Ahead of each hunting season, the thought of patterning your gun enters your mind with the absolute best of intentions. Weeks go by, and there still seems to be enough time to make it to the range. Finally, after the clock has wound down and the season has arrived, a reassurance that “the gun shot fine last year” takes over. The gun may have dropped some birds last year, but is it performing at its best? And do you know for sure what your pattern is doing? It takes less than an hour to answer those questions.
Why Do Most Hunters Neglect to Pattern Their Gun?
As mentioned above, most hunters feel comfortable with the past performance of their gun. What could have possibly changed from last year to this year? After all, the factory choke was made specifically for that shotgun, right? Some wingshooters may not realize that even small changes in loads and have big changes in a pattern . Many others have heard talk about “patterning” but perhaps have never done it for themselves.
Unfortunately, thoughts like these can lead to missed shots and missed game. A lot of our opportunities as hunters come at the edge of our ability level, like a crossing shot at a beautiful wood duck zipping down a stream. The results of a poor pattern go beyond just plain missing your target. Injured and unrecovered game is often the result of an inadequate pattern. The cause of missed shots can neither be blamed on shooter error or pattern density if the gun was neither properly or recently patterned. Better patterns translate into more recovered game, and an emphasis on shooter skill which can be improved with a predictable pattern.
How to Efficiently Pattern Your Gun in Under an Hour
First, get some large sheets of paper or cardboard. You will need quite a few of these to test the different choke and load combinations over different distances. The bigger your initial target, the less guesswork will be required. Start at a reasonable hunting distance. Choose a distance that you know you are capable of hitting your mark without pushing the limits of the gun, choke, or ammunition. Cycle through the different combinations of chokes and loads until you find the combination with the most pellets in the kill zone. Once you’ve selected the best combination, you can move the target closer and further to examine the effectiveness of that pattern for different shot scenarios. If you are shooting a red dot for turkeys or predators, you can sight in at your desired distance from a stable shooting rest.
The Difference in Shooting Premium Choke Tubes
Patternmaster premium choke tubes make a world of difference compared to factory and other chokes. Patternmaster chokes improve consistency, increase pellet density, and extend the effective range of your shotgun. These choke tubes are made to last for decades and tens of thousands of loads put through them, even with TSS. You can get the most out of your shotgun when paired with a good, quality choke. The wide selection of tubes available for each gun and game species allows you to match up with exactly what you are looking for.
Get Out to the Range!
In a few short weeks another yet season will be upon us. Don’t let the task of patterning your gun evade you again. There is still plenty of time to get out to the range and get familiar with your equipment. Visit Patternmaster to match your gun with the choke constriction and the type of shooting you plan to do. No more wondering if it was you, or if it was the gun that caused a miss. You will not be disappointed with the performance of a Pattermaster choke, but you may realize that some more time at the range might be necessary!
