General Patterning Tips for a Newbie

[Grant Flaming]

Hey guys. This is my first post so hello to everybody. I am wondering how to get the most out of my Remington SPR100 20 gauge shotgun(single shot). I have a Carlson's .575 nonported turkey choke. I am trying Federal Mag-Shock #5 and getting about 110 hits in a 10" circle at 30 yards and around 60 hits at 35 yards.

What loads would you recommend for my choke constriction? What else do I need to do to get better patterns?

Thanks,
Grant

[coyotetrpr]

I have had good luck with hevi 6's and a lot of people on this site swear by hevi 7's. No matter what choke you have most of the time the smaller shot will give a better pattern. (more pellets)

[sugarray]

In a 20, you are loosing a lot by using #5 shot.  The largest I would go would be #6 shot.  I would go tighter with a .562 Hastings or .550 SSX, or close and shoot Hevi #7 or Federal HW #7.  This maximizes your down range energy with larger pellet counts with the smaller pellets.

[gophert]

In a 20, you are loosing a lot by using #5 shot.  The largest I would go would be #6 shot.  I would go tighter with a .562 Hastings or .550 SSX, or close and shoot Hevi #7 or Federal HW #7.  This maximizes your down range energy with larger pellet counts with the smaller pellets.

[dawei]

Hey guys. This is my first post so hello to everybody. I am wondering how to get the most out of my Remington SPR100 20 gauge shotgun(single shot). I have a Carlson's .575 nonported turkey choke. I am trying Federal Mag-Shock #5 and getting about 110 hits in a 10" circle at 30 yards and around 60 hits at 35 yards.

What loads would you recommend for my choke constriction? What else do I need to do to get better patterns?

Thanks,
Grant

I would advise you to try the Federal® Flitecontrol® Mag-Shok® 3" Mag 1185fps 1 5/16oz #6Pb. The load of lead 5's that you are shooting has 222 pellets. If you switch to #6 you get 288 pellets so you have a 30% increase in the density for your pattern.

If you wish to stick with #5Pb I recommend that you try Remington® Nitro-Turkey® 3" Mag 1185fps 1¼oz #5 (NT20M6). I've always had good patterns with this load through a variety of chokes in my three 20ga guns. Cost is $6.99 for a 10 round box. Additionally try Winchester® Supreme® High Velocity 1200fps 1 5/16oz #5 (STH2035), cost is $11.99 per box.

One load that I avoid is the more expensive Remington® Premier® Copper Plated Buffered 3" Mag 1185fps 1¼ #6Pb (P20XHM6). Although about 50% more expensive than the Nitro-Turkey®, this load patterns like crap through all my 20ga guns & chokes. Cost is $9.99-10.99 for a box of ten.

If it were me I would spend my $$ on different ammo before I spent a lot more on different choke tube(s).

[Grant Flaming]

Thanks so much for all the tips guys. I don't know where to find hevi 7's or HW 7's without ordering online. Is there a huge difference between them? I know the HW has 1 1/2oz. of shot.

I have heard that flite control wads like super clean barrels. Should I clean between each shot? Is there anything else besides load and choke stuff that I should do to improve patterns?

Thanks,
Grant

[dawei]

Thanks so much for all the tips guys. I don't know where to find hevi 7's or HW 7's without ordering online. Is there a huge difference between them? I know the HW has 1 1/2oz. of shot.

I have heard that flite control wads like super clean barrels. Should I clean between each shot? Is there anything else besides load and choke stuff that I should do to improve patterns?

Thanks,
Grant

While my experience with Flitecontrol® is limited to Pb loads; my three 20ga guns pattern these rounds better from a dirty barrel - YMMVH.

[Grant Flaming]

I guess every gun can be different. I cleaned my barrel really well at noon today and went out and shot at 35 yards again. I had 12 in the vital parts of a turkey head/neck target. I also had 102 in a 10" circle now. Huge difference from last time.

I feel I cleaned it better this time. I got away from the Kansas wind as much as possible but I had a reasonable wind from straight behind me.

Also, I have had a thought floating around the back of my head for sometime now. Maybe it's just my gun but every time I hold the gun so it jumps and moves as little as possible, my counts go up. Call me crazy but I have now had to many cases like this not to do it!


Have you guys ever had anything like this happen?

Thanks for the input,
Grant

[dawei]

I guess every gun can be different. I cleaned my barrel really well at noon today and went out and shot at 35 yards again. I had 12 in the vital parts of a turkey head/neck target. I also had 102 in a 10" circle now. Huge difference from last time.

I feel I cleaned it better this time. I got away from the Kansas wind as much as possible but I had a reasonable wind from straight behind me.

Also, I have had a thought floating around the back of my head for sometime now. Maybe it's just my gun but every time I hold the gun so it jumps and moves as little as possible, my counts go up. Call me crazy but I have now had to many cases like this not to do it!


Have you guys ever had anything like this happen?

Thanks for the input,
Grant

Proper hold is everything just ask any bench rest shooter.

[SumToy]

I would go with around a 560 to 565. With the HV-13 7 you should see 150 to 160 easy in the 10 at 40 yards.

[Grant Flaming]

It is kind of hard to find after market chokes for my gun. I would really like to stick with my .575 Carlson rather than buy another one. I know I won't shoot patterns as tight as most on this forum, but will Hevi-13 7's still pattern well to say 40 yards with my choke?

It isn't ported and it isn't very long (2 2/8")  .575 constriction.

Thanks for all the help,
Grant

[dawei]

It is kind of hard to find after market chokes for my gun. I would really like to stick with my .575 Carlson rather than buy another one. I know I won't shoot patterns as tight as most on this forum, but will Hevi-13 7's still pattern well to say 40 yards with my choke?

It isn't ported and it isn't very long (2 2/8")  .575 constriction.

Thanks for all the help,
Grant

I have a Remington® SPR220 20ga SxS, in reality this is a Baikal® IZH-43. It came with CYL, IC, MOD, & FULL CHOKES flush fitting chokes. Remington® chokes DO NOT fit this gun, rather it takes Tru-Chokes. I get my chokes from Colonial Arms® ( http://www.colonialarms.com/ ) and have a .570 and .575" I'm very pleased with. Additionally I get chokes from Trulock® Chokes: http://www.trulockchokes.com/

What type of choke does your SPR100 take?

[Grant Flaming]

It takes Tru-chokes.

Grant

[Old Gobbler]

Mag - Blends