How To Pattern Your Shotgun

7mmWSM · March 19, 2010, 08:06 AM

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.

Maromero · March 19, 2010, 08:25 AM

I've never felt the need to pattern a shotgun for skeet, trap or hunting.

zippy13 · March 19, 2010, 10:45 AM

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.

Couzin · March 19, 2010, 11:12 AM

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...

BigJimP · March 19, 2010, 12:27 PM

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 ).

zippy13 · March 19, 2010, 01:12 PM

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

... 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.

mwar410 · March 19, 2010, 02:06 PM

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.

zippy13 · March 19, 2010, 03:11 PM

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.

BigJimP · March 19, 2010, 03:58 PM

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 ...

crghss · March 19, 2010, 04:13 PM

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.

Goldy · March 19, 2010, 04:24 PM

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?

March 19, 2010, 08:06 AM	#1
7mmWSM Member Join Date: November 16, 2009 Posts: 33	How To Pattern Your Shotgun 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.

March 19, 2010, 04:13 PM	#10
crghss Junior member Join Date: July 1, 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 537	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.

March 19, 2010, 08:25 AM	#2
Maromero Junior member Join Date: January 21, 2009 Location: Outside the continental U Posts: 752	I've never felt the need to pattern a shotgun for skeet, trap or hunting.

March 19, 2010, 10:45 AM	#3
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	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.

March 19, 2010, 11:12 AM	#4
Couzin Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2006 Location: Terrell, Texas Posts: 240	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...

March 19, 2010, 12:27 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	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 ).

March 19, 2010, 01:12 PM	#6
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	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 ... 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.

March 19, 2010, 02:06 PM	#7
mwar410 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Location: maine Posts: 234	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.

March 19, 2010, 03:11 PM	#8
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	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.

March 19, 2010, 03:58 PM	#9
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	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 ...

March 19, 2010, 04:24 PM	#11
Goldy Senior Member Join Date: May 23, 2004 Posts: 163	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?