Pattern grease board: is this right??

JasonWilliam · June 6, 2009, 09:03 PM

My club has a couple pattern board options. One is a wall of stacked railroad ties where you can staple paper to, and the other is a steel plate grease board.

The railroad tie option I get; shoot thru the paper into wood. No harm no foul.

But I'm looking at this steel plate and I'm scratching my head... are we really supposed to shoot at a perpendicular steel wall from 20ish yard away? Are there no ricochet concerns??

What am I missing?

Bill DeShivs · June 6, 2009, 10:24 PM

Nothing. You're smarter than most people about shooting at steel!

odsixer · June 6, 2009, 10:55 PM

Just don't use steel shot.

Ruger4570 · June 6, 2009, 11:06 PM

My club has a grease plate to pattern on. Personally, I don't like it and much prefer paper that I can take home for later counts and study. Our steel plate has a chain welded to the bottom and pulled back to a stake in the ground. The idea is that the plate is chained back on an angle and "should" deflect pellets into the ground.

BillM · June 6, 2009, 11:34 PM

Once in a while I shoot some USPSA 3 gun competition. Minimum safe
engagement distance per the rulebook for steel targets with birdshot
or buckshot is 5 meters (just under 17 feet). Never seen a problem
with shot bouncing back yet.

zippy13 · June 7, 2009, 12:42 AM

Except for skeet shooters, most folks want to pattern at more than 20-yards. Some clubs use grease others use white wash on a steel plate. They both have their pluses and minuses. If shooting at steel bothers you, then get some standard 40-inch paper patterning targets.

shortwave · June 7, 2009, 10:27 AM

What Bill DeShivs said.

JasonWilliam · June 7, 2009, 11:23 AM

Regarding zippy's comments...

Whats interesting about this boards location is that it is right next door to the trap field. To a newbie like myself, that would tend to indicate this was the preferred board for trap patterning.

But its placement prevents standing level with it any further back that 20ish yards. Any further than that and you're shooting downhill.

BigJimP · June 7, 2009, 11:43 AM

A pattern board ideally needs to be on level ground - and like Zippy said 20 or 21 yards is ok for Skeet shooters / remember on a Trap field - you are standing 16 yards from the house - but your killing targets around 30 yards as they move downrange - so 20 yards is too close for a Trap pattern evaluation.

But even at 20 yards - you can certainly see what your point of impact is ( if you use a Full or ImpMod choke ) at that range. But shoot 3 or 4 shells from each barrel - and each choke to make sure you have a complete database. Hopefully you get the same point of impact - on both barrels - then put a Skeet choke or Cyl choke in for 20 yards - so you can see your pellet spread at 20 yards.

mwar410 · June 7, 2009, 05:24 PM

exactly what bigjim said and the grease makes it so easy, no paper, staples just a roller. we use it all the time for instruction. Can't really teach clays without seeing what your POI is.

Dave McC · June 7, 2009, 08:23 PM

Jim nailed it, let me add a trifle here.

20 yards will enable you to determine POI/POA and how much to alter your stock.

British gun maker and pro shooter E J Churchill determined that at 16 yards, a 1/16" change in the stock drop or cast would move the POI 1".

Moleskin or neoprene pads can be added to move POI.

Most repeaters can be shimmed at the juncture of stock and receiver to shift POI and adjust the stock to "Shoot where you're looking".

I prefer grease plates to paper targets for adjusting fit. Paper is easier to count holes in.

HTH....

olddrum1 · June 7, 2009, 10:29 PM

If anyone was ever going to be hit by shot off of a patterning board it would have to be me. I have used one for years and never been hit by shot. On the other hand I have been in competition at a number of places where I have been hit by shot off of trees, brush, etc. If you are worried about your saftey, then by all means, do not use one. If you do so choose to use a patterning board, good sense and saftey glasses are a good choice. I might also suggest all support of the panel be behind it rather than in front.
CB.

