NEF SB1 - 12ga 3.5" Turkey - Low Pattern - Help!!

[dust_101]

Ok folks, I've got the bruise to prove it, but my attempt at a Turkey shotgun for this season has run into an issue. I purchased a used NEF SB1 with a 27.5" 12 gauge 3.5" chamber barrel, threaded choke (currently XFull), and a weighted hardwood stock with recoil pad, with the intention to use this for Spring Turkey this year.

Took it out this past weekend to check the pattern, using Winchester shotshells, and at 40 yards the darn thing is patterning low!! How low you ask? Using a life-size turkey head target if I put my fiber optic front sight on the base of the neck the pattern is dense about 1 foot low! In order to get 5-6 pellets in the head I'm putting the front sight on the TOP of the Tom's head! Talk about dotting the "i"!!

I'm looking for suggestions to correct this. I have a NEF scope mount that my local smith can drill/tap the barrel for in a day or so, but that then leads me to searching for a scope/red dot to adjust POA/POI down for this little mule. I mean, this thing kicks like anything, nearly jumps out of my hands! I'm no little guy either, but this sucker is so lightweight I'm concerned about a scope and this recoil.

Heck I was even thinking about replacing the forend with the M4 looking one from ATI so I could add a vertical foregrip to hold onto this lil'beastie.

 

[Snarlingiron]

I corrected a similar problem by adding a $7.00 Cheek eez pad to my guns. These come in 1/16", 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" thicknesses. You can buy these at Natchez for $6.93. That's about as cheap as I have found them. I took a set of 4 thicknesses, and taped them on to try them out. For me and my guns, 1/8" did the trick, and placed my pattern at 60/40 at 25 yards. After I found the right one, I pealed the paper off, and applied them to my stock. I have shot some clays since, and it made a significant difference in my hits. I used electrical tape, but that is a mistake. The Sorbithane material that the pads are made from is delicate. The tape stuck like crazy, and I ruined the 1/8" pad trying to get it off. I think blue painters tape would probably work better.

 

[cluttonfred]

As far as I know, the H&R turkey guns don't come from the factory with fiber optic front beads. It sounds like the bead needs to be lowered or replaced.