patterning variables

[Bill in Md]

My personal experience; born out of the K.I.S.S line of thinking is the use of bald faced hornet nests. I simply dump my powder, roll the nest material into a ball thick enough to cover the powder, (about 1/2" thick) and press it down firmly with the rod, then I dump the shot (I use #5 shot)...After that I top it off with enough nest material to hold the shot in place, and tamp it down tight.....I use 60 grains of powder and the same measure of shot in 14 and 20 gauges....At around 20 to 25 yards, off hand, or leaning against a tree, no squirrel or turkey's head is safe......

[foresterdj]

Target 18 is a nice pattern, it was using the reclaimed mix of 7.5 & 8 shot, and I will try it more, with plans to use it for grouse, squirrel, clay birds (singles at skeet when just practicing, maybe trap also). To be sure, that pattern would flatten a turkey at 25 to 30 yards.

I was thinking to use #5 for turkey, and with the 5's I like target 20.

[foresterdj]

More follow-up today. From the last batch, I thought I was seeing a tendency for loads without the cushion wad to pattern closer to the point I was aiming at, so I eliminated the cushion wad from today's tests. Today, this seems less the case. Here is the tabular results.




Five grouped replies will follow.

[foresterdj]

These two were repeats of a load tested last time, 70 gr. FFg, nitro over powder card, 1.2 oz. from the English measure, the 7.5/8 reclaimed shot mix and a thin over shot card.








Both pretty good.

[foresterdj]

Now three using 70 gr FFg, nitro card, measured 1.5 oz of reclaimed mix and an over shot card. So really just a bit more shot, 1.5 oz. instead of 1.2.












Also pretty good, but low.

[foresterdj]

Now switching to #5 lead.  F uses 70 gr FFg, G used 80 gr FFg, a nitro card, 1.5 oz #5 and over shot card.









I think these are boarderline to too open for my liking.

[foresterdj]

This set I increase the shot load more.

H is 70 gr FFg, I is 80 gr FFg, then nitro card, 1.75 oz. #5 shot and an over shot card.








For having an extra 1/4 oz of shot, these seem only slightly better, to still borderline too open

[foresterdj]

Lastly, though I said I would not shove a plastic wad down again, I did so. When I loaded last time I put the wad in just into muzzle, added shot until full, an overshot card and pushed down. My thought is that pressure on the shot load might have been expanding the wad, like brake shoes, making it load hard.  But even shoved down empty it was a hard push. A confirmation to not use these.

And it did not seem to improve the pattern over targets A or B. Also note the wad punched through target in upper left, through paper and backing card board.

[foresterdj]

From all these tests, the first set over a bench, today sitting hand held, I tried to use the same "pointing" picture, kind of like this.




Holding so I am not seeing barrel top, but the front bead and it's base just in view over tang. I am getting about half the shots with good elevation to the point of "pointing" (the black +), but half low, some quite low.  Need to work on this more or my turkey shots will be in body instead of head.

[Hungry Horse]

 I’d forget 7&1/2’s and #8 shot in my opinion it’s only good for killing mosquitoes, and then only at close range.

Hungry Horse

[Austin]

Have you had time to hunt?

[foresterdj]

The 7.5/8 mix was for clay birds, maybe a grouse, though I do not see how I can swing this long thing in the grouse woods.

[foresterdj]

In the spring, MN has a series of weeklong license periods, the first one starts Weds. April 16 this year. You don't need to buy license in advance, so I wait until I have a location with some birds and good weather before I go. Last license period is the end of May.

So that was the long answer, short one is not yet.