how to properly pattern a gun and put that info to use

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Wood Butcher

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I'm pretty much a newbie at trap shooting. I did just purchase a new Browning BPS trap model and am starting to use it. It shoots much differently than the field gun I was using.
I did a bunch of reading on here and most posts refer to patterning a gun first which makes sense to me.
Is there a proper way in which to perform this? Do I do this with every choke?Then what exactly do I do with the info I gain? Anything other than adjusting my lead or height for point of impact.

Thanks for any info.
 
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Excellent link Rembolt.

Near the bottom they mention POA and POI. I would do that first to make sure the gun is shooting where it should. Bench rest it at 13 yards by shooting at a + on a sheet. Your pattern should be centered in middle of the + and ideally a little high of the center.
 
When you pattern off the bench do you have your beads in a figure 8 (as if you were standing)? Or do you have them parallel?
 
Great articles guys - I read them and realized that I hadn't really put enough thought into patterning until now. I'd just put up the paper, shoot it, say "cool", and move on - nothing scientific. I'll put a half-day into running all my combinations with one big case of ammo. (I'm especially keen to see how my one bead-and-rib barrel will work out).
 
Patterning is a useful tool, but shouldn't become all consuming.

A funny story ... a friend of mine bought a used trap gun and tried to shoot it for a year, without much success. He sold it and a few weeks later the buyer approached him with the information that the gun shot two feet to the left. A simple check of the pattern would have revealed this problem.
 
Some Trap shooters use a gun that patterns as much as 100% high, I prefer 60/40 and a bit higher for handicap, and a very flat (50/50) barrel for second shot of doubles. I'm kinda particular about this so use a couple of Krieghoffs with adjustable ribs/barrels esp. for use on doubles, my favorite.
 
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