What do you expect out of a turkey pattern

peewee · Postby **peewee** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 1:24 pm

I started trying to pattern my 870 this week and was wondering what I should expect. How many pellets would yall be satisfied with hitting the kill zone. Now I was just using the neck area and calling it the kill zone. I just wanted to know if any of yall patterned your guns so I would know if I was in the ball park or not.

So far I shot:
2 Federal Prem. #4 2oz. = 18 and 19 pellets.
(wasn't too impresive at all, kicked like a mule also.)

Then I shot 2 Remington Nitro #4 1 7/8 (I believe) lead shot. It did better, 31 and 28 pellets in the kill zone.

Should I expect better than this and any recommedations would be appreciated.

[ February 22, 2002: Message edited by: peewee ]

shiloh · Postby **shiloh** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 1:57 pm

how far were you from the target??????

peewee · Postby **peewee** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:05 pm

30 yards

shiloh · Postby **shiloh** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:08 pm

i would say that 30 pellets in the kill zone at 30 yards is excellent, but i always like to check mine at 40 yds. Hunt em with your bow and you won't have to worry about that patterning!!

MSDuckmen · Postby **MSDuckmen** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:16 pm

Hunt em with your bow [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

It just wouldn't be the same with out the bang. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

peewee · Postby **peewee** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:20 pm

I have a hard enough time trying to kill them with a gun. I am seriously thinking about trying to go a few times with my bow this year though.
I'm gonna try to shoot some winchesters this afternoon and I will let yall know how that goes.

shiloh · Postby **shiloh** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:24 pm

gotta love a greater challenge though

featherduster · Postby **featherduster** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:59 pm

Try some #6s. If you have a really constricted choke (less than .660) you will probably get a better pattern and string with 6s. What kind of choke are you using?

Jeff · Postby **Jeff** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 3:24 pm

I am not really up to date as far as what to expect with a great pattern or choke tube. I know there are some aftermarket tubes that say 80 and 90% of the pattern in the kill zone at 40 yds. however I am always a little cautuios about such a choke as you have little room for error at close ranges and I have taken shots at 5 paces before, don'twanna have to say you missed at five paces cause the damn choke was too tight. I shoot a 10 ga, and use #6 winchester and get about 45-48 pellets in the kill zone at 45 yds. which is a little longer than what I would like to shoot. The choke I use is the extrafull that came with the gun.

peewee · Postby **peewee** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 11:09 pm

Featherduster I am just using the extra full that came with the gun. I shot #4,5,6 winchesters this afternoon and the nitro mag still did a little better. I did have two old winchester 2 3/4 shells #6 that I shot and they did alot better than I thought. About 30 pellets in both of them.

Duckkilla · Postby **Duckkilla** » Sun Feb 24, 2002 5:46 pm

peewee i like to use federal premium #6, 2 oz. shot. they are deadly.

DUCKAHOLIC · Postby **DUCKAHOLIC** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 10:31 am

Peewee I shoot an 870 with a 660 after market choke tube. The best way I found to pattern mine is to take a snuff can and trace it on a piece of paper. This is a 3 inch circle and I shoot it at 40 yards. This is what they use at turkey shoots around the country. If you can put 13 or more in the circle thats what youre looking for. The new hevi-shot they came out with is unreal it holods the world record with 42 pellets in a 3 inch circle at 40 yards. I went to these this year I found which size lead shot best and then went to that size hevi-shot. Brother let me tell ya im sold. As someone says just my 2 cents worth

peewee · Postby **peewee** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 11:10 am

Thanks for the advise and the tips.

The Winchester shells I shot Friday afternoon did better than the federals but still not quite as good as the nitro mags.
I still haven't shot a nitro mag at 40 yards, my shoulder can only take so much abuse in one day.

Postby **Greenhead22** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 4:32 pm

Those nitro mags are some badazz shells. You can find them at any wally world, they'll be passing them off as steel shot, luckily I realized what they really where before getting into trouble. I've shot the 4X6's, Supreme Velocity #5's, and the Nitro Mag #4's, and the #4's pattern the best. The Nitro Mags are actually lead goose loads.
I've patterned out the #4's to 55 yds using a Kick's GC, with a good many pellets in the kill zone.

[ February 25, 2002: Message edited by: Greenhead22 ]

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