patterning a scoped shotgun or dave, this ones for you

[walking arsenal]

Ok, I finally finished my shotgun today.

it's a mossberg 500a with an 18 inch heat sheilded barrel, choke is cylinder bore, two side saddles are mounted one on stock right side one on receiver left side, stocks are full length standard butt stock with a looped forend, receiver is drilled and tapped for a scope it has a BSA red dot on top.

now, how do i go about patterning this bad boy?

If it helps it hasnt been fired......yet.

 

[kudu]

Unless your going to be bird hunting or clay target shooting, which won't work worth a hoot with a scope, center your red dot with slugs, and then with several brands of whatever buckshot you plan on using to see which one will pattern the tightest. Do the slugs at about 50-75yards and the buck at 20-25 yards.

 

[TrapperReady]

Kudu - I was in the local Gander Mountain the other day and listened in on one of the salesmen talking to a customer. The customer was interested in a red dot optic of some sort, but was also talking about a low power scope.

The salesman told him that the red dot would be perfect, since it was not only great for deer hunting, but also for wingshooting. Who knows, maybe he considers turkey hunting to be wingshooting ("Hey, I shot it and it has wings"). I kind of wanted to see if the salesman would be interested in going out and shooting some clays over the weekend. Maybe even place a bet or two.

The sad thing is that the salesman is actually a pretty good guy. He knows a TON about pistols, and has been helpful to me in the past.

 

[kudu]

TR, I suppose it would be possible with one that has zero magnification and you could keep both eyes open. But you know and I know shotguns were meant to be pointed and not aimed unless it's for slugs.

 

[HSMITH]

Trapper, I have known some guys that use the holographic sights on shotguns for clays and wingshooting. Now, they aren't the same as a red dot per se but they are pretty close. I have tried it and with the interchangeable reticles it actually works pretty well. The place where they just plain suck is longer shots or very high speed clays, getting out far enough in front puts the target behind the frame of the sight and for me it was bothersome. Swing-through type shooters wouldn't have this problem. I didn't think it was the right thing to do until I shot one, it actually works pretty well.

WA, what happens if the cover you are behind is on your right side and you need to shoot that gun left handed to keep from exposing your whole upper body to get the shotgun around the cover with a side saddle on the side of the stock?

 

[walking arsenal]

nothin, it's a side saddle sleeve made of nylon cloth.

It sits low and far enough forward that it doesnt hit my cheek.

I asked myself the same question before i put it on the gun.

 

[TrapperReady]

HSMITH - Do you think that it's a matter of "It works pretty well.", or "It didn't screw me up as badly as I would have thought?"

If you think about it, are you even using the reticle itself, or just the body as a large ghost-ring? For example, do you think that a $300 Holosight would be any more "effective" for wingshooting than an empty toilet paper roll duct-taped on top of the receiver?

The way I duck hunt (on public lands), anything that interferes with long shots would be messing up probably 80% of the shots I get.

 

[Dave McCracken]

From a good, solid benchrest zero the red dot thing with slugs at say, 50 yards. Start at 25 yards and fine tune at 50.

Once zeroed, use the method in the Patterning floater to check Point of Aim/ Point Of Impact with divers brands of buck. Not all buck will shoot true so we need to check this.

Scopes and red dot gadgets do have a place in "Serious" shotgunning, but most folks will do as well or better with a bead until they attain some expertise. It is up to you.

 

[sm]

...tread lightly Steve...

Patterning : What Dave said , use different loads to see what YOUR gun likes at what distance. Mossy with that bbl...I'd try the Rem 9 pellet 00 first followed by Rem #1 buck.

Holo works pretty well - turkey and deer for instance - more stationary targets if you will.

Sights - For Serious applications more suited for slugs, as are Red Dots IMO/ IME. "Some folks" set these up for short range Urban Serious, must like what Israel had done.

Elastic butt cuffs move upon recoil. Leather or fixed will impede off side shooting. That said I have kept extra rds on a Shotgun with elastic, if I grab to go I yank off and put cuff on weak side wrist. I can still fire weak hand / shoulder this way. Leather...extra rds for hunting, or such, NOT really for Serious, IF I do have to shoot weak hand, I know I am gonna bust up my weak side cheek pretty good. BTDT used the T shirt to wipe the blood.

Steve, who has been know to stay low fire one handed around the cover, a bone stock SG to keep body behind cover. The "stage" was do what you have to, "X" amount of body passes the cover - you are down" .

Then again I did "expose" tip of bbl , so "target was moved to aquire bbl" ...I shot BG target from strong side with 1911 - BG more exposed to me that way.

Not a timed stage, "just don't get shot stage " , meaning if I could crawl and run I was to do so.

There is a place for running and gunning...there is a place to just run and survive.

Training for both is a good idea.

I can sit tight and wait for the calvary real good...another stage we 'practiced'.

Then again I prefer front bead with mid bead . I learned to POINT not aim a shotgun. I'm too old, fired too many rds,and set in my ways to change I guess.

 

[HSMITH]

Trapper, I think I was using the reticle. I also think you are right, it didn't screw me up as bad as I thought it would being the first time I had ever tried anything like that.

I hear you on the long shots too, that is the majority of shots that I get outside of the nirvana of migratory birds actually stopping in this area.

WA, I am glad to hear the butt cuff works for you. I bloodied my lip on one ONCE.