Poor patterns with buckshot - updated need more advice, POI issue as well

[fiddler]

Lots of good stuff already said. I went through this a dozen years ago with some similar problems. I found reasonable results by trying 1 box of each of every brand/size/ make/ect. I found some of the magnums kick like a mule but don't always group nice, seems like more powder just spreads it out more. Best results were from non-magnums, but there was a big difference from brand to brand. I don't remember the grouping, but there is not good results past 25 or 30 yards. Buckshot is for close-up stuff.

I had much the same results with slugs, some brands really good groups at 75 yards, others not, the magnums were less performing than non-magnums. You simply have to try a bunch and see what works best in your gun.

If I need bear repellent, I load four 1oz slugs followed by two .000 magnum buckshot. If I still have to fire the buckshot, its cuz I'm next to screwed.

 

[CROWCA]

Try it at 5 yards and see if it is a point of aim issue.

 

[Farlsincharge]

Okay, so it was mainly a POI issue. The best patterns were with the full and carlson dead coyote chokes. 10 pellets out of 41 would make a vital hit at 50 yards on coyote sized game. The pattern is 18" high at 25 and 2-3' high at 50. What the hell do I do to correct that? My face is down so low on the stock that I buried the bead and my teeth are now loose.

I'm also not blown away by the power of #4 buckshot. I was shooting at a piece of 3/8" OSB propped up with 2 2x4's. The pellets that went through and hit the 2x4's only barely penetrated into the wood. For the asskicking I get from firing 3" magnum's, I expected more than that.

 

[Covey Ridge]

Okay, so it was mainly a POI issue. The best patterns were with the full and carlson dead coyote chokes. 10 pellets out of 41 would make a vital hit at 50 yards on coyote sized game. The pattern is 18" high at 25 and 2-3' high at 50. What the hell do I do to correct that? My face is down so low on the stock that I buried the bead and my teeth are now loose.
I'm going to TRY and find some different loads.

Raise the front sight! What type of gun are you shooting?

 

[B]

. For the asskicking I get from firing 3" magnum's, I expected more than that.

The pellets in 3" buck shells are pretty much always going significantly slower than an identical 2 3\4" load. You get more projectiles, but since the acceptable pressures in shotguns are so low it's a tradeoff. If you hit a coyote with 10 #4 pellets even out at 50m I can all but guarantee you he's gonna die.

 

[elimsprint]

What shotgun is it? Vent rib or plain barrel? We need to know these things to help you get it on target. I use add on turkey ghost ring sights on my 11-87 vent rib and they work fine. +2 on going with 2 3/4" loads. They are way better than 3" in both of the shotguns I use with buckshot. I have killed a coyote with a single, allbeit lucky #4 buckshot and I know 3 or more in the vitals is almost always a killer so I am pretty sure 10 is going to take care of business 99.9% of the time. Anything that will penetrate 3/8" OSB @ 50yds will easily penetrate a coyote at the same distance.
Kim

 

[Farlsincharge]

It's an older model DA Grizzly 12.5 inch with a Remington Barrel, no vent rib. Looks like I will have to get a set of ghost rings installed.

 

[elimsprint]

There are a couple of front sight options that will raise your front sight quite a bit without the expense of ghost rings. Maybe an aftermarket front sight base like one of these ht tp://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=4566/k=/t=S/mfg=/Products/Bases-Base-Kits
Kim

 

[CROWCA]

Start with a longer barrel ???????

 

[Mike Webb]

Elimsprint is right, switch to 2 3/4 inch loads. They pattern better and are just as effective with less recoil. A taller front sight should solve your problem as has been suggested.

 

[Covey Ridge]

This does not seem to be a load problem as much as it is a p.o.i. problem. This problem is typical with 870 guns with very short barrels and an aimed shot rather than a pointed shot. Since your buck loads at distance should be aimed the problem often is a bead front sight set right on the barrel or on a low ramp. This will result in a very high poi. What usually works is a very high ramp below the front bead. With this set up the centre of the reciever is the rear sight. If your barrel does not have any windage problems this is a surprisingly accurace set up because fo the eyes natural ability to centre the front bead. It make take a bit of trial to figure the height of the ramp required. Good luck.