federal heavyweight 20 gauge #7's inconsistent

[stringtalker]

Has any of the 20 gauge shooters out there had any problems with inconsistent patterns with federal heavyweight #7's. Mine are pretty bad, im shootn a ssx choke and a 22" barrel. Gettn around 177 in a 9" circle at 35 yards and the second shot might get 100 to 110 in a 9 inch circle, something aint right

[Rem Man]

   Yep that is the only downfall of this shell!! I have shot about 20 boxes of these shells (I know stupid!!!) but I have a bad habit of loving to shoot turkey guns! These shells even out of the same box don't put up consistent numbers. I have had one shot do 160's and the next 116-120. The flight control wad is very picky and a lot of times causes low numbers and some holes in patterns. I shoot them to this day because the HW shot is very hard hitting. I feel that 120 in a 10 inch will work fine. GOOD LUCK!

[alloutdoors]

Are you cleaning between shots?

[stringtalker]

Yes I cleaned between shots, but if I find that I have to clean this gun between each shot just to get a consistent shot out of it, I will trade it, cause im not carrying cleaning stuff with me thru the woods while hunting, lol. Not my kind of gun if thats the problem

[alloutdoors]

No, there's a good chance the cleaning screwed up your pattern.  I run a dry boresnake through my barrel between shots, any more than that and my pattern falls apart.

[stringtalker]

That's basically all I did to my gun. I didn't use any solvents or anything, just got the powder residue out of it

[Dr Juice]

Try a less constrictive choke. FC is very picky and inconsistent especially thru a tight choke. Good luck.

[jordanz7935]

I have heard from some of the 20 ga "experts"that those chokes are very inconsistent with HW #7s. I currently shoot a rem superfull "lead only" .572 in my 870 20 and it consistantly puts up 140s with only about +10/-10 variations from shot to shot.

[M Sharpe]

The only thing I use to clean mine with is acetone....no solvents.

Aside from missing 70 pellets in that 10" circle on the second shot, will the pattern kill a turkey??

[darron]

Try hevi 13 #7. I have two 20...one loves the feds the other shoots hevi better.

[stringtalker]

The second shot would kill a turkey at maybe 20 yards or closer but I wouldn't shoot at a turkey at 30 yards or more with it. For a shell that costs $4 a piece they shouldn't be that inconsistent

[Bowguy]

Guys call me nuts but your guns could be overchoked. My daughters 20 is an old Winchester ranger with barrel fixed at modified. Had no trouble. We didn't shoot 20 boxes through it though but my patterning has only been a touch high

[WNY Bowhunter]

After putting two boxes through my wife's 870 yesterday (also with SSX choke) I am coming to the same conclusion about the HW's...they seem very inconsistent to me.  I also have a Tightwad for the gun I may have to reevaluate too.

I shot one round at around 18 yds and got this pattern that seems to be a result of the flight control wad interrupting the shot column? Doesn't seem to be a good thing to me...

[762hunter]

If it helps try the magblends, I'm seeing about the same numbers between the 2 out of my 870 with a Sumtoy


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[762hunter]

Oh but to answer your question, No I am getting a pretty consistent pattern.

I ordered 8 boxes when I put to gun together and they are all from the same lot # so that may help, I dunno


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