Help. Shot spread Benelli Nova 12ga

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fbdewar

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Just bought a Benelli Nova 12ga, (my first firearm), and fired it with 2 3/4 (7.5?) Federal ammunition shot.
The spread was huge! A target at 15ft was lightly 'peppered'. We had to shoot a tin can at 5-7 feet for any sizable hole to be made. It may be my marksmanship but I doubt it because I was able to hit the bullseye at ~25ft with a slug fired from the same gun.
The bore is fully rifled,does that mean it doesn't shoot shot well?
This is my first gun and I have no idea what's going on any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
 
Your problem with shot spread (pellets) is due to the fact that you are using a rifled barrel. The rifled barrels are intended for use with slugs, not for use with birdshot or buckshot.

The rifling in the barrel will impart a spinning motion to the plastic shot cup (wad) that contains the pellets as they travel down through the barrel. Once the wad and pellets exit the barrel, that spinning motion will cause the pellets to quickly spread out resulting in a very broad (and basically useless) pellet pattern on impact.

A conventional shotgun barrel has a smooth bore with no rifling. The wad and pellets travel through the barrel with little or no spin. After exiting the barrel the pellets separate gradually and more uniformly, which results in tighter patterns (depending on choke constriction, shot size, weight of shot payload, etc).

You have a good slug gun. Buy a smoothbore barrel and you will also have a good conventional shotgun.
 
fbdewar said:
Just bought a Benelli Nova 12ga, (my first firearm), and fired it with 2 3/4 (7.5?) Federal ammunition shot.
The spread was huge! A target at 15ft was lightly 'peppered'. We had to shoot a tin can at 5-7 feet for any sizable hole to be made. It may be my marksmanship but I doubt it because I was able to hit the bullseye at ~25ft with a slug fired from the same gun.
The bore is fully rifled,does that mean it doesn't shoot shot well?
This is my first gun and I have no idea what's going on any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

In a way, you've answered your own question. I trust that you were fully aware that you were buying a rifled barreled shotgun (for Deer) and not a smoothbore. As such, it is expected that performance with birdshot will greatly deteriorate unless it is very very close range - say 10yds +/- or so.
 
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