Brothers H n R not patterning well

[turkeyfeathers]

Brother missed a bird at 30 yards with his H n R single shot 10 bore. Mind you the bird went back into strut the instant he pulled the trigger and shot right over him. He decided to throw a round downrange at 40 yards. Only 40 hits in a paper plate with Winchester copper plated 4's. Holes all over the place.We deep cleaned it and ran a Winchester xx 5's threw it. Thinking maybe his pattern was blowing out. Equally as cruddy. Fixed choke (think it's full choke) This gun was bought in '74 and has 88 notches in the stock. Could you actually wear out a barrel or fixed choke? Can choke have plastic wadding material built up we couldn't see or get out ? No other turkey loads around to test and our wonderful NYS Safe Act won't allow ammo shipped to NYS. Any input appreciated

[the Ward]

Did you try shooting at a large piece of paper (3x3 or so) to see if it's shooting where your aiming? Could just be a p.o.i./p.o.a. issue, and shooting at a big sheet of paper will show you where the densest part of the pattern is in relation to where your aiming. Bummer you can't order ammo to test, stupid politicians!!

[turkeyfeathers]

Had paper plate taped on a 3x4 feet piece of cardboard. Entire piece was covered with no concentration of pattern

[the Ward]

Had paper plate taped on a 3x4 feet piece of cardboard. Entire piece was covered with no concentration of pattern

O.k. I see what you saying now. There are guys here that are shooting the same gun as you, maybe they can chime in and be of more help than I can. Being it's a fixed choke gun there is not much I know to do with it except deep clean and/or polish the bore and try some different shells. Might just have to limit your range to 30 yrds or so till you can get some different shells to try. Hopefully someone here can help you figure it out. Good luck and stay safe.....ward

[deadbuck]

I have a 1984 H&R with 32 inch fixed full choke (.720) barrel and it shoots lead as bad or worse than yours. I bought some Federal Heavyweight #7 shot and it will shoot 160 ish in a 10 at 40. It also shoots magblends in the 180 ish range but the mag blend recoil is almost unbearable. I just sent it off last Thursday to have barrel threaded for chokes. I am hoping to see a huge increase by choking it to .690 or .695. I should have results in a few weeks.

[FLINT]

I have a late 70s Stevens 10 ga with 36" fixed full choke - and I'm pretty sure that 10 ga full choke is .740 and not .720

I was under the assumption that it was not ok to shoot HTL shells in guns of this vintage with fixed full chokes. 

Anyways, with only lead ammo, I got the best patterns with Remington 2 1/4 oz #4s, and Fed. 2oz flight control #5s.  but still those were only about 60 hits in 10" at 40 yards. 

I don't think you can really expect any better than that with a fixed full choke gun and lead ammo.  remember a full choke is supposed to put 70% of the shot into 30" at 40 yards.  Which is what all of the ammo I tried did - except the Fed. flight control #5s.  those put like 85% into 30" at 40 yards - I guess due to the FC wad. 

[deadbuck]

Mine was a .720, I put the mic to it myself. I now have my barrel back from getting threaded and am searching for a tru choke thread pattern tube to start experimenting. Stay tuned.

[deadbuck]

I decided to try the Carlsons .690  since they have a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied and they had a tube in the Tru Choke thread pattern(which is very difficult to find). It shot 167 with the Fed HWT 7 in the 10 at 40 and was an even pattern but I was not satisfied so I returned it and got a refund. I then called William at Sumtoy Customs and he made me a choke in .685 that is not ported and it jumped my numbers to 201 at 40 in the 10. I am satisfied with this and believe this is max performance from this gun and store bought shells currently available. It would be WICKED with a 2 1/4 oz load of TSS 8 or 9!!!!!!

[dutch@fx4]

are you sure he is not flintching at the shot .I had the same gun ,had a smith put rifle sights on it and it was a turkey killer for sure but dam it was a mule ,,,Dutch

[SP-10 Fan]

Brother missed a bird at 30 yards with his H n R single shot 10 bore. Mind you the bird went back into strut the instant he pulled the trigger and shot right over him. He decided to throw a round downrange at 40 yards. Only 40 hits in a paper plate with Winchester copper plated 4's. Holes all over the place.We deep cleaned it and ran a Winchester xx 5's threw it. Thinking maybe his pattern was blowing out. Equally as cruddy. Fixed choke (think it's full choke) This gun was bought in '74 and has 88 notches in the stock. Could you actually wear out a barrel or fixed choke? Can choke have plastic wadding material built up we couldn't see or get out ? No other turkey loads around to test and our wonderful NYS Safe Act won't allow ammo shipped to NYS. Any input appreciated

With that fixed choke I believe Federal's Flight Control Wad (FC) with HW shot would should the lights out using his gun.  Federal recommends a Modified to Full choke with that shell, and no ports or wad stoppers.  My wife inherited a Winchester Model 12 Heavy Duck shotgun in 12 gauge.  It has a full choke (fixed) 30" barrel.  I patterned it with the Federal FC #6 HW shot.  At 40 yards it was a beautiful, tight pattern.

[10gaugemag]

Older thread so not sure what has happened in the last year but first thing I would do is get some Remington Premier 4's, best lead load I have seen in at least a half dozen 10's from BPS to SP-10, doubles and single shots. I had great luck with Winchester 5's a number of years ago but they had to be choked .080. Until Longbeards came out I never had that much luck with any other Winchester turkey loads in my guns.

[SP-10 Fan]

I have a 1984 H&R with 32 inch fixed full choke (.720) barrel and it shoots lead as bad or worse than yours. I bought some Federal Heavyweight #7 shot and it will shoot 160 ish in a 10 at 40. It also shoots magblends in the 180 ish range but the mag blend recoil is almost unbearable. I just sent it off last Thursday to have barrel threaded for chokes. I am hoping to see a huge increase by choking it to .690 or .695. I should have results in a few weeks.

H&R should provide a medic/RN and pain medication for anyone who shoots a 10 gauge H&R.  My hat is off to you brave souls who shoot 10 gauge turkey loads out of a light single shot...I don't think I could shoot a round from an H&R 10 gauge without flinching like crazy.