15 yard patterns

[g8rvet]

How many of y'all shoot a 15 yard pattern after you get dialed in at 40?  I know all the pics tend to be of 40 yards shots and there is discussion on another thread about shooting a softball size load at 15 yards and missing.  When I dialed in my 20 with Fed HW, I shot it at 40 until perfect.  Then I did it at 15 to be sure I had some wiggle room.  I would say tether ball size.  At least bigger than a grapefruit.  Looked like 7-8" across and up and down to me.  Wanted to see POA at that range as well.  I stoned one at 25 last year. 

[dirt road ninja]

I can cut a snake in half at 15 feet

[Happy]

I am going to in a few days. I have my boys 20 gauge to sight in and some longbeards to do further testing on. I believe you get a better "tune" up close when the pattern is tight then further out.

[Gumby]

I try to always shoot at 15/20 just so I know how tight the pattern is. Here is a 20yd pattern from my 12ga 1300 NWTF with Hevi13 7s

[Tom Foolery]

I always shoot at 22yds and 42yds

[Dtrkyman]

I take a few shots every year as close as 5 yards, just making sure poa/poi is good, luckily my turkey loads and low brass shoot the same!

[mgm1955]

The smart thing to do.

[appalachianassassin]

I always shoot mine at 15. they get closer than 10 and I aim at the top of the beard

[zelmo1]

I shoot 20/30/40, the patterns do change a bit. There is little room for error inside of 25 yards for me.

[SteelerFan]

I checked @ 20 yds. but not 15. I hope I don't have to shoot under 20.

[Treerooster]

Good post. Once a gobbler gets to about 25 yards I am shooting at the first opportunity. For me 25 yards is the perfect range...in tight enough for the high excitement and my pattern is open plenty to account for some error.

That said I have shot birds as close as 8 yards. Sometimes things just work out that way and it pays to know whats going on at that range. Not only knowing the pattern, but I also practice shooting different ways/positions (mostly with target loads). Extreme left or right, prone, off-hand, etc. I have shot birds from just about every shooting position I can think of.

g8trvet, in your "killing" pattern I would not include the 3 holes on the far right and the 2 on the far left. A turkey's head/neck could be behind those pellets and not be killed. Your "killing" pattern seems to be taller than it is wide, at least the way I look at them.


SteelerFan I don't know where your point of aim is but your pattern seems a bit high. The center appears to be at the very top of the turkey's head. I use to have my pattern shoot a bit high like that, for culinary reason mainly. Then I had a tom at 20 yards and walking behind a tree. I adjusted my gun slightly when he got behind the tree, He must have saw a slight movement or something and stopped in his tracks and stuck his head out on one side of the tree. His head & neck were completely horizontal and in the heat of the moment I shot at him with the dot right on his neck. Missed him and I think I shot just over him as my pattern shot a touch high like your looks. Now I have my pattern shoot dead on where the dot is. Just something for some to think about.

I checked @ 20 yds. but not 15. I hope I don't have to shoot under 20.

Not sure why the picture doesn't show up in the quote???

[SteelerFan]

@ Treerooster - yep, I agree. I actually shot that POA on the head for that reason - I was a little concerned about the B-square mount & dot being 2" above bore for closer ranges, but it's good. Pellets go where the dot goes...

[MK M GOBL]

I sight the scope in dead on at 15 yards. That is the range I/we kill at, we are the under 20 yard game.

MK M GOBL

[Marc]

I checked @ 20 yds. but not 15. I hope I don't have to shoot under 20.

Where was your POA?  Looks like you are holding a tad high?

I always like to do some close-in patterning (using tight chokes and target loads).  Most of the birds I shoot are close, and I want to know where my hold point needs to be...  There seems to be little to no drop from a shotgun at 40 yards, so once you find the hold point at 15 yards, you have it for most of what you will be shooting.

Hitting a turkey with a shotgun is not a tough feat...  But admittedly, I am always relieved when the bird starts floppin'....

[SteelerFan]

I checked @ 20 yds. but not 15. I hope I don't have to shoot under 20.

Where was your POA?  Looks like you are holding a tad high?

I always like to do some close-in patterning (using tight chokes and target loads).  Most of the birds I shoot are close, and I want to know where my hold point needs to be...  There seems to be little to no drop from a shotgun at 40 yards, so once you find the hold point at 15 yards, you have it for most of what you will be shooting.

Hitting a turkey with a shotgun is not a tough feat...  But admittedly, I am always relieved when the bird starts floppin'....

Red dot held on his noggin. 

Hunting situations - I usually aim for the feather line / waddle