16ga.com ~ View topic - More Patterns (WARNING-This post might contain bloviation.)

Guest

Hey, if I’m bloviating give me a swift kick in the rear. Could be a new law here like the free kick in soccer! Maybe call it the "Dale Law."

Anyway, had my tight little Merkel chokes opened up to a more table friendly .005 & .015

As those who have been following my bloviating know the .011 & .026 chokes were throwing pretty dense patterns for a fairly short, lightweight OU best suited for grouse and perhaps pointed, early season pheasants.

Here’s what they look like now. (30" circles)

An ounce of 7's at 25 yards is still pretty dense. Maybe not a bad thing. .005 choke

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Another ounce of 7's at 25 yards with the open choke.

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An ounce of 6's at 25 yards in the .005 choke.

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And anothern ounce of 6's at 25 yards in the .005 choke. This shotgun seems to like 6's!

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The last two are an ounce of 6's at 35 yards in the .015 choke. Got a little high on the first one.

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Joined: 14 Oct 2011 Posts: 110 Location: Eastern Washington

Dave, those patterns are looking good for short-medium range shots. I shot the merkel today at sporting clays, not sure about the actual constriction but merkel in Germany told me the gun is full/modified. That full choke sure powders 'em!

Think I will have to follow you and open the chokes or load some shells with spreaders.

Guest

Montana, I agree. This 200E has 68cm barrels and it's light, and it's getting the 1" Pachmayr pad replaced with a microcell pad, so it's going to be pretty close to 6 lbs. My point is, it's not meant to be a long range shotgun. On the other hand it's now choked for 90% of the normal shots one gets running pointers. First rung on the ladder of shotguns that I'll carry this year.

Guest

Was that bloviating?

*Last edited by skeettx on Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:24 pm; edited 1 time in total*

NO, you have to be MORE obnoxious Smile

What a FUN site
We can all chuckle at ourselves and each other while
we learn and enjoy

Mike

Guest

That's why this site is different. No one takes themselves too seriously. Lots of knowledge of shotguns and beyond.

Joined: 15 Jun 2010 Posts: 1358 Location: Twin Cities, MN

I'm offended. I take myself and my shooting VERY seriously. I think I'll go work on my Excel spreadsheets for which angle of targets I miss the most with my left barrel on partly cloudy Tuesdays. In leap years.
Dave, I think your patterns are spot on for what you want that gun to do. After all the money, time and work that you've put into this I expect perfect shooting in the field this fall. You've proven that you have no equipment excuses.
Regards,
Jeff

NOW, THAT is bloviating? Embarassed

Guest

i tell ya, this has been one whale of a shotgun summer. I've replaced four shotguns with four shotguns. Replaced an ancient MEC Grabber 12 with a new one Fleet Farm was blowing out for $240. Have another 16 gauge Grabber coming as part of a shotgun trade. Burned through 200+ feet of pattern paper. Worked up at least 6, 16 and 12 gauge loads. Worked up a load for my deer rifle. Kept 3 gunsmiths busy. Whew! I need to get back to work!

Guest

I think those patterns look great Smile

Nice work, which recipe did you shoot?

Guest

Same two I've been working with. I want two different hulls so I can differentiate shot sizes if I want.

The first 4 patterns above at 25 yards are:

RGL hull
SP-16
W209
Unique 19.0 gr.

The last 2 patterns at 35 yards are:

Fed hull
Z16 (B&P)
Fed 209A
Universal 20.0 gr.

One thing I noticed yesterday is that the Universal load really smells good! Very Happy

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1696 Location: Minnesota

"One thing I noticed yesterday is that the Universal load really smells good"

Dave, You've definitely been in the reloading room too long Laughing