Helpful Tips on how to Best Pattern a Shotgun
Pattering a gun is super-important and something everyone should do before taking to the swamp this coming season.
Nothing is worse than missing birds and then deciding to pattern the gun just to find out that the shot pattern is not hitting what you expected. Finding the right ammunition and choke for the gun you intend to shoot is critical to success in the field. When I am unable to get to the woods one of my favorite things to do is to hit the range, or in my case a nice hilly farm field to sight or pattern guns for the upcoming season.
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When patterning shotguns and ammunition that come with a bit of a kick, I like to use a lead sled. This helps to reduce recoil and makes for a consistent shot. However, before I walk away from the range, I do like to take one shot from a position I would hunt from. Knowing that I am on target from a realistic hunting position helps me gain confidence before hitting the field. 
I like to pattern my waterfowl gun at 30 yards because I typically wouldn’t be shooting beyond that distance. When patterning, I like to make sure I have a good amount of pellets on target. In this video, I used a modified choke. iI you are not seeing a pattern you like, try changing to a different choke. This waterfowl season I will be shooting a Winchester SX4 along with Blind Side ammunition. This makes for a most lethal and deadly combination. I got to put the SX4 to the test this spring during turkey season. I must admit that I was very impressed. Not only is the SX4 impressive, but Blind Side ammunition completes the setup. Its hexahedron stackable pellets allow for 15% more pellets downrange. More pellets on target with a larger killing-zone…that’s sweet music to a waterfowl hunter. Join me in the video portion of this blog to see and learn more. 
