How To Pattern Your Shotgun

7

7mmWSM

New member
I hear the phrase "pattern your shotgun" a lot when talking about hunting turkey. I have always just put up a "turkey" target, shot, and looked to see if the number of pellets seemed sufficient for a kill on a head shot. Is there something that I am missing? Does anyone use a large piece of paper to see where the exact center of the pattern is? Tell us how you guys do it so we can all learn something. Thank You.
 
7mmWSM, you've pretty much covered it: Patterning is for two purposes, first to see if the center of your pattern is at your point of aim and the second is to check pattern density.
 
I pattern all of ours when we get em. Bought a Beretta 390 semi once (brand new) that shot the center of the spread 20" left of center at 30 yds. The dealer was kind enough to just replace the gun and the replacement was smack on. Never have had that problem with a Browning... :D
 
I pattern every shotgun I own / and every choke I have for that shotgun...

I mostly pattern a gun - so it hits where I look / and adjust the comb and butt pad / until it is dialed in.

If you don't / there isn't any way to really know if the gun is hitting where you look / or what the effective look a pattern has at the kill range you expect. So sure, I would pattern the gun / at the range and with the choke I expect to use - at the expected kill range ( for a head sized pattern ).
 
If you don't / there isn't any way to really know if the gun is hitting where you look​
Not to contradict my learned friend, BigJimP... You don't need no stinkin' pattern board :D ... just toss in your .410 tubes and you'll know in a hurry where where the sweet spot is... Oh, you don't have .410 tubes, perhaps you do need a pattern board, after-all.
 
We pattern for gun fit also, Our club has a 30" steel plate covered in hard grease. just mark a cross on it, and shoot. a paint roller smooths the grease in between shots.
 
Yep, it's not rocket science. Some clubs will have a plate that's around 40-in square and then have someone lay-down a cross and 30-in circle with welding rod. It makes patterning very quick, and with a digital camera you can take a pic and count the pellet hits at your leisure.
 
Some of us like going to the "pattern board" ....makes me feel all warm and fuzzy .... ( and some of us can't see the shot pattern ...) and have no choice except to go to the pattern board ...
 
Yes, it is a must.

Some years ago when I first patterned my turkey gun I saw a unusual pattern. With a certain manufacture the destiny would move around in the pattern. The highest density of pellets should be in the center of the pattern and then get thinner towards the edge of the pattern. But it didn't, it kinda wobbled. So I learned my lesson, always check your pattern.

Also when I started to use a X-Full choke on my shotgun I noticed that the density of pellets was thicker in the outside of the pattern, with certain manufacturers. Much thinner in the center so less pellets in the head/hill zone. I was told that the pellets "bounced off each other" when using the X-Full choke to cause that. I don't know, just didn't use that load.
 
I bought a very expensive aftermarket barrel for my 1100. Couldn't hit nothin' with it. Patterned at 25yards it was shooting center of pattern 18" to the right.

Bought a new Browning B-T-99. Broke 99 first time out. Next time changed shot size to #8's and broke 88. Pattern board again. Beautiful pattern with #7.5, Lousy slabsided pattern with #8's.

How would I have known without a patterning board?
 
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