Patterned my new shotgun law weekend.
Mossberg 500SP Persuader
http://www.mossberg.com/images/Mossb.../NEW/50577.jpg
20 inch cylinder choke barrel
7+1 mag
black plastic factory furniture
Only modification is a buttstock shell holder w/ 5 shells.
I was shooting Remington 2 3/4 shells with 9 pellets of 00 buckshot.
Patterned 5 shots each at 5 yards, 10 yards, and 20 yards.
Measured height and width of pattern in inches.
5 yds
1. 2.5 x 2
2. 2 x 2.5
3. 2 x 1.5
4. 2.5 x 2
5. 2 x 2
Average:
2.2 x 2
Total square inches of average pattern:
4.4
10 yds
1. 4 x 7
2. 4.5 x 3.75
3. 1.5 x 5.25 (had one outlier on the height, would have been about 6 inches)
4. 4.25 x 9.25
5. 5.25 x 5.75
Average:
3.9 x 6.2 (not including one outlier)
Total square inches of average pattern:
24.17 (not including one outlier)
20 yds (not including outliers)
1. 10.5 x 5.25
2. 9.5 x 8.5
3. 10 x 11
4. 12.75x 7
5. 9.5 x 10
Average:
10.45x 8.35 (not including outliers)
Total square inches of average pattern:
87.25 (not including outliers)
20 yds (including outliers)
1. 10.5 x 10
2. 9.5 x 8.5 (no outlier on this shot)
3. 10 x 15.5
4. 12.75x 12.75
5. 11 x 13 (this shot was too close to the corner of the cardboard and I think two pellets missed so I'm guessing on this pattern size)
Average:
10.75x 11.95(including outliers; note, the height didn't change much when including outliers, but the width of the pattern did change a lot)
Total square inches of average pattern:
128.46 (including outliers)
Of note:
I also shot one 3" magnum shell of 12 pellet 00 buckshot at 10 yds and another at 20 yds
10 yds
6.25 x 10.75 (plus one outlier)
Total square inches of this pattern:
67.19 (compared to 24.17 average for the 9 pellet 00 buck)
20 yds
18.5 x 19 (there were no real outliers for this shot, it just had a big spread)
Total square inches of this patter:
351.5 (compared to 87.25/128.46 average for the 9 pellet 00 buck)
Conclusion:
Before patterning my shotgun, I had the 3" magnum 12 pellet shells in my magazine (it's a home defense shotgun that I hope I'll never use for home defense but is a lot of fun at the range). Now I will never buy them again.
I originally figured the 3 extra pellets offered by the magnum shell would be a great benefit in helping this tool perform its job. Now I see that those three extra pellets will be much more likely to miss the target completely (not good for home defense or just-for-fun shooting) as well as maybe a few more pellets.
I think I can put more pellets on target (unless I'm shooting at less that 10 yds) with the 9 pellet shell than the 12 pellet shell. Also, the magnum shell does kick harder and any follow-up shots if necessary would be just a little harder with the magnum shell.
Outcome:
I was sorely displeased with the performance of the magnum shell. :barf:
I was happy to get my shotgun patterned finally.
I feel comfortable that I could hit something if I need to.
I now have only 9 pellet 00 buck stuffed into my shotgun mag.
I had a lot of fun shooting cardboard and water jugs last weekend.
I continue to love my new gun.
Ps. The tape measure in the pictures is set to 18 inches.