First year turkey hunting. Using a Benelli Nova. Tried a Carlson Coyote choke .680, pattern master anaconda striker .670, and a Carlson extended turkey tube .650 construction. Cannot get a pattern at 40 yards that's ok except with a goofy 1oz #5 and 7/8oz #8 duplex load. Any advice? Tried six different loads with #5 shot. Prefer to make my own using BPI data.
Tell us how you're patterning gun? Is the backing big enough to capture all data?
I shoot a dot at about 10 yards on at least a 12x12 target usually a bit bigger. If my big hole/group is on the dot then I move back to 40 and shoot at a dot on at least and 18x12 target or an open pizza box.
Also just for more info I've tried two different barrels.
I got my best 12 ga patterns with both LBXR #5 and Federal TSS #9 with an Indian Creek 665 fwiw.
Are you shooting lead? If so understand the lead itself has differences. It depends on how much anitomy as to how hard it is. The harder it is the less it deforms. The less it deforms the less flyers you'll get and better the pattern.
Some guys use lead or nickel plated to help it stay true. There are also different buffers can sometimes be used but that can change pressure so don't shoot using it unless you have a pressure tested load.
The thing confuses me is you're stating 12ga choke sizes and 20-28ga load sizes
Quote from: Bowguy on February 09, 2025, 02:12:44 PMThe thing confuses me is you're stating 12ga choke sizes and 20-28ga load sizes
I thought the same, had to go back and read it again. I think he's saying 1 7/8 oz load. Blend of 5s and 8s.
Maybe you're right CALLM2U
I'm using Eagle magnum lead and a 12 gauge. Does trying a different shot size seem like a good place to try next? Not sure how temperamental shotguns can be with shot size when dealing with longer range. Thinking of trying #6 shot
Quote from: CALLM2U on February 09, 2025, 03:19:41 PMQuote from: Bowguy on February 09, 2025, 02:12:44 PMThe thing confuses me is you're stating 12ga choke sizes and 20-28ga load sizes
I thought the same, had to go back and read it again. I think he's saying 1 7/8 oz load. Blend of 5s and 8s.
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This is correct. Duplex with 5s and 8s patterned decent, but I know 8s aren't considered acceptable for turkey.
I know this is not helpful but I struggled with a Nova in getting a good pattern and consistent POA/POI and just finally gave up and got rid of it. May have been just my gun.
Welcome to OG Penguin. I am not a Benelli guy, but I did go to the 12-gauge Benelli Pattern pictures posting (looking back to 2011 and 2012) and saw the Nova's perform best with a .650 to .655 choke with lead. Sumtoy Custom chokes website recommends a .650 as well with lead. Some of the posts only stated 100 hits at 40. A change to 6's would increase your numbers over 5's but not sure where the energy would run out. Cleaning and polishing the barrel will probably get you a 10 to 20% increase in your patterns. From what I can see, the Nova is at best a 40 yard gun with lead loads.
Quote from: bbcoach on February 12, 2025, 07:56:29 AMWelcome to OG Penguin. I am not a Benelli guy, but I did go to the 12-gauge Benelli Pattern pictures posting (looking back to 2011 and 2012) and saw the Nova's perform best with a .650 to .655 choke with lead. Sumtoy Custom chokes website recommends a .650 as well with lead. Some of the posts only stated 100 hits at 40. A change to 6's would increase your numbers over 5's but not sure where the energy would run out. Cleaning and polishing the barrel will probably get you a 10 to 20% increase in your patterns. From what I can see, the Nova is at best a 40 yard gun with lead loads.
Pretty sure the Nova has a chrome lined barrel. Some say you should not and some say only very lightly polish chrome. The thread about has more info than one needs and I read the whole thing through before I did any polishing.
Quote from: g8rvet on February 12, 2025, 12:55:32 PMQuote from: bbcoach on February 12, 2025, 07:56:29 AMWelcome to OG Penguin. I am not a Benelli guy, but I did go to the 12-gauge Benelli Pattern pictures posting (looking back to 2011 and 2012) and saw the Nova's perform best with a .650 to .655 choke with lead. Sumtoy Custom chokes website recommends a .650 as well with lead. Some of the posts only stated 100 hits at 40. A change to 6's would increase your numbers over 5's but not sure where the energy would run out. Cleaning and polishing the barrel will probably get you a 10 to 20% increase in your patterns. From what I can see, the Nova is at best a 40 yard gun with lead loads.
Pretty sure the Nova has a chrome lined barrel. Some say you should not and some say only very lightly polish chrome. The thread about has more info than one needs and I read the whole thing through before I did any polishing.
Thanks for the follow up. I looked at the Benelli website but it didn't say that the barrel was chrome lined so I thought I would add that bit of info. If the barrel is chrome lined then disregard please.
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-benelli-nova-pump-field-shotgun/
They may not be any more though, this was from 2018. And I am pretty sure mine was.
