Pattern / # of hits question....
03-19-2012, 04:17 PM
#21
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 637
The problem with just shooting at a turkey head target or any other small target is that you can't see what your whole pattern is doing or where your shotgun is throwing the center of your pattern. Trust me not all shotguns (even really expensive ones) throw their patterns perfect to the point of aim of the bead sight. Also different chokes and shells can shift your point of impact too.
Do what you like but you can shoot the same shell through the same gun and choke at a small turkey target and get 6 radically different results never knowing what the heck is going on. Did you pull the shot? Was the center of the pattern high, low, left, right? Who knows unless you shoot at a large sheet of paper. Only then can you truly tell which shell/choke combo is throwing the best pattern and whether you need an adjustable sight to get it centered to point of aim.
And it's not like it's a major expense to shoot a sheet of poster paper or a section of craft paper. If you like you can still tape a turkey head target in the center of it. But one shot at a large sheet of paper will tell you more about what you, your gun, shell and choke are doing than ten shots at a can or small target.
Do what you like but you can shoot the same shell through the same gun and choke at a small turkey target and get 6 radically different results never knowing what the heck is going on. Did you pull the shot? Was the center of the pattern high, low, left, right? Who knows unless you shoot at a large sheet of paper. Only then can you truly tell which shell/choke combo is throwing the best pattern and whether you need an adjustable sight to get it centered to point of aim.
And it's not like it's a major expense to shoot a sheet of poster paper or a section of craft paper. If you like you can still tape a turkey head target in the center of it. But one shot at a large sheet of paper will tell you more about what you, your gun, shell and choke are doing than ten shots at a can or small target.
03-19-2012, 04:21 PM
#22
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 637
03-19-2012, 05:25 PM
#23
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,083
I found some old wrapping paper and did more shooting. I also adjusted my sight. The shots were somewhat to the left and high. Looking much better about 80 pellets. This is at 30yrds at 20 it blew the paper in some pices ... Just doesn't want to pattern at 40. So I'm pretty sure it is the shells. It was also sort of breezy out the first day. I don't know if that would affect the shot that drastically at those ranges or not. Like mentioned, Ill try some different shells. If I can't get it better Ill be limiting my shots to 30yds. Thanks for all the info / input.
03-19-2012, 06:25 PM
#24
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 72
I found some old wrapping paper and did more shooting. I also adjusted my sight. The shots were somewhat to the left and high. Looking much better about 80 pellets. This is at 30yrds at 20 it blew the paper in some pices ... Just doesn't want to pattern at 40. So I'm pretty sure it is the shells. It was also sort of breezy out the first day. I don't know if that would affect the shot that drastically at those ranges or not. Like mentioned, Ill try some different shells. If I can't get it better Ill be limiting my shots to 30yds. Thanks for all the info / input.
03-19-2012, 06:30 PM
#25
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 72
Sorry but this not correct. This author did not mean that a 10 inch turkey head exists but I think he means a 10 inch tight pattern is better than a turkey head size 2-4 inches. That's how I took it anyways, no disrespect just pointing eyes in the right direction on this post.
03-19-2012, 09:16 PM
#29
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 339
The problem with just shooting at a turkey head target or any other small target is that you can't see what your whole pattern is doing or where your shotgun is throwing the center of your pattern. Trust me not all shotguns (even really expensive ones) throw their patterns perfect to the point of aim of the bead sight. Also different chokes and shells can shift your point of impact too.
Do what you like but you can shoot the same shell through the same gun and choke at a small turkey target and get 6 radically different results never knowing what the heck is going on. Did you pull the shot? Was the center of the pattern high, low, left, right? Who knows unless you shoot at a large sheet of paper. Only then can you truly tell which shell/choke combo is throwing the best pattern and whether you need an adjustable sight to get it centered to point of aim.
And it's not like it's a major expense to shoot a sheet of poster paper or a section of craft paper. If you like you can still tape a turkey head target in the center of it. But one shot at a large sheet of paper will tell you more about what you, your gun, shell and choke are doing than ten shots at a can or small target.
Do what you like but you can shoot the same shell through the same gun and choke at a small turkey target and get 6 radically different results never knowing what the heck is going on. Did you pull the shot? Was the center of the pattern high, low, left, right? Who knows unless you shoot at a large sheet of paper. Only then can you truly tell which shell/choke combo is throwing the best pattern and whether you need an adjustable sight to get it centered to point of aim.
And it's not like it's a major expense to shoot a sheet of poster paper or a section of craft paper. If you like you can still tape a turkey head target in the center of it. But one shot at a large sheet of paper will tell you more about what you, your gun, shell and choke are doing than ten shots at a can or small target.
03-19-2012, 09:46 PM
#30
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 72
This isn't meant to be a smart remark or anything... but if I take a 3d target, like a can the approx height of a turkey and shoot it... I know what my pattern looks like without shootin a piece of paper. I know if I pulled the shot, I know if I have holes... I dont care what happens outside of that can... I just know the can is dead, and so wont a turkey... I don't care if you've shot 200 turkeys over the last 50 years or whatever... count all the holes you want... If you put a beer can on a stick and rock its ass at 35 yards... Turkeys goin down. Anything outside of that is details that wont matter if ya cant shoot.