Can shot size alter shot placement?

[muzzystrut]

Random question came up from sighting in my shotgun today. Can the shot size alter pellet placement? Shot from 20 yards, shooting table, gun sled, no movement from me or the gun. Shot a size 4 shot and it was dead center awesome group. Shot a size 5 shot shell, grouping size was the same but about 7-8 inches to the left off center. Any advice or thoughts here? Thanks

 

[Arrow3]

Absolutely. You can shoot the same size shot from different manufacturers and they will shoot different too.

 

[six]

Same size, same manufacturer, different lot number can alter poi. The only cure I know is a reliable handloader. If that isn’t an option I’d pick the shot size and manufacturer I was going to hunt with and shoot from the same box of shells if possible. It can get frustrating.

 

[ssramage]

100%

 

[ol bob]

This is why you pattern a gun find out what it likes and never change it.

 

[Permitchaser]

Shoot the 4's

 

[kmckinnie]

Random question came up from sighting in my shotgun today. Can the shot size alter pellet placement? Shot from 20 yards, shooting table, gun sled, no movement from me or the gun. Shot a size 4 shot and it was dead center awesome group. Shot a size 5 shot shell, grouping size was the same but about 7-8 inches to the left off center. Any advice or thoughts here? Thanks

How many times did u shoot both loads to determine one shot off. 20 yds is a close range for that big of a difference ?
If one time a piece maybe you pulled the other shot to that side.
This is what I find hard to believe that one shot would be that far off and one on. Both going down the same barrel. What can effect pattern is the speed of a load and the size. The shot should be true to aim but dancer or more spread. Sometimes the smaller the shot as it gets further out can spread due to the air efffect. The Heavier the shot less spread. That is why TSS holds a good pattern further plus it’s a harder shot to avoid flat spots caused by the choke. Lead is soft. Thus if u examine the 2 shots u will see flat edges on the lead verses the TSS. Both are round durning loading the shell. Same as for buckshot. Lead gets flat spots. Copper is harder and has less. The bigger the pellet the further down range as in its hardness with less fly aways! How straight the barrel is and how true the open bead is will effect where the pattern hits. We want a true barrel to the sight. These little red dot scopes help true the sight to the barrel.
What I just explained is pure Physics with motion and energy.

 

[Buckman18]

How many times did u shoot both loads to determine one shot off. 20 yds is a close range for that big of a difference ?
If one time a piece maybe you pulled the other shot to that side.
This is what I find hard to believe that one shot would be that far off and one on. Both going down the same barrel. What can effect pattern is the speed of a load and the size. The shot should be true to aim but dancer or more spread. Sometimes the smaller the shot as it gets further out can spread due to the air efffect. The Heavier the shot less spread. That is why TSS holds a good pattern further plus it’s a harder shot to avoid flat spots caused by the choke. Lead is soft. Thus if u examine the 2 shots u will see flat edges on the lead verses the TSS. Both are round durning loading the shell. Same as for buckshot. Lead gets flat spots. Copper is harder and has less. The bigger the pellet the further down range as in its hardness with less fly aways! How straight the barrel is and how true the open bead is will effect where the pattern hits. We want a true barrel to the sight. These little red dot scopes help true the sight to the barrel.
What I just explained is pure Physics with motion and energy.

I don’t understand, can you try explaining that another way?

 

[kmckinnie]

I don’t understand, can you try explaining that another way?

20 yards out of a shotgun with 7 or 8 inches difference in pattern is human error! It’s to close to have much Difference in any shot size. Brand of shell name or pretty much any thing else. It’s about point blank range. Almost any shot would have about the same size pattern. If it’s off a little. Everything shot out if it would shoot the same off.
Maybe I’m wrong ? but what do I know I shoot autos to get the best spread effect. ?

 

[Buckman18]

20 yards out of a shotgun with 7 or 8 inches difference in pattern is human error! It’s to close to have much Difference in any shot size. Brand of shell name or pretty much any thing else. It’s about point blank range. Almost any shot would have about the same size pattern. If it’s off a little. Everything shot out if it would shoot the same off.
Maybe I’m wrong ? but what do I know I shoot autos to get the best spread effect. ?

I understood the first time, I was just wanting to see if you’d do it!

 

[kmckinnie]

I understood the first time, I was just wanting to see if you’d do it!

I knew that. ???
When I started turkey hunting. Shotguns came with the choke on the barrel. Only ones that u could change had line a poly choke. You either tightened it or opened it up. By turning the choke. State of the art. ?
We only had lead shot. Magnum loads. Not everyone had a 3” chamber. Most folks used #6 back then. Your choices where mostly 4s 5s or 6s
We would pattern a shotgun at 30 ty. That was to see if you needed to aim a little right or left of a turkey head. Depending on where the density was the best. Most everything was American made. Even our cheap faded camo. Most wore a army camo pattern we got from the surplus store.

 

[Buckman18]

I knew that. ???
When I started turkey hunting. Shotguns came with the choke on the barrel. Only ones that u could change had line a poly choke. You either tightened it or opened it up. By turning the choke. State of the art. ?
We only had lead shot. Magnum loads. Not everyone had a 3” chamber. Most folks used #6 back then. Your choices where mostly 4s 5s or 6s
We would pattern a shotgun at 30 ty. That was to see if you needed to aim a little right or left of a turkey head. Depending on where the density was the best. Most everything was American made. Even our cheap faded camo. Most wore a army camo pattern we got from the surplus store.

Until about 5 years ago when I joined the forum, and got up to date with the world, all I ever hunted with was a full choke and regular #4 lead Winchester Supremes. I just knew my limit was 35 yards. I think I was a better hunter then!

I STILL hunt with an Army camo gun! Shoots great!

 

[bfriendly]

How many times did u shoot both loads to determine one shot off. 20 yds is a close range for that big of a difference ?
If one time a piece maybe you pulled the other shot to that side.
This is what I find hard to believe that one shot would be that far off and one on. Both going down the same barrel. What can effect pattern is the speed of a load and the size. The shot should be true to aim but dancer or more spread. Sometimes the smaller the shot as it gets further out can spread due to the air efffect. The Heavier the shot less spread. That is why TSS holds a good pattern further plus it’s a harder shot to avoid flat spots caused by the choke. Lead is soft. Thus if u examine the 2 shots u will see flat edges on the lead verses the TSS. Both are round durning loading the shell. Same as for buckshot. Lead gets flat spots. Copper is harder and has less. The bigger the pellet the further down range as in its hardness with less fly aways! How straight the barrel is and how true the open bead is will effect where the pattern hits. We want a true barrel to the sight. These little red dot scopes help true the sight to the barrel.
What I just explained is pure Physics with motion and energy.

Not bad for a guy who’s never killed anything with a shotgun…..what would you know?
I got mine figured out last year, but I may have forgotten what the magic formula was. Guess starting from scratch would be a good place to retrace my steps. I did shoot my shotgun last week, but we were just tearing stuff up. I remembered I don’t care for 3 1/2” shells