Skychief
69 Cal.
Though I have a load that I am faithful with out to 20 yards, I did a little experimenting today. That's how we are don't you know....tinkerers! :haha:
When I say I did a little, it was due to the fact that I discovered I only had ~20 over the powder cards.
Anyhow, I tried some loads with 7 1/2's for the first time today. I have used #6 shot previously. The 7 1/2's did not seem to shoot a lot more densely than 6's out of my gun when other load variables remained the same. This came as a bit of a surprise. I was hoping they would really get packed in there on a turkey neck.
I tried some ticking strips and round patches as read about here.
The strips showed a good bit of promise. The problem I found with them was that they actually shot to the side of my point of aim! :hmm: In fact, at 20 yards, the dense patterns would cover only 1/2 of the 8 1/2" X 11" sheets of paper used for targets. By the way, I found one strip at the target. :idunno:
On to the ticking "patches"....
My first attempt was made with an oversized patch to make sure my entire shotload would be enveloped by it. I then cut off the excess at the muzzle and seated it with an overshot card above it. The top of the shotload was right at the muzzle in other words. Results were a spectacular slug through the 20 yard target! :rotf:
The I tried a smaller diameter patch that enveloped ~2/3 of the shot charge. This threw a good turkey pattern and I followed up with an identical loading and the result repeated itself. These were on par with my regular turkey load as far as density goes.
I wrote good notes on each sheet regarding the load used and have compared them to my normal turkey loading (targets from the past). My findings have me itching to try a smallish shot patch/cup with some #6 shot. I think that could throw a better denser pattern than my usual turkey load (80 gr 2f, hard card, 80 volumetric grains of cornmeal, 120 gr VOLUME of #6's topped with an overshot card. Lubed barrel with mink oil.).
Questions for my fellow tinkerers:
-Have any of you that have used the ticking strips found them to shoot left or right (or for that matter...above or below) your point of aim?
-Have any of you tried ticking patches that do NOT envelop the entire shot charge? If so, how did you make out compared to a larger patch? That slug I shot gave me the "willies" as the last thing I need with a nice gobbler within range is a lack of confidence in my load! :shocked2:
I wish I had more hard cards today as I would have made more good smoke and maybe answered more questions than I created.
Hope to hear back from you guys! :thumbsup:
Skychief. :hatsoff:
PS, I should add that my turkey gun is a T/C New Englander with 12 gauge unchoked 28" barrel.
When I say I did a little, it was due to the fact that I discovered I only had ~20 over the powder cards.
Anyhow, I tried some loads with 7 1/2's for the first time today. I have used #6 shot previously. The 7 1/2's did not seem to shoot a lot more densely than 6's out of my gun when other load variables remained the same. This came as a bit of a surprise. I was hoping they would really get packed in there on a turkey neck.
I tried some ticking strips and round patches as read about here.
The strips showed a good bit of promise. The problem I found with them was that they actually shot to the side of my point of aim! :hmm: In fact, at 20 yards, the dense patterns would cover only 1/2 of the 8 1/2" X 11" sheets of paper used for targets. By the way, I found one strip at the target. :idunno:
On to the ticking "patches"....
My first attempt was made with an oversized patch to make sure my entire shotload would be enveloped by it. I then cut off the excess at the muzzle and seated it with an overshot card above it. The top of the shotload was right at the muzzle in other words. Results were a spectacular slug through the 20 yard target! :rotf:
The I tried a smaller diameter patch that enveloped ~2/3 of the shot charge. This threw a good turkey pattern and I followed up with an identical loading and the result repeated itself. These were on par with my regular turkey load as far as density goes.
I wrote good notes on each sheet regarding the load used and have compared them to my normal turkey loading (targets from the past). My findings have me itching to try a smallish shot patch/cup with some #6 shot. I think that could throw a better denser pattern than my usual turkey load (80 gr 2f, hard card, 80 volumetric grains of cornmeal, 120 gr VOLUME of #6's topped with an overshot card. Lubed barrel with mink oil.).
Questions for my fellow tinkerers:
-Have any of you that have used the ticking strips found them to shoot left or right (or for that matter...above or below) your point of aim?
-Have any of you tried ticking patches that do NOT envelop the entire shot charge? If so, how did you make out compared to a larger patch? That slug I shot gave me the "willies" as the last thing I need with a nice gobbler within range is a lack of confidence in my load! :shocked2:
I wish I had more hard cards today as I would have made more good smoke and maybe answered more questions than I created.
Hope to hear back from you guys! :thumbsup:
Skychief. :hatsoff:
PS, I should add that my turkey gun is a T/C New Englander with 12 gauge unchoked 28" barrel.
