Patterning For 3gun?

[dghboy315]

i'm getting ready for the NC Recon match. how do you pattern your shotgun? i want to go thru my different chokes to see how they perform, but i don't know what pattern to look for and what distances i should try. how big a pattern do you need? and how far do you need to test your shotgun too?

i'm shooting a 12 ga. sx2 w/ winchester super-x game loads 1oz. 3 1/4 dr. eq. 8 shot 2 3/4 inches. i have a few different chokes.

[EricW]

It really is dependent on the course and what you have to knock down. Those little, freestanding steel plates look really easy to clean with an IC and 7 1/2.

They're not.

I really got sold on the barndoor patterning in the beginning. The problem is, any time you saved whizzing through a hoser section is lost the minute you dump an extra round, or two, or three, or more trying to knock something down. Think I'll just choke down and aim from here on out....

[sargenv]

I generally choke modified. I'd rather have a dense pattern out farther than an openpattern that might not do the job. #8's are kind of minimal, even at 3 1/4 dram. I tend to use 7.5's or 6's personally.

The standard way to pattern is to have a 30" piece of paper at different distances and see where the main shot cloud is at. Usually you can buy patterning paper, other people just use butcher paper and glue or draw a center dot to take a bead on. Then see where your pattern is densest. Ballistic Products sells pattern paper.

Vince

[stingerjg]

i just used some paper plates to pattern my load. I shot at 5, 10, 15, and 20 yards. I just looked for how many holes where on the plate at various distances. The difference between I/C and Mod chokes where marginal out to 15yards and the Mod was tighter at 20 yards. I chose the I/C in the end.

[benny hill]

Shoot at least 1 1/8 oz. shot if you are serious about winning. #5,6, or 7 1/2

[Scooter]

One reason to pattern your shotgun is to find where roughly the center of the pattern is going to occur. It doesn't help you if majority of the pellets are hitting off center.

[vtecrx]

What is considered to be a good size pattern? If someone could give am an approximate size for maybe 10, 15, 20 yards it would really help me. I have never shot at steel so I really don't know what it takes to knock it down.

Andy

[jm951]

It also pays to know where your pattern is hitting relative to the bead. Some guns tend to put a higher percentage of the shot above or below the point of aim. Also, check to see where your slugs hit with the chosen choke. See you at the Recon.

[bigbrowndog]

generally, one inch for every yard of distance is a good pattern for shooting stationary clays. a little tighter is better for steel, these numbers seem to work for me and they're easy to remember. trapr

[Neil Beverley]

I wrote a (very) short commentary, together with some pictures, HERE. You need to be a member to view.

[kellyn]

I'd test to at LEAST 35 yards, better 40 or even 50, checking the pattern every five yards. When faced with a popper, you want some idea how far you can decisively engage it with a specific load and choke. Same with plates.

I'd pattern on paper and then shoot some steel to get an idea of how your shotgun/load/choke hammers it.

I personally prefer a bit tighter choke if I know there are going to be challenging steel targets. I think tighter chokes knock steel down more decisively, enabling you to see the effect of your shot faster.

And remember that steel, poppers in particular, often get knocked around during a shotgun stage effecting calibration. So they might take a bit of extra power to take them.