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Why do Hunters Pattern their Shotguns? The Final Truth Revisited

Hunting circles exchange a lot of information, and it was only a matter of time before I got round to dealing with a super question put over by one of our readers, “Why do hunters pattern their shotguns?”

Now, many a seasoned shooter would probably take this as granted, but you will be surprised at even how many veterans are not sure when this question arises. So here I decided to put all controversies to rest and deal with the topic in full detail once and for all.

A Quick Guide on Patterning your Shotgun

Here’s a tried and tested method for patterning your shotgun which is easily actionable by creating a basic setup:

Use a target that is about 30 inches square
Mount your target 40 yards from where you are going to shoot
Use a rest like sandbags in a table to keep your shotgun steady
Now start shooting at the target, each time using a particular load
Draw a circle of 30 inches around the hits from each load in such a way that the maximum number of hits are in the center of the circle.
The deviation from the center of the target to the center of the circle which you drew defines the pattern for your shotgun for the ammunition you used.
Repeat the procedure for different ammunition and different shotguns
Take care to maintain a record of your findings for future reference

Why do Hunters Pattern their Shotguns

Now coming why patterning is required, the answers are many but the explanations simple:

Human Aspect

It is easy to lose sight of the fact in the excitement of bagging a trophy that you are taking a life. Even if you are a sharpshooter, a shotgun that is not patterned could hit the target anywhere which could result in a slow and painful death of the animal.

One of the unwritten rules of hunting ethics is that the kill should happen as swiftly as possible, meaning that the shot should penetrate in such a way that the animal has a relatively painless death.

Improved Choke Action

A shotgun tube choke works rather like the nozzle of a hosepipe, enhancing the accuracy of the shot without compromising on power. A gunsmith is the best person to fit tube chokes in the barrels of your shotgun. However, the accuracy of a choke can be optimized once your shotgun is patterned. A choke is particularly useful for improving the performance of an old gun.

Determining Performance of Different Ammunition

As a regular hunter, especially if you hunt various categories of game, you will find yourself switching to different loads from time to time which can be telling on the performance of your shotgun. If you take the trouble to pattern your shotgun against different grades and brands of ammunition, you will find that the overall performance of your weapons is significantly improved.

Helps in Shotgun Selection

Working in reverse, it is also possible to use this as a useful method for finding the best-suited shotgun for a particular type of hunting. Although a quick look at the internet or a visit to your local gun store can tell you what sort of firearm you need for your desired purpose, there can be variations.

Just to illustrate this point, for hunting wild turkey, you would need a tighter pattern than for duck hunting. You can designate a shotgun for a particular category through patterning.

How you feel

Whether you are a new hunter or an experienced one, the ‘feel’ of a weapon is a subjective thing which will come to you only by using it. Some shotguns may not feel so comfortable, and you will probably not get a suitable pattern from it. If your weapon patterns well, you are most likely to be comfortable with it as well.

So, you need to spend some time and make an extra effort to pattern your shotgun. This way, you will be able to get a better understanding of your weapon, which is one of the more important things that make a good hunter.

A Few Useful Tips on Shotgun Patterning

Establish a good shooting rest for your shotgun for better accuracy in patterning
Keep a tab on the number of pellets in each shot
You need at least ten shots for a single patterning
Be aware that there will be quality variations between different brands
While patterning, try different shotguns as well. Patterning will help you if you need to switch weapons in the middle of a hunt.
Pattern your shotgun before each hunt
If you get a high-density pattern but off-target, you may have to get the stock adjusted
Your local gunsmith will be able to help you to improve the stock of your shotgun

The Truth about the Matter

So where does all this lead us? We have gone through the intricacies of how a shotgun behaves. By now you will be much more aware of why hunters pattern their shotguns. The revealed facts are as follows:

Even the best shotguns have varied patterns
There are multiple reasons why a gun needs to be patterned
The main reason, however, is to get a better control on each shotgun
You can use different loads in a more efficient way with a patterned shotgun
Patterning your shotgun needs to be done on a trial and error basis
Your gun stock may have to be adjusted which can be done by a gunsmith

If you haven’t already done it, you will see the difference in performance of a patterned shotgun. It is not as if you cannot use one that has not been patterned but the reason that hunters pattern their shotguns is just another way of getting a better shooting experience, and it all adds to being a more successful hunter.

We hope that you will benefit from these interesting facts about why hunters pattern their shotguns, and how to do it yourself. We welcome your feedback and comments, so please do get in touch with us with your valuable contributions.

More Hunting Gear & Resources

What Is The Main Difference Between Centerfire And Rimfire Ammunition

When it comes to ammunition there’s a lot of technical language that can go over the head of the novice. One of the main things that is confusing to beginners is figuring out what is the main difference between centerfire and rimfire ammunition.