June 6, 2009, 09:03 PM	#1
JasonWilliam Junior member Join Date: May 9, 2009 Posts: 142	Pattern grease board: is this right?? My club has a couple pattern board options. One is a wall of stacked railroad ties where you can staple paper to, and the other is a steel plate grease board. The railroad tie option I get; shoot thru the paper into wood. No harm no foul. But I'm looking at this steel plate and I'm scratching my head... are we really supposed to shoot at a perpendicular steel wall from 20ish yard away? Are there no ricochet concerns?? What am I missing?

June 6, 2009, 10:24 PM	#2
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,979	Nothing. You're smarter than most people about shooting at steel! __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

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June 6, 2009, 10:55 PM	#3
odsixer Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2007 Location: great white north Posts: 316	Just don't use steel shot.

June 6, 2009, 11:06 PM	#4
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	My club has a grease plate to pattern on. Personally, I don't like it and much prefer paper that I can take home for later counts and study. Our steel plate has a chain welded to the bottom and pulled back to a stake in the ground. The idea is that the plate is chained back on an angle and "should" deflect pellets into the ground.

June 6, 2009, 11:34 PM	#5
BillM Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: Amity Oregon Posts: 791	Once in a while I shoot some USPSA 3 gun competition. Minimum safe engagement distance per the rulebook for steel targets with birdshot or buckshot is 5 meters (just under 17 feet). Never seen a problem with shot bouncing back yet.

June 7, 2009, 12:42 AM	#6
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Except for skeet shooters, most folks want to pattern at more than 20-yards. Some clubs use grease others use white wash on a steel plate. They both have their pluses and minuses. If shooting at steel bothers you, then get some standard 40-inch paper patterning targets.

June 7, 2009, 10:27 AM	#7
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	What Bill DeShivs said.

June 7, 2009, 11:23 AM	#8
JasonWilliam Junior member Join Date: May 9, 2009 Posts: 142	Regarding zippy's comments... Whats interesting about this boards location is that it is right next door to the trap field. To a newbie like myself, that would tend to indicate this was the preferred board for trap patterning. But its placement prevents standing level with it any further back that 20ish yards. Any further than that and you're shooting downhill.

June 7, 2009, 11:43 AM	#9
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	A pattern board ideally needs to be on level ground - and like Zippy said 20 or 21 yards is ok for Skeet shooters / remember on a Trap field - you are standing 16 yards from the house - but your killing targets around 30 yards as they move downrange - so 20 yards is too close for a Trap pattern evaluation. But even at 20 yards - you can certainly see what your point of impact is ( if you use a Full or ImpMod choke ) at that range. But shoot 3 or 4 shells from each barrel - and each choke to make sure you have a complete database. Hopefully you get the same point of impact - on both barrels - then put a Skeet choke or Cyl choke in for 20 yards - so you can see your pellet spread at 20 yards.

June 7, 2009, 05:24 PM	#10
mwar410 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Location: maine Posts: 234	exactly what bigjim said and the grease makes it so easy, no paper, staples just a roller. we use it all the time for instruction. Can't really teach clays without seeing what your POI is.

June 7, 2009, 08:23 PM	#11
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Jim nailed it, let me add a trifle here. 20 yards will enable you to determine POI/POA and how much to alter your stock. British gun maker and pro shooter E J Churchill determined that at 16 yards, a 1/16" change in the stock drop or cast would move the POI 1". Moleskin or neoprene pads can be added to move POI. Most repeaters can be shimmed at the juncture of stock and receiver to shift POI and adjust the stock to "Shoot where you're looking". I prefer grease plates to paper targets for adjusting fit. Paper is easier to count holes in. HTH....

June 7, 2009, 10:29 PM	#12
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	If anyone was ever going to be hit by shot off of a patterning board it would have to be me. I have used one for years and never been hit by shot. On the other hand I have been in competition at a number of places where I have been hit by shot off of trees, brush, etc. If you are worried about your saftey, then by all means, do not use one. If you do so choose to use a patterning board, good sense and saftey glasses are a good choice. I might also suggest all support of the panel be behind it rather than in front. CB.