun before I polished my barrel.  Got a friend coming over tomorrow with his so we might pattern it first then polish it out and try it again. Ill post the results if it doesn't rain us out.

[mossyoakpro]

My 870 youth actually preferred the the more open choke which is exactly opposite of most folks here....mine shoots better with the 570.

Try a few more chokes before throwing in the towel.


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