12 guage shot pattern

[Cody2306]

Hey guys I recently just bought a dixie/ pedersoli 12 gauge magnum. I don't know what exactly is a except able shot pattern. But this is what I had came up with. I did 3 dams powder, then thick lubed felt wad cut in half, 1-1/4 ounce #5 shot , and over shot card. At 25 yards out of the left modified barrel. Is this exceptable or should I be striving to tighten the group up? I've done a little research but just not 100 percent t sure. Does anybody happen to have pattern pics i can try and duplicate with my shotgun? The load im working up is for squirrel

 

[Sparkitoff]

Were you pointing at the middle? The pattern isn’t terrible but does have some holes. It depends what you want to do with it. Try backing off the powder and then try backing off the shot. See if there’s any improvement

 

[Cody2306]

I never shot a shotgun before so I was aiming like a rifle with front and mid bead. And at times hitting low. I think tomorrow I'm gonna try and figure 8 the beads. And I was thinking same powder charge amd more shot to see if it tightens up a bit.

 

[Cody2306]

And do i need to account for barrels being side by side when aiming?

 

[Ponderosaman]

I think your wad might be too thick it looks to me like your wad is making holes in your pattern right where you need the shot. I have only tried waxed fiber wads cut in half, but the pattern is very even with no holes. 75 grains BP, nitro card, 1/8 inch wax paper fiber wad, 1 ounce shot, one over shot (thin) card.

 

[CTShooter]

I have a Beretta 12ga and get the best patterns from cylinder bore barrels with the “Skychief” load

 

[Cody2306]

Does anybody have any good shot pattern pics??

 

[Ponderosaman]

Well I don’t have any of my muzzleloader patterns though I intend to shoot some turkey targets soon with it in preparation of turkey season. I do have some modern shotgun patterns that are solid and the modern load with the full choke looks similar to yours at 40 yards, so I will make a retraction and say your pattern looks decent for 25 yards.

 

[Cody2306]

I been using my lubed felt cut in half but ill try quarter as well and just over shot cards.
Please update when you do pattern your muzzleloader for turkey!

 

[Ponderosaman]

I been using my lubed felt cut in half but ill try quarter as well and just over shot cards.
Please update when you do pattern your muzzleloader for turkey!

Will do.

 

[Mark Herman]

This is from a 12 ga cylinder bore at 30 yards on an 8 1/2 X 11 paper. Shot is low with a couple of holes. Charge was 3 drams 2f with 1 1/8 ounces #7 shot. I leave the cushion wad out and use the same cards over powder and shot. The cushion wad tends to blow through the shot and ruin the pattern.

 

[Mark Herman]

This should have been with the previous post.

 

[TreeMan]

I been using my lubed felt cut in half but ill try quarter as well and just over shot cards.
Please update when you do pattern your muzzleloader for turkey!

I’ve shot a lot of shot, cards, wads, and tow trying to find that perfect pattern. Those turkey targets are nice to see if you are getting a kill pattern. When you get a decent patten just set some 16 oz water or soda plastic bottles out at 25 yards. Stand a few up to mimic a turkey head and lay a few on their sides to mimic a squirrel or rabbit. It doesn’t take a lot of shot to kill either. I worry about what hits those bottles not what patterns on a board. I just use three thin shot cards over powder and two cards over shot. Less powder than shot.

 

[Nobade]

I struggled with holes in my patterns until I switched to the V.M. Starr method of using cardboard wads. Two on the powder and one on the shot, and the patterns tightened up with no holes. And only one kind of wad to carry around in my pocket. If you want to keep shooting, spit down the barrel on top of the shot before you ram the over shot wad and it will keep the fouling soft.

 

[Cody2306]

Thanks guys ill update today what kind of pattern I get and either will also chase a few squirrel or at the least shoot at a few clay birds

 

[Tn poor boy]

Try wasp nest instead of cards

 

[Cody2306]

Is wasp nest somthing easily available?

 

[Tn poor boy]

Look around i pick some up at doctor office yesterday

 

[Cody2306]

Look around i pick some up at doctor office yesterday

Ohh cool

 

[Ponderosaman]

I live in the Sonoran Desert, so taking wasps nests would be bad for my health, but my understanding is when there is a hard freeze all the worker wasps die and the mated female finds a warm crevice to hibernate in. That makes it safe to tear down and use wasps nests that are found under eaves, on tree branches etc. Please refer to the other guys who have actually done this to be certain you won't have problems with the occupants.