Pattern Testing

[fenboy]

Have also done my own pattern test a couple of weeks a go on both the gambore 3.5 42 gram 1s and 3s. In the 1s i got a pellet count of 138 and tested at 40 yards but also made the mistake of drawing the 30 inch circle on before hand any ways through a quarter choke i got 110 in the circle and through half choke i got 96. The 3s i got 147 hits through a quarter and 127 through half. This was shot through an extrema2 using standard chokes.

Seems strange that you are getting more hits with the 1/4 than 1/2.

[wymberley]

Seems strange that you are getting more hits with the 1/4 than 1/2.

Yep, but it depends on how many shots of each were fired. Taking the average of, say, 6 (for field assessment) might have just proved different

[m greeny]

Seems strange that you are getting more hits with the 1/4 than 1/2.

I know that's what I thought so that's y I done 3 of each and they were all very similar but whet I done 36 gram eley lightening 3s it was half that patterned better than quarter as expected.

[kitchrat]

It is all very confusing , airgun BBs are also a different size to true BB shot .

Thing is you really should get what you pay for .

As you say, you get what you pay for. I opened a cheaper non-toxic shell over here (Canada) and the shot size appeared random, all over the show.

[otherwayup]

As you say, you get what you pay for. I opened a cheaper non-toxic shell over here (Canada) and the shot size appeared random, all over the show.

 

Sometimes you don't get what you pay for. I opened a Supreme Game cartridge of lead 6s and it was a mix of sizes from 5-7.

 

I still wonder if this was deliberate on their part.

Edited September 21, 2015 by otherwayup

[Stonepark]

The deviation from norm is why I always try and open a cartridge and count and weight before buying a slab as even though we have had set standards, manufacturers go outside of these to give 'harder hitting cartridges' usually through upping the shot size.

 

However when buying a cartridge I am looking for pattern over power, as 10 hits will ensure at least 4 or 5 to something vital, whereas two hits can just go through muscle or extremities.

 

I look for 75 pellets in 30 inch circle for geese of 2.5ftlbs min and 150 for duck/pheasant of 1.25ftlbs min and 180 for pigeon/crows/woodcock of 1ftlb min.

[wymberley]

This is one of the problems with cartridges , you can never be sure what it says on the box is the same as whats inside the shells. I can never understand why when you buy a tin of beans there has to be a complete list of contents , down to colories value and E numbers yet when you buy cartridges , something that had the potential to blow up in your face there is very little information and even then it may not be accurate.

Very true. With regard to the highlighted text, if sufficient information (particularly that identifying shot size) was provided and advertising standards/weights and measures got involved and set a standard which called for the details to be accurate to within a given percentage, how much would the price increase? Also, I do think that all manufacturers in their advertisements should stick to an agreed basis when stating muzzle velocities. Just Cartridges have a very comprehensive price list regarding the three elements of velocity, shot size and price. I'll bet next month's pensions that that list would read entirely differently if the situation was ratified and the biggest change to those three elements would be price.

[kent]

It's better not to bother if you have a gusting 20 mph wind. Every pattern will be effected but differently

[Fal]

I opened up a 36 gram Gamebore Mammoth no1. Pellet count 96!!!! Thought to myself that cannot be right, opened up another, pellet count 102.

 

We shoot in such extreme situations, like Kent says the wind will drastically change patterns, and all we hope for is wind lol

 

I would be happy with those patterns, especially the Eley Lightening which I use now, I find the 32g 3s and 32g 5s excellent cartridges, I've never patterned them with my gun, never will.

 

But thanks for the info on the test, very interesting!

[essox022]

Because BB is 4.6mm and therefore they would be 107 odd in 42 grams.

4.06mm 1s have 150 in 42 grams , it is logical , therefore , to assume you have B's .

Gamebore use American shot sizes but if they don't have BB or the appropriate wad for this size ,perhaps they substitute either one.

I weighed some gambore 42g last season they had 44.5g in !

[wymberley]

 

 

However when buying a cartridge I am looking for pattern over power, as 10 hits will ensure at least 4 or 5 to something vital, whereas two hits can just go through muscle or extremities.

 

I look for 180 pellets in 30 inch circle for pigeon of 1ftlb min.

Because there is a link between the figures 10 and 4/5 (which assuming a truly aimed shot would give a very high clean kill probability) but it's not exactly as you describe, how do you relate that to the 180 pellets in the 30" circle?

 

Cheers

[Stonepark]

My apologies, this is the minimum I would consider, my preferred 12 bore load pigeon load for improved and half chokes is 32g 6.5 which gives me roughly 220 pellets in the 30 inch circle, half choke at 40 yards.

 

707/180 gives a pellet every 3.9 (say 4 square inches), a pigeon has approximately 20 square inches of area total, 6 square inches of vital area (heart, lungs, brain, neck), with a further 3 square inches being incapacitating (spine, major wing bones).

 

180 pellets should give me with half choke at least 2- 3 pellets to drop the bird through something vital and up to 3 striking elsewhere within the full flesh area of the bird (not including feathered area - silhouette - which would take up to another 4 strikes).

 

Carrying out autopsies over a number of seasons has backed this up, with a surprising high number of broken wings compared to the actual vulnerable area they represent.

 

Pheasant/Duck (Mallard), i am looking for similar strike rates, so: -

 

707/150, gives a pellet every 4.7 square inches. Total area is roughly 36 square inches Vital area is roughly 12 square inches, incapacitating area a further 4 square inches.

 

150 pellets should give me about 3 pellets in birds vital area, with a possible 4 pellets elsewhere on the body and a further 4 pellets striking the silhouette.

 

 

Similarly with Goose, i am looking at strike rates as I go for pattern over individual pellet energy, so: -

 

707/75, gives a pellet every 9.4 square inches. Total area is roughly 70 square inches Vital area is roughly 20 square inches, incapacitating area a further 10 square inches.

 

75 pellets should give me about 3 pellets in birds vulnerable area, with a possible 3 pellets elsewhere on the body and a further 4 pellets striking the silhouette.

 

If that makes sense?