If you’ve been wondering, we’re here to answer your question and give you some further information to help you figure out which type of ammo is best for your needs.

The Location of the Primer

The location of the primer is the thing which determines whether a cartridge is considered to be rimfire or centerfire.

The primer is a small piece of shock sensitive explosive which explodes when the firing pin hits it. While the explosion is quite small, it is enough to ignite the powder contained within the cartridge. The expansion of the gasses then propels the bullet from the shell casing.

Rimfire rounds will tend to be smaller. While it’s certainly possible to use them in a larger round, the construction of the case of the cartridge has to be small and light in order to allow the firing pin to ignite the whole process.

In modern times they are really only available in .22 and .17 rounds, pretty much any other gun will utilize a centerfire primer.

Centerfire rounds are much more common, with nearly all rounds larger than a .22 being made with this type of primer.

The process is quite similar to a rimfire cartridge, but instead of striking the edge to create the initial spark for the gunpowder it strikes the center. The primers are contained in a small metal cup in the center of the round.

The reason for switching primarily to centerfire rounds is pretty easy to see if you’re a fan of reloading your own ammunition. Brass cartridges are expensive, and you can reload the round since the casing isn’t usually damaged in the process of firing one.

FURTHER READING:

➜ What Are The Basic Parts Of Ammunition?

➜ How Far Can A Bullet Travel? How Far Does A Bullet Travel

➜ How To Hold A Rifle Steady – The Best Way To Hold A Rifle Steady

Rimfire vs. Centerfire Pros and Cons

https://www2.huntercourse.com

Each type of primer has their own advantages, and while you’ll be limited to one type or the other depending on what type of rifle you’re using it can help to illustrate the difference if you delve into the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Rimfire Pros and Cons

Rimfire cartridges are cheaper. There’s simply less brass in the case, and it’s still an ideal way to manufacture smaller caliber rounds since they can be produced quite cheaply in lots since they require less materials.

30-30 vs 308: The Best Deer Cartridge Showdown

The .22LR is the most common round in the world and is a good choice for small game hunting and target shooting, since it has a mostly flat trajectory and won’t tear the meat and pelt up.

Most of the advantages given to rimfire ammunition come solely from the fact that it’s only made in lighter calibers.

The most powerful round using this kind of primer is probably the .22WMR, a magnum round that punches a pretty good punch for being so small.

They’re light in recoil and usually quite accurate, which is one of the reasons why most shooters will find themselves with a .22 of some variety on their first few outings.

That said, more experienced shooters rarely use them for most applications after they get used to getting a good sight picture and get down the basics.

The thinner case is the main thing that keeps more powerful rounds from being manufactured with a rimfire primer, the brass won’t hold up under the pressure required to lob a super powerful shot.

They also can’t be reloaded since the casing will be damaged irreparably after they’ve been fired. This can be a hassle, and means you’ll have to get down to the store in between outings if you manage to shoot everything you have in your bag.

This normally isn’t a problem, since .22LR are extremely cheap but those who are planning on using .17 of any sort should keep in mind that those rounds are usually quite high-tech and they can cost a significant amount more than .22 rounds.

There’s generally a dud or two in each box as well, they’re not quite as reliable as centerfire rounds. This can be alleviated to some extent by buying only high-quality ammunition, but it’s not a guarantee that they’ll all fire perfectly.

Essentially they’re best for plinking and small game, but they can’t be reloaded and any high-powered round is going to be centerfire.

Centerfire Pros and Cons

Centerfire rounds make up pretty much any powerful round that you’re able to buy. Since the brass doesn’t have to be damaged by the firing pin the casings can be much thicker and that means more powder and larger projectiles.

They’re also quite a bit more reliable than rimfire cartridges. This is because the primers are standardized and inserted separately, while rimfire cartridges have a wet primer placed in them and are then spun to get it to the edges of the case.

They also tend to leave less residue in your gun after firing since the powder burns more evenly. You should still be careful to clean your guns after putting rounds through them, but they’ll be able to be fired more times before the excess, partially burned powder causes problems.

The biggest advantage is, of course, reloading. You can reload a centerfire cartridge pretty easily, but make sure you pick primers that will be used within the amount of time you have before their shelf life expires. This allows you to customize the ballistics of your shot quite a bit, however, and many experienced hunters and marksmen get into reloading pretty quickly.

The only real disadvantage of centerfire ammunition is that it costs more per shot. This can be mitigated quite a bit by reloading your own shots, but it’ll still be a pricey affair at the end of the day.

Conclusion

Knowing the main difference between centerfire and rimfire is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding all of the intricacies of ammunition as a whole but it’s probably one of the most important differences for a newbie to understand.

