Supernova patterns, turkey loads, and poi vs. poa

[perkis]

Hey. I went out this weekend to do a little patterning of my supernova 26". I was shooting Remington Premier Magnum 3.5" #4 with a 2 1/4 oz. of shot at 1150 fps and Federal Mag-Shock with flitecontrol 3.5" #4 with 2 1/4 oz. of shot also at 1150 fps. The chokes I used were the factory Full, Carlson's extended sporting clays full, and Carlson's Extended Range Steel Shot Full. All chokes have a stated constriction of .695. I shot at Champion X-Ray turkey target from 30 yards measured with a rangefinder. I shot from a table using a caldwell lead sled. The Best overall patterns always come from the Federal loads and the factory full choke proved to throw the densest pattern. The sporting clays choke was the 2nd best and the steel shot full came in last. I was aiming down the barrel with the mid bead slightly under the front fiber optic sight and my patterns were consistently 5-6" higher than poa at 30 yards with the B shim in. I understand that benellis typically shoot high but i thought that 6" was a little too much so I came home and switched out the B shim for the C shim to give me more drop. I havent shot since switching the shims but theoretically this should lower my poi correct? Anyone have any input into how much this should lower my poi? Any questions or comments regarding this would be appreciated. Would also like some input into a general idea of what kind of turkey chokes and patterns you guys are getting out of your benelli's and specifically the supernova. Thanks

 

EDIT: It looks like ive been getting approx. 75/25 or 80/20 compared to the "typical" 60/40 patterns.

Edited February 3, 2009 by perkis

[CH/QuakerBoyProstaff]

One thing is going to have to happen to make this test totally objective is to, after collecting the data from the bench test, is to shoot the gun from a sitting "turkey hunting position" to see how it relates in real world shooting conditions. The shim has been changed, so a new batch of bench data must be collected before doing so. I have seen massive differences in POA and POI between bench and "turkey stance". If your ultimate goal is to flatline gobblers, the second test is the one that matters most.

Edited February 3, 2009 by CH/QuakerBoyProstaff

[mudhen]

I came home and switched out the B shim for the C shim to give me more drop. I havent shot since switching the shims but theoretically this should lower my poi correct? Anyone have any input into how much this should lower my poi?

 

Yes, in in theory going from B to C should lower your POI, but this is primarily a wingshooting practice because many do not use the beads when wingshooting.

 

BUT, I have always been able to move my turkey pattens around a bit by changing shims. Add in a little bead work, and you should be able to dial in a very workable combination.

 

I found, many years ago, that I loved the B shim in my SBE II with the 6-8" lift. I aim at the base of the neck and let the pattern just rip into the head. This way I can watch the bird longer than I can with a 'cover' gun.

 

You are on your own, as you should be, in finding what shell/choke combo works best in your S-Nova. Given that bore ID's are all over the place on Benellis, I would absolutley want to pattern my own Benelli on my own

[perkis]

Thanks alot for the responses guys. I will definitely be heading out to pattern my SN again in the near future with the new shim in but will also bring the other shims along to test them out in comparison to the one I have in. I also am going to get a few other boxes of turkey loads to pattern those also. I want to try some 3" loads with maybe a little less oz. of shot just to see how those do. It seems that alot of guys don't shoot 4's so I'll get some 5's and maybe some 6's to see if the extra amount of shot will help put more in the kill zone. Thanks again for your responses.