Getting ready for spring turkey

[Tom Sloniger]

How low on the powder did you start before arriving at 100 grains?
Did you try about 70 or so under your 1 1/4oz of shot?
What do you have between powder and shot?

Also, what are you shooting at? If all you are going by is a turkey target like those marketed by H.S. Strut, you could have a great pattern, that just isn't centered on the turkey target. You need to be shooting at something in the middle of a huge sheet of clean paper. Look for the area of greatest shot density, then adjust aim to bring that to your target.

This is our patterning board before I covered the hole with cardboard, normally it is many layers of plywood, and years ago even cut and flattened tires,
View attachment 28419
Those turkey targets should give you an idea of scale. The face of it extends about 6" past the telephone pole uprights on either side. Initially that whole thing should be covered with clean paper and an aim point placed in the middle.

I was shooting at a turkey head/neck target similar to in you picture centered on a clean cardboard app 3’ square.

I alterenated between a thin card and a 1/8” thick felt card Over the powder. I tried 5 different shot weights of 1.0, 1-1/4, 1-1/2, 1-3/4, 2.0 ounce. Then alternated over the shot hard card, 1/8” felt card, 1/2” cork wad.

on a whim I loaded 100 grains of FFg then a used Plastic shot shell wad found on the ground, alternating over the shot thin cardboard card and 1/8” felt card. This gave me the tightest pattern but still on 3 hits in the head/neck. The pattern seemed even with equal hits on all sides of the Cardboard backing.

i found the thread last evening about using the heavily lubed fiber wad over the shot so I want to give that a try. Only thing I wasn’t sure about is the shot recipe calls for a “thick” fiber wad. wonder how thick? I ordered some 1/2” fiber wads last evening so hopefully they come in the mail by Tuesday/wed. WV gobbler season opens Monday 4/20 and I ain’t ready.

 

[Tim Torrance]

Not to hijack your thread pioneer but maybe we can both pull some good info from it.

i finally got a chance to pattern my Pedersoli trade gun today. My pattern was very poor. I tried multiple combinations of FFg and #5 shot at 25 yards. The best pattern was 100gr. Of FFg, then an old shot shell wad I picked up off the ground, 1-1/4oz of #5 covered by a felt wad. Still only 3 hits in the head and neck.

I really thought I would Get a better pattern. Without the plastic wad I was lucky to get 1 hit.

any ideas?

I have a .410 SG that im still working on the pattern and it won't shot a pattern at all with the OP card in it but with a OS card then fiber wad it shots just an ok pattern so i'm thinking i'll just keep working on the charge and or shot load until i get it right, but remember less powder more shot is usually the answer, good luck Tom

 

[Brokennock]

I was shooting at a turkey head/neck target similar to in you picture centered on a clean cardboard app 3’ square.

I alterenated between a thin card and a 1/8” thick felt card Over the powder. I tried 5 different shot weights of 1.0, 1-1/4, 1-1/2, 1-3/4, 2.0 ounce. Then alternated over the shot hard card, 1/8” felt card, 1/2” cork wad.

on a whim I loaded 100 grains of FFg then a used Plastic shot shell wad found on the ground, alternating over the shot thin cardboard card and 1/8” felt card. This gave me the tightest pattern but still on 3 hits in the head/neck. The pattern seemed even with equal hits on all sides of the Cardboard backing.

i found the thread last evening about using the heavily lubed fiber wad over the shot so I want to give that a try. Only thing I wasn’t sure about is the shot recipe calls for a “thick” fiber wad. wonder how thick? I ordered some 1/2” fiber wads last evening so hopefully they come in the mail by Tuesday/wed. WV gobbler season opens Monday 4/20 and I ain’t ready.

Try less powder, maybe 70 to 75 grains, and keep your shot charge down around 1 1/8oz to 1 1/4oz.
Load your powder then a couple of thin "overshot" cards (they are about cereal box thickness) then a felt wad lubbed with your favorite patch lube (I prefer one a little on the stiffer or more waxy end of the spectrum, a liquid probably won't be good), then shot load, then another thin card or 2 to hold it all in. Try a few more cards over the powder. Experiment with these.
If you don't have what are sold as "over powder" cards aka "nitro cards/wads" you could try a stack of over shot cards thick enough to replicate one.
When your fiber cushion wads arrive, set a bunch to soaking in some olive oil, submerge them, let them soak. When you leave to go shoot, shake off a little excess surface oil and through them in a container. Bring a rag with you when you go to pattern. After you load powder, thick card or stack of thin cards, shot, thin card, then, lastly, seat one of these soaked wads on top of everything else. Wrap the rag around the muzzle as oil will squeeze out.

 

[Tom Sloniger]

Try less powder, maybe 70 to 75 grains, and keep your shot charge down around 1 1/8oz to 1 1/4oz.
Load your powder then a couple of thin "overshot" cards (they are about cereal box thickness) then a felt wad lubbed with your favorite patch lube (I prefer one a little on the stiffer or more waxy end of the spectrum, a liquid probably won't be good), then shot load, then another thin card or 2 to hold it all in. Try a few more cards over the powder. Experiment with these.
If you don't have what are sold as "over powder" cards aka "nitro cards/wads" you could try a stack of over shot cards thick enough to replicate one.
When your fiber cushion wads arrive, set a bunch to soaking in some olive oil, submerge them, let them soak. When you leave to go shoot, shake off a little excess surface oil and through them in a container. Bring a rag with you when you go to pattern. After you load powder, thick card or stack of thin cards, shot, thin card, then, lastly, seat one of these soaked wads on top of everything else. Wrap the rag around the muzzle as oil will squeeze out.

sounds good. If the rain stops I’m planning on heading to the range after work. I’m going to experiment a bit until the fiber wads arrive.

I have some fiber wads that are kinda hard and maybe 3/16” thick. They weigh 4grains...I soaked a handful of them in olive oil and they now weigh 10 grains...I thought I would try 3-4 of these over the shot for the time being. I read somewhere about the thicker oil soaked wads being used weight 35-40 grains. I’ll take some pictures to post. I suppose I’ll be content with having at least 10 pellets in the kill at 25 yards.

Thanks for tolerating me participating in this thread and for all of the good advise.