Input on my patterning

[turkeygirl2]

Need your input on my patterning....I've been posting this around trying to get ideas on what to do.

I started patterning my Mossberg 500 20 ga Super Bantam turkey gun. Was using the factory x-full choke with it and the H.S. Undertaker choke with it. Shot it yesterday with some Fed. Mag Shok #6 and some Remington Supreme #5 I think they were. The gun has the fiber optic sights from Mossberg on it and the rear sight is adjustable. I shot at 20 and 30 yards and no matter what, I had the rear sight adjusted all the way down and my pattern was still hitting 2" high, even at 30 yards! The pattern was more spread out at 30 yards, but if it wasn't high, I'd have an alright pattern.

So before going out today, I tried tightening the screw/bolt that you loosen for removing the barrel, incase that had anything to do with it. I only had 5 Fed #6 left, but I took out some 2 3/4 #7 small game shells out anyway. Below is a photo of what I got at 20 and 30 yards...still high. The left side of the photo is the Undertaker choke with a 2 3/4" #7 shell at 20 yards and a Fed #6 shell at 30 yards. The right side of the photo is a 2 3/4" shell at 20 yards out of the x-full choke, and same choke/shell combo at 30 yards:


So what's going on here? I know if I aimedl ower that might help, but how will I remember to aim lower when a big old bird is in front of me....I'd like to know what the issue is and fix it....

I'm going to get some Winchester #5 high velocity shells, those I remember in the past shot the best out of my big Mossberg 500 20 ga.

Is it going to be better to take of the factory sights and put on like a set of TruGlo sights?

Any recommendations for sights? any thoughts what the issue is?

[Arrowmaster]

Heres the link to turkeygirl2 patterns. Yes I agree it was high.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...t/100_1007.jpg

[Arrowmaster]

I would follow the pattern if your shooting high raise the sight not lower it. If you lower it then you shoot higher...

[turkeygirl2]

I tried raising the rear sight and ended up hitting higher though..........?? I dunno...I'm confused, some tell me lower, some tell me higher... I can't afford to go through 5 boxes of shells.....lol

[Arrowmaster]

No I would want to go thru a bunch of shells either. For one its expensive and two it will wear your shoulder out. Here is one way to correct it. Make sure when you shoot a real tom aim lower on the neck. I usually aim between the base of the neck and middle of his neck. Works everytime. I use the xxful turkey choke from my Mossberg 500 12ga and it shoots awesome.

[barry1me]

every time we pattern a gun in we use some cheap 2.75" shells at 20 yards, 30, and 45 yards. Once you feel your close throw a turkey load in and confirm if your sights are on.

FYI I have seen several Mossbergs shoot high. When we sighted in two guns last weekend the Moss 835 was maxed out on the sight and still shot high....if you dont like your sight setup this may be a solution...http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2644567worked great for me.

[SwampCollie]

ORIGINAL: Arrowmaster

Here is one way to correct it. Make sure when you shoot a real tom aim lower on the neck. I usually aim between the base of the neck and middle of his neck. Works everytime.

Yep. Most people send most of their pattern over a turkey's head.

To put it in perspective, I have a scope on my turkey gun, and I put my crosshairs right where the feathers stop on his neck and the skin starts. Look at the picture of the strutting bird in arrowmasters avatar under his name. Right where that red patch is above his beard is where my crosshairs go. The dead center of my pattern at 25 yards would smash him right in the lips.

I have an 835.... and used those mossberg fiber optics like you no doubt have on your 20gauge before I put the scope on. I could never get my sights to adjust far enough down either. No matter how tight I pressed my face againest the stock... always shot high. But do make sure you keep your face down on the stock.

If you are out of adjustment, you just need to keep in mind to aim at the base of the neck and you will wear him out. One other thing... try shooting at a bigger piece of paper. See what the whole pattern looks like. Tape that turkey to a piece of poster board.... Wal-Mart sells it for like $2.00 for ten pieces. Or hit up the attic and pull down some wrapping paper and cut out some big squares. It will let you know exactly how high you are shooting.

Good luck... keep us posted!

[nchawkeye]

Couple of things...You move the rear sight in the direction you want the next shot to go...Raising, it will go higher, moving to the right and the shot goes right...The front sight is exactly opposite...If you lower the front sight, you have to tilt the barrel higher to register in the rear, so it will shoot higher....I have made a few flintlocks, when you have to file the sights, you learn to remember...

Now...Different ammo will shoot to different points of aim, if you don't move the sights..My Browning shoots Winchester Supremes high and to the right...It shoots Federal Premium kinda like yours does, about 2-3 inches high...I just use a 6'oclock hold and aim 2-3 inches below the head, this works well as the head is always in sight...Remember you are shooting a shotgun, not a rifle, you don't have to be dead on to kill that turkey...Just shoot a couple of times and get used to the hold, you'll remember....I'd actually rather have it that way than having to remember to hold left or right...Good Luck...

[r33h]

You have gotten several good tips here and one thing that I will add that has already been said is to shot at a large piece of paper...at least 34" X 34" so you can see what you entire pattern is doing. A lot of hunters are now using a 10" circle and a 3" circle to aim at (I wont go into detail as that's not the topic here). Go to Lowe's / Home Improvement and buy some contractor's paper or get some butcher paper and staple it to a piece of plywood and put a 3" circle. I would start out using cheap dove loads and stand about 15 or 20 yards and just get your gun shooting close to center. Once you have done that (with the cheaper loads), then back up some and switch to the more expensive loads...the ones you are wanting to pattern. Also, remember that one brand of shell may shoot high while another brand may shoot low. You will need to sight in your gun for the exact brand of shell you choose.

[knifemakerbill]

move rear sight in direction you want the bullet to impact. lowering the rear sight will make you raise the rear of barrel to achieve same plane- thus lowering the impact.