Why Do Hunters Pattern Their Shotguns?

Hunters Pattern Their Shotguns

Why Do Hunters Pattern Their Shotguns: Turkey hunters also have a tighter margin of error than other shotgunners since they want to deliver a familiar pattern as far as possible. Would you go to your tree stand if your bow wasn’t tuned to your broadheads? How about a shot with a scoped rifle that hasn’t been zeroed? No way, no how. It’s the same with your shotgun. You’ll need to know the effective range of your choke and shell combination with a specific gun and if it’s throwing a solid pattern: an even dispersion of pellets with a high-enough concentration to be lethal.

A turkey hunter must also examine the difference between the point of aim and the point of impact. If a beginner hunter purchases a “turkey shotgun” with a bead and expects the dot to match the center of their pattern, they will most likely be disappointed. For example, I use a 20-gauge Benelli M2 to hunt everything from waterfowl to squirrels. Benelli shotguns have a high pattern, so the shooter may “float” his target, which means they can see the target while aiming rather than having the barrel cover it. However, you can’t even rely on that.

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Making a Shotgun Pattern

Never two shotguns will fire pellets in the same pattern. The pattern may be off-center in some circumstances. There may be holes in the way in other cases. The design is affected by the gun’s choke, the brand of shotshell, the shot size, and the type of shot, in addition to the gun’s firing characteristics. You must “pattern” your shotgun to choose the optimal ammunition for the job.

Using a Shotgun to Create Patterns

Using a Shotgun to Create Patterns similarly, you’d zero an optic on a rifle. Place the shotgun on a sled, sturdy shooting bags, or a solid rest. A table or the tailgate of a vehicle can suffice, although a shooting seat is preferred. To be as consistent as possible from shot to shot, establish a good cheek weld for each shot.

You should shoot at a somewhat large target if you’re starting from scratch with a new gun. Get some wooden uprights, a massive piece of cardboard, or a large roll of butcher paper. Staple the cardboard or report to the uprights to create a 3 × 3-foot target that can hold a 30-inch circle.

Now it’s your turn to fire a shot.

On the large paper target, draw 10-inch and 30-inch diameter circles around the densest section of the design. Count many hits you have in each process by looking at the distribution of your pellets within the rings.

Shotgun Shooting

A shotgun is generally stated to be pointed rather than aimed. Swinging the gun smoothly across the target is a vital technique to master while “wing shooting,” or firing at a flying target. The first thing to examine is your position. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart in a shotgun stance, with the forward foot pointing to where you wish to strike the target and the back foot at a 45-degree angle.

Your posture should be forward, with 60 to 70% of your weight on the forward foot and knees slightly bent. It would help if you transferred the shotgun smoothly to your cheek, then comfortably into your shoulder while shouldering it. Hunkering down to the stock is not a good idea. The other difference between rifle and pistol shooting is the trigger pull.

With rifles, you progressively press the trigger with your index finger while holding the shotgun. When it comes to shotguns, it’s customary to “slap” the trigger. In wing shooting, follow-through is crucial; the barrel should not halt shooting. Pointing your index finger with your supporting hand might assist you in meaning to the target as you swing.

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