Quote from: g8rvet on February 12, 2025, 07:33:14 PMhttps://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-benelli-nova-pump-field-shotgun/
They may not be any more though, this was from 2018. And I am pretty sure mine was.
This definitely states "Chrome lined" so disregard polishing this barrel (some say you can but I personally would not because you never know how thick the chrome is). A real good cleaning of the barrel may help some. I tried to find Clarke Bush's advice on deep cleaning but it seems it has been taken down after his passing.
I'm actually using an aftermarket non-chrome lined 18.5in barrel I originally used for a home defense setup, so polishing is on the menu. I've got a 26in chrome, but haven't noticed improved patterns with it. Patterns have improved a bit since switching to #6 lead and a .650 Carlson choke. Looks good at 30 yards, but still not close to 100 in a 10in circle at 40.
I polish my chrome lined benelli barrels and have never had an issue. For a 12 gauge, I would take a 20 wire brush and wrap it with very fine steel wool (800 or 1,000 grit) and put kroil on it liberally. I run it up and down the barrel ( not the choke or threads) with a battery powered drill that I hook the cleaning rod to.
You don't have to do it very long. It gets all the residue from the wads out and smooths out the bore some.
It does make a difference, but If I never did it again you could still kill turkeys at 40 yards.
I have no way on knowing if it removes much of the chrome lining. I have been doing it for years and never had an issue.
I have an original model 3 1/2 super black eagle that would never pattern worth a damn with lead turkey loads. Did better with hevi shot but even with TSS it struggled. I gave up on it until I accidentally found the right choke. It shoots good enough to nail one at 40 with #8 tss but not near as good of a pattern when compared with an 835 or citori. The choke was made for shooting hevi steel duck loads.
Just to be clear I don't own a nova. I only have auto loaders.
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Is there a reason you didn't use J-B borebright or some other like the main polishing post says to do? I've got everything I need besides the polish.
I don't use JB because it is messy. I just use the steel wool.
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Quote from: Penguin907 on February 15, 2025, 01:04:31 PMIs there a reason you didn't use J-B borebright or some other like the main polishing post says to do? I've got everything I need besides the polish.
This is the way I polish my 835, JB and Kroil (a dab of JB on the scotch brite and saturate with Kroil). I use a 20 gauge bore brush with one wrap of green scotch Brite attached to 3 sections of aluminum bore rod. I use a battery-operated drill on low speed and in a couple of minutes, she is crystal clean and shiny. I do this before every spring season. My 835, Pure Gold .670 with Hevi 7's is a Shooter. I hope you find the right combination Penguin.
Load some 6 shot.
Forget the 8's if you want to shoot out to 40.
(https://photos.app.goo.gl/daBC4FmgGXPjTsLv9)
This is the best 40 yard pattern I've gotten with #6s so far. Seems decent if I adjust my dot up and to the right some. Does this look decent for 40 yards? I'm not planning to take long shots, but I'm under the impression 40 yards seems to be the standard for turkey patterning. There should be an image attached, but if it can't be seen here is the link. https://photos.app.goo.gl/daBC4FmgGXPjTsLv9
A little sparse for 40, what is the shot charge weight of the 6's your shooting
Quote from: crow on February 15, 2025, 06:45:02 PMA little sparse for 40, what is the shot charge weight of the 6's your shooting
1 5/8oz
https://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php?topic=43250.msg432173#msg432173
Penguin, here is a link to one of the Benelli Nova patterns with LB 6's and a Sumtoy .650 choke. This is what you should be striving for. I think it is 240 at 40 yds. There are several more in the Benelli Pattern pic section. Just type in Nova in the search bar.
What's the size of that outer circle? Like 240 in a 10in circle?
I am assuming that the shooter drew a 10 inch circle (which is the STANDARD used when talking about patterning here on Old Gobbler) around the densest part of his pattern. The blue area would be his POA (Point of Aim) at 40 yards and as you can see his POI (Point of Impact) is off slightly. The standard that is used here is the number inside a 10 inch circle at a measured 40 yard distance from the end of the gun barrel. In this case, 241 inside 10 at 40 yards. The shooter will normally also put the gun used, choke used, shell type or manufacturer, shell length with payload and shot size on the target for reference as well.
Quote from: Penguin907 on February 15, 2025, 07:15:14 PMQuote from: crow on February 15, 2025, 06:45:02 PMA little sparse for 40, what is the shot charge weight of the 6's your shooting
Brother that light load ain't doing you favors. Again what type shot? If it's pure soft lead and especially if a little light that's not too far off many times.
Try dif plated shot
Eagle magnum shot.
Think that's chilled shot try some plated and up load according to tested recipes
Eagle does sell higher % antimony magnum shot
The stuff I've used so far claims to be 4.5-5% antimony.
If you want to use lead, I would stick to 5 or 6. My nephew got a great pattern and load with his NOVA at 40 yards with #5 3.5" Longbeards by winchester. He did not put the inertia recoil dampener in his. It would rattle his fillings, but was a killer pattern.