[Guvnor]

Ill be trying grouse hunting this season with a single shot 410. I have patterned the gun and found the 3 inch #7.5 shot throws a decent pattern out to 20-25 yards.

However the center of the pattern seems to hit about 6 inches high. If I shoot a group of slugs at this distance it does the same thing, about 6 inches above point of aim. Is there any way to adjust point of impact? Or should I just learn to compensate by aiming a bit low?

[oneounceload]

Have you tried various brands? Have you tried 2-1/2" as well? Are they ALL shooting high, or is it just that brand?

[Guvnor]

Yea it behaves in the same fashion with 2.5 inch #6 and #9 as well.

I can live with the problem since if I aim slightly low the pattern hits dead center so ive just been compensating.

I was wondering if maybe stock length or fit has anything to do with it? Or could it be possible that the barrel or choke is a bit "off"?

[oneounceload]

Stock could be an issue. I know on target guns, which normally shoot a 60/40 pattern, that if I see too much rib, I'll be shooting high and over the target. If your stock isn't quite right, that is a real possibility. Since this is an inexpensive gun, your mentioning of the choke not being centered properly might also be a culprit.

What you might try next is having a friend slightly different in stature try shooting the same loads and see what happens

[TomADC]

Shooting like a trap gun, I guess its a stock issue also.
Maybe you can make a shim to go between the stock and action doesn't take much a tapered shim shoul;d change the POI.

[Virginian]

Unless you are planning to use slugs on grouse it shouldn't be a problem. 6" with a shotgun pattern should be close enough, particularly if it is centered and just shooting high. If you have time to think about "compensating" on a wild grouse, you are a world class grouse hunter. You can bend the barrel, or I should say have it done. Not for any but the boldest amateur gunsmith, but it is done to change POI.

[TomADC]

Now that I think about it if you want to make a stock adjustment do it at the butt plate I think move the top out a tick.
I never liked .410's only because of the size of the pattern a 1/2 oz of shot doesn't go very far.

[Steve C]

Keep your head down against the stock. Propper sight picture is when you are looking at the sight and see no barrel or rib but just the bead, a field gun will usually print center of the bead. a trap gun will print above. The stock could be preventing or discouraging you from aligning with the sight properly. Picking your head up or not getting your head down against the stock and low enough to be in line with the front sight as the gun fires will cause the gun to print above line of site.

Trap guns are generally regulated so the center of the pattern is above the line of sight. This allows a more efficient aim at targets that are rising as you shoot when the bead touches the target rather than when using a field gun having to blank out the target, firing as it disappears as the gun is brought to and through the target path.

[throdgrain]

Ahem.

Proper sight picture is to see a 1/4" of rib.

[Snarlingiron]

Point of impact can be adjusted by moving your eye up or down. This is accomplished by moving the stock up or down. This is accomplished in a number of ways. If you need to go up (raise POI), you can add material to the stock, such as moleskin or cheek eze pads. If you need to lower it, you can remove material from the stock, or you can shim the top of the stock where it meets the receiver, if the guns design will allow this. I have done this with folded aluminum foil (at Dave McCrackens suggestion). This allows you to make small adjustments by adding a layer or two, and it is not expensive.

As far as "proper sight picture", if you see 1/4" of rib and your POI is not where you want it then my opinion is that is not proper.

Take a look at Dave McCrackens write up. He is specifically talking about pump guns, but the principles are the same for any shotgun.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-4562.html

[Dave McCracken]

If the CENTER of the pattern is 6" high at longer than typical grouse ranges, don't change a thing. Most of us bird hunters like to see the bird before pulling the trigger rather than blotting out the thing, and we often shoot better that way.

Grouse are shot as they rise. This sounds like it will work if you do your part.

HTH....

[oneounceload]

Proper sight picture is to see a 1/4" of rib.

Not on my target guns if I want to hit anything.......and since my field guns shoot flat, not on them either. In both cases, seeing rib will cause me to shoot high and over the target

[JohnBT]

When I look at the rib I miss the shot. Every single time.

:)

[Bruno2]

All of my shotguns shoot different . I think that proper sight alignment is what the gun needs for your style of shooting . A gun that you plan on hunting with is the gun that you should practice with (alot) . I prefer to float a target so I can see the dang thing . Shotgun shooting is like re curve bow shooting . The process is an instinct shot not a look down the receiver and line the bead up shot . I shoot 300-400 rounds of 12 gauge a week and sometimes I change guns . When I change guns it takes a minute to adjust . People that say if I see any rib at all I miss everytime .May not know how a shotgun sight picture works . I was always taught to not look at beads and ribs to look at the target only . So I would practice with the gun I am hunting with quite a bit before I took it hunting .

[oneounceload]

I was always taught to not look at beads and ribs to look at the target only

And THAT is something folks need to realize.......whether for clays, birds or even HD

[redneck2]

Is it fixed choke or does it have interchangeables?

[throdgrain]

Not on my target guns if I want to hit anything.......and since my field guns shoot flat, not on them either. In both cases, seeing rib will cause me to shoot high and over the target

A shotgun is designed to see a 1/4" of rib, thats why some have a centre bead, that when looking down the barrel should form a figure of eight with the front bead sitting just on top of the centre bead. Thats the point of it.