Pattern testing

Buzzard · September 22, 2008, 12:27 PM

Took my 20ga out today to pattern test it before season opens for quail.
I am sure glad I did, at 25 yards it only put 17 pellets in a 12 inch circle, mostly on the edges.....shot 2 times to make sure and the pattern was close both times......modified choke single shot
I have a 12ga that I will hunt with...at 40yds it has a great pattern full choke
single shot......
Not a bird hunter but thought I would try this year....season opens
Fri Oct, 3rd. This will be my first quail hunt, should be fun.

zippy13 · September 22, 2008, 12:39 PM

Under the circumstances, your 12-ga makes sense for quail. Save your 20-ga's pattern for donut season.

BigJimP · September 22, 2008, 03:03 PM

Something is odd here:

7/8 oz of shot with 9's is 512 pellets / if for some reason you were testing 6's you would still have 195 pellets in the charge.

17 pellets in a 12" pattern is leaving a lot of holes - but where were the rest of the pellets ? Typically we test to a 30" pattern at 21 - 15 yards. What was your point of impact vs dot you put on paper. Could the point of impact be way low or high at 25 yards ?

.45 COLT · September 23, 2008, 07:12 AM

Some of the cheap "promo" ammunition will throw terrible patterns. Some of it that I've cut open have a wide mix of shot size - some Federal #6 loads had shot as small as #8 in the mix. Shot is soft and some wads look like they should be rejects if any QC was in place. In fairness, some of that ammunition will shoot very nicely, shot size is as advertised and patterns are even. It's kind of a crapshoot when you're using it.

Your pellet count is about right for a 7/8 ounce load of #6 shot at 40 yards, not 25. The hole in the middle isn't right at any distance though. As mentioned, your POI could be way off also.

DC

September 22, 2008, 12:27 PM	#1
Buzzard Senior Member Join Date: July 13, 2005 Location: Kingman AZ Posts: 479	Pattern testing Took my 20ga out today to pattern test it before season opens for quail. I am sure glad I did, at 25 yards it only put 17 pellets in a 12 inch circle, mostly on the edges.....shot 2 times to make sure and the pattern was close both times......modified choke single shot I have a 12ga that I will hunt with...at 40yds it has a great pattern full choke single shot...... Not a bird hunter but thought I would try this year....season opens Fri Oct, 3rd. This will be my first quail hunt, should be fun. __________________ Rick in Kingman AZ , Super Comanche 45LC/410 , ,Armscor .38 4, Marlin 60 & An UGLY 12ga , Savage Axis .223

September 22, 2008, 12:39 PM	#2
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Under the circumstances, your 12-ga makes sense for quail. Save your 20-ga's pattern for donut season.

September 22, 2008, 03:03 PM	#3
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Something is odd here: 7/8 oz of shot with 9's is 512 pellets / if for some reason you were testing 6's you would still have 195 pellets in the charge. 17 pellets in a 12" pattern is leaving a lot of holes - but where were the rest of the pellets ? Typically we test to a 30" pattern at 21 - 15 yards. What was your point of impact vs dot you put on paper. Could the point of impact be way low or high at 25 yards ?

September 23, 2008, 07:12 AM	#4
.45 COLT Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 308	Some of the cheap "promo" ammunition will throw terrible patterns. Some of it that I've cut open have a wide mix of shot size - some Federal #6 loads had shot as small as #8 in the mix. Shot is soft and some wads look like they should be rejects if any QC was in place. In fairness, some of that ammunition will shoot very nicely, shot size is as advertised and patterns are even. It's kind of a crapshoot when you're using it. Your pellet count is about right for a 7/8 ounce load of #6 shot at 40 yards, not 25. The hole in the middle isn't right at any distance though. As mentioned, your POI could be way off also. DC