New Englander Shoots Low

[taylorh]

Hey Guys,
Bought a nearly new, but used, 12 gauge New Engalnder the other day, and all the doo-dads that make it run. Well today I took it down to my favorite creek bottom to pattern and found that it shoots .715 round ball pretty close to point of aim at 50 yards (about one minute of mailbox), but that it shoots about two feet low with shot (1 1/4 oz, #7 1/2 shot/wads/80gr powder) at 25 yards using an improved cylinder choke tube. What do ya'll suggest? Thanks in advance for all the help.
Taylor in Texas

 

[RetiredMedic]

Since buying mine in the mid 90's, I've been using a load of 100 grs ffg gotex, 1 1/4 oz. #6 shot with a 1/2" fiber cushion wad over powder then 1/2" fiber cushion wad over shot..

Taken many of small game and a few Turkeys with it..

 

[taylorh]

Yeah I also use the fiber wads, but they still hit low.
Taylor in Texas

 

[silverfox]

I don't know the New Englander. Does' it have sights that you used when shooting RB? If yes then quite using them when shooting shot. Hold your head up and look over the barrel don't try to sight down it. Just a guess as to what might be the problem. If you are getting your cheek down on the stock you will shoot low with shot.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[armymedic.2]

i had the same problem with my CVA 12- what i did, was aimed with the bottom of the bead (where it touches the barrel to see if it would hit. By doing this it hit high- so i flied the bead to the halfway mark and whala, hitting dead center. i didn't want to change my stock weld, because it is second nature and i know i would forget in the heat of the moment, so filing the bead down i dind't have to change my shooting at all. i am shooting 70 grains of 777 2f, cushion wad, shot, one over ca4rd. patterns great with this charge, and is plenty kick for me. try fillin her down, or a hotter load to push it straighter. i would mess around with shotcups too if ya get the notion. all of that changed my POI.

 

[Leatherbark]

We all have the same problems at times with our fowlers. What you have to learn to do is to look over the barrel, thus tilting it up and learn consistant cheekweld and remember the sight picture. My old early eighties New Enlader 12 cylinder bore I was a little lucky as I can use the notch in the tang to aim by............With my Jackie Brown Smoothbore 20 I have to tilt the barrel up slightly with ball or shot.....Its normal.................Bob

 

[Leatherbark]

I'd try to increase the shot load to make the gun recoil more ,thus making it print higher.................Bob

 

[taylorh]

I think I agree with you about getting it to recoil some more to raise the shot pattern. I'll try loading it with 100gr shot, and 90 gr powder to see if that makes a difference. By the way, it seems to throw a great pattern.
Taylor in Texas

 

[pmwest]

What results do you get with a different choke tube?

 

[taylorh]

I also have a full choke tube, but never use it. Too hard to stuff anything by it!
Taylor in Texas

 

[Rebel]

Yep, in order to use the full choke tube in the New Englander i had i had to remove the tube, load the gun, then screw the tube back in. Needless to say, i didn't use the full choke tube too much.

 

[FishDFly]

Taylor,

Send it back to T/C, they will bend the barrel, pattern it and send the pattern targets back to you with the gun.

I bought one and it shot one foot high and one foot to the left on a 30" pattern board. Send it to them and it is dead on now.

RDE