Have a favorite round? Comments on our commentary? Leave us a line below and we’ll get back to you.

How Often Should I Clean My Gun

When I started growing interest in guns and hunting, there are a lot of questions I keep asking myself including the frequency of time for me to clean my gun. This problem is very common especially to those who are still new gun owners, and yet it remains to be a common question without a solid and definite answer since there are some passionate opinions about gun cleaning among owners that one can find out there.

I realized then that maintaining and cleaning my firearms is also a crucial factor for them to function adequately and for me to assure its safety and reliability. However, I also learned that aside from these obvious reasons, there are still some things to know to determine when to clean a gun which would be discussed in this article.

This article aims to deliver the best reasons and appropriate circumstances that will provide ideas for those who share the sentiment with me and are having issues determining how often a gun should be cleaned. The following are the helpful tips to come up with the best decision:

If The Firearm Was Exposed To Water, Moisture And Other Damaging Elements

A lot of circumstances would require one to clean the gun immediately after use especially if one is using corrosive ammunition or if it was exposed to damaging elements such as water, moisture, salts, dust and dirt. This action will promote prevention of rusting and corrosion from happening which may lead to wear and tear and even failure of the firearms.

For those who are using stainless steel barrel and receiver, yes you might not need to worry about the moisture since the stainless steel components help the corrosion to slow down. However, please be reminded that these stainless steel parts are more vulnerable to excess wear from dust and dirt. So, it is always best to prevent these cases from happening to avoid spending too much for repair or worst, to buy a new one.

The Primary Use Of The Firearm Should Also Be Considered

1. If A Gun Is Only Used For Plinking, Target Clays And Punching Holes In Papers.

One can allow a few months to pass or 3-4 trips to the lapse range before an in-depth cleaning can be done. Guns that are semi-automatics and rimfire firearms are also included since these types of weapons only show performance and reliability issues upon excessive fouling.

However, it is best to regularly clean the bore, wipe everything down and re-lube every after a session to remove dust and dirt and prevent them from piling up since every fire of the gun leaves a residue to the barrel. Again, it should not be a deep or intensive cleaning.

2. For Match Guns And Firearms Used As Defensive Firearms

For match guns and firearms that used primarily for defensive purposes, it is always best to keep it clean, oiled and ready-to-go all the time to avoid reliability issues.

Revolvers, for example, are not immune, to fouling since carbon builds up on the cylinder and eventually makes the double action trigger to be very impossible to pull because the cylinder gap is clogged.

This goes the same with match guns which work accurately and reliably when clean.

Thus, it is only best to clean your defensive handguns immediately after every trip to the range regardless of the number of shots fired since this will assure you that the gun will not have any fouling-related issues in the future and this will spare you time and energy and will help you avoid any accidents.

They should be cleaned and lubricated more often since it suffers more abuse and is greatly exposed to damaging elements.

For Firearms That Are Rarely Used And Are Stored In A Safe Most Of The Time

Even those firearms that are rarely used and are only kept in the storage should have a regular cleaning and maintenance session at least once a year since most of the time, storage places are also prone to humidity and moisture which can cause small rust spots and affect the performance of the gun.

One thing that one needs to consider is the usage of desiccants which can maintain the humidity of the air in the storage place and can decrease the rust caused by the moisture in the air.

Deep Cleaning

It is recommended that the internal parts of the gun should also be checked at least once a year, especially those parts which can be overlooked and cannot be seen without taking other parts.

Deep cleaning is best done with the help of an expert gunsmith that will make the job easier for you since this will include working on unfamiliar parts which piles of debris have piled up.

Other Benefits of Regular Cleaning and Maintenance of the Gun

Aside from keeping the performance and the reliability of the gun, a regular cleaning and maintenance of the gun will give you a chance to check the different parts of it which may not be easily noticed upon looking at it.

This will enable you to inspect the entire gun for cracks, rust, erosion corrosion and other defects that may need repair or replacing. This will prevent an unexpected failure and accidents in the future.

In addition, keeping a regular check-up of your gun will allow you be more familiar with the way the gun works. This will help you understand firearms more and how each part interact with each other and how to lubricate it properly.

By taking the necessary steps to clean and maintain your gun, you are becoming a responsible gun owner which results for a lot safer gun owning and handling.

My Take Away

As a conclusion, there is no definite way as to when and how often a gun should be cleaned. It depends on to on the level of usage and the purpose of its usage as indicated above. The bottom line is, the more often you use the gun, the more often you should clean it since a clean gun is a safe gun. This is one way to take care of your investments and to make sure that your weapon is ready for use when the need to use it arises.

You can also watch this video for easier understanding: