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Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 107

If your just going to wing-it and take no consideraton to performance.....patterning, density and such .......why talk about it, you don"t know what you have It may be a very good load, or it may not.

BRUCE

That is where the patterning board comes in and some field testing. All the reloading data in the world will not tell you anything about performance. This is where the gun and load combination comes into play. Just remember, every gun is a law unto itself in regards to how good or bad a certain load performs out of it.

A patterning board will give you a one dimensional view of the shot string. However, even that will not tell you how the load performs on a moving object. The simplest way to find out is to shoot a 100 targets with the load out of the gun you normally use. If the targets are breaking consistantly and well, that is about all that matters. Why screw up your head obsessing over inconsequential issues. Better to concentrate on shooting the targets well. Then you will know for certain how the load in question is performing.

Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Fallon NV

Been said more than once, and I believe it too be true to a great extent, one of the most dangerous things one can do, is pattern it.

Since shotgun shooting, and most shooting for that matter, is between the ears, actually seeing the holes in the pattern can well pysch a guy into some bad karma.

And if you shoot enough patterns, even same gun same load, you are gonna get some classic great patterns, and some that a cat could fit in between the pellets.

For sure, if the gun is breaking targets, or killing birds well, dont try to fix it if it aint broke. Smile

And I have learned this the hard way.

On the other hand, seeing a nice uniform pattern, can psych a guy the positive direction too.

I guess ya pays your money, and takes your chances. Smile