Have You Patterned Your Home Defense Shotgun Yet?

[Jam Master Jay]

I've patterned mine. My 20 ga with #3 bk makes a ~6 spread at 15 ft or so.

Most people wrongly assume that a shotgun will make a huge spread.

I just fixed up a little single shot 12 ga with a shortened (19") barrel and no choke that I can't wait to pattern. I bet even it has a pretty tight pattern. (No, it's not for home defense, just for fun)

 

[ldp4570]

I have 5 rounds of 8 shot in the gun and 5 of 4 buck on a stock pouch. I want them to suffer before they expire.

Remember its the internet, statements like that can come back to haunt you!

 

[Norman]

you put the sights on the target and pull the trigger. its not ****ing rocket science.

Yea ok. I'm glad you don't live around me. You are responsible for EVERY pellet that you fire. That includes any fliers you may have, buy not know about because you neglegently failed to pattern your SG.

 

[Glocktogo]

My 590 A1 patterns quite nicely out to 15 yards (all 9 pellets is an 8" circle) with Federal low recoil 00. My Saiga does nice out to 10 yards with Remington 9 pellet 00 low recoil. Both hit to point of aim.

 

[doctorjj]

Yea ok. I'm glad you don't live around me. You are responsible for EVERY pellet that you fire. That includes any fliers you may have, buy not know about because you neglegently failed to pattern your SG.

Being a little over-dramatic aren't we? Saying that anyone who hasn't patterned their shotgun is being negligent is a bit extreme. Also, just because you patterned it doesn't mean that there may not be occasional fliers with any given pull of the trigger. Or at least I've never been able to control fliers out of my shotgun. Maybe I'm just being negligent because I haven't practiced enough?

 

[dugby]

There are a lot of things that affect a shotgun pattern. The ammunition has more potential for causing the spread of the pattern than the choke.

Check out a thing called Poly-wad by Jay Menefee. Sporting clay shooters use them for the 10 yards and under shots. Everything is geared for small shot. I think he makes some in #4. He has some really different stuff.

They require a tight choke to work. (Mod or tighter)

 

[dennishoddy]

as for shooting the bad guy with #8 birdshot and then following up with buckshot, who says you will get the follow up shot.

This is correct. I've done some testing that showed even #6 shot will not penetrate the standard safety glasses our company issues, so if trying for a head shot, it may strip off some flesh, but will not blind the perp if they have safety glasses on.
OK, I'll buy the argument that how many BGs are going to have on safety glasses, but my company issues them in prescription glasses that meet the safety requirments of osha, so its perceivable that a BG could have them on.

Also if you want a bigger spread of your pattern, check out some of the "spreader wads" available to reloaders.
they are designed to upset the shot when leaving the end of the barrel to create a bigger pattern at short distances. Originally designed for shotgun shooters that want to use a tight choked shotgun at close ranges.

The Poly wads as described by dugby seem to be the favorite on shotgun world and other shotgun sites.

 

[DanB]

my 870 keeps some pretty tight groups with my load of choice. at the approx 10 yards max I could shoot from my bedroom across the livingroom to the kitchen. The Mrs. is going to be pissed if I miss. Her China cabinet forms the backstop.

 

[EFsDad]

No ... Never pattern my Shotty. scatterguns only require being pointed in general direction

That turkey always seems to die when I do it.

My HD gun is my pistol until I can get to my rifle.

 

[Norman]

Being a little over-dramatic aren't we? Saying that anyone who hasn't patterned their shotgun is being negligent is a bit extreme. Also, just because you patterned it doesn't mean that there may not be occasional fliers with any given pull of the trigger. Or at least I've never been able to control fliers out of my shotgun. Maybe I'm just being negligent because I haven't practiced enough?

You can say it is not negligent if you want, but if you do then the two of us have different standards. Patterning with a different ammunition is a must.