Interesting patterns with Fed 7s.

[savduck]

Went today and shot a few times just to make sure the guns were on. Also wanted to see what these new lot numbers I got would do. I had 5V and 5U lot numbers.

Cold barrel. 870, 21 inch, SSX....153 at 40 with 5V Lot. Weatherby, 28 inch, sumtoy......134 at 40 with 5V. Both of these shots are dead on the for how I have them set up to shoot.

Now I normally clean before a second shot but this time I ran a 5U shell through the 870 without cleaning. The pattern was so bad I didnt even count. I bet its only 40 to 50 pellets in the ten at 40.


Now the most interesting thing is a few years back I bought several cases of Federals. 3V and 3U were the lot numbers. Both my guns like the 3V lots and numbers are about what 5V lots are. Both of my guns didnt not pattern 3U lots good and so far with one terrible shot with 5U they act like they dont like them.

Im curious if the Vs are from one factory and the U from another. I seem to remember quite a few guys not shooting the 3U lots that great. I may call Federal and ask how that works. Makes me wonder.

[BowBendr]

Maybe not a different factory but I'd bet it was a different production line inside the same factory.
Even so, that is a serious drop-off on a one shot fouled barrel.......

[savduck]

Way off. Ive killed doubles three times with that Remington. Ive patterned it for doubles and havent had drop offs like that before

[tnanh]

I have an 870 and an H&R 20 that both drop off like that with the Heavyweight 7s. I posted asking about it last year and some people commented that it was common. I would collect wads after the first, second and third shots. First shot the wads would be clean white. Second shot a little more dirty. By a third shot they would just be black and nasty. Bore snake between shots made it a little better but never as good as that first shot. The heavyweight 7s are good shells and I still shoot them but I think for some reason they are just dirty to shoot.

[Hayudog]

I thought i had the cure for the problem.... shoot a Savage 220!   But mine only shoot a 2 3/4".  So , maybe a Baikal .... with a Sumtoy choke.  They shoot 3".
All kidding aside... thanks for the info.  Shooting a clean barrel is obviously mandatory.

[wvmntnhick]

I don't clean my gun but once a season. That's right before I pattern it. My 11-87 20 ga throws about 140 in the 10" whether it's the first shot from a clean bore or the last shot in a 5 shot string. Obviously the lot numbers can wreak havoc on patterns but I'm not necessarily sold that a clean barrel is always the answer. Heck, my 835 has gotten better as the barrel has gotten dirtier. Matter of fact, I've not cleaned it since last year because of this. I'll swab the bore once and then make sure it's dry but that's it.

[spurz]

Had the same results as well. 170's with the v lots and 130-140 with the u lots. Those shells are incredibly dirty I always run a bore snake after every shot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[savduck]

Ive probably run 20 boxes of federals through two guns just patterning. They both like to shoot clean.

After firat shot they normal both fall off about 10 to 20 pellets in ten...but never like what I described.