I recently bought my daughter a Mossberg 500 super bantam 20 ga youth turkey gun. It comes with an x-full turkey choke and tru-glo turkey sights that clip onto the vent rib. It is a sweet little gun, but I'll be darned if I can get it to pattern well. I have used a variety of shell sizes, manufacturers, etc, but all shots are hitting high. At 18 yards (the distance my daughter will most likely be shooting), my pattern is about 7 inches higher than where I want it to be. The tru-glo sights that came on the gun do adjust for elevation, but I am maxed out in the low position. So I am looking for possible solutions. Should I invest in some different sights? Or should I be looking for a different choke? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.
What is the best way to lower pattern?
- Thread starter nh10ring
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evbutler462
Member
What is the point of impact without the turkey sights? If it is on POA without the sights, you need to raise the front sight. If you are using the magnetic sights, just slip something under the front sight to raise it. However, if the gun does not shoot to point of aim when the turkey sights are removed, I would return it.
Smitty in CT
Member
Stock spacers.....about $6.00 on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stock-Drop-Spac...ryZ73957QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Smitty
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stock-Drop-Spac...ryZ73957QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Smitty
kirbythegunsmith
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I know of no manufacturer that will guarantee a shotgun to hit exactly where you point, though some might try to find you one that is less "off" than the one that has somebody currently disappointed.
Use of adjustable sights is one method of correcting the point of impact, but I have seen so many crooked choke tube holes cause problems, that I always recommend that a discerning shooter might decide to try starting with a new and straight choke tube installation.
A bent rifle barrel can be on target if your sights can adjust that far, but is that the same as a straight barrel?
Same with a crooked choke hole being put on target with a large adjustment of some sights. The pattern is bound to suffer some effect from the shot hitting the choke off-center and having to change direction at the same time as being squeezed through the choke.
Realize that factories all work with the manufacturing tolerances that they conclude is sufficient for them to stand. In other words, how bad is still good enough? In these cases for typical hunting guns, I have seen ones that shot off a foot at 20 yards, and had that barrel replaced by one that shot off that much, at 40 yards or so. If your barrel hits less than a foot off at 40 yards, chances are not good that the factory will think that is too far off- for them.
Too many people shop for the cheapest this or that, many times, and the cheap stuff sells the most volume. Funny, isn't it, that some went through the trouble to make wally-world versions, and now they are closing the gun sales down.
All those small shops that suffered by bargain hunters going to the big box, well guess what, they have left your business in the lurch.
Those shooters wanting to get a serious education should read my previous posts, straight from a gunsmith perspective.
There are lots of pictures, including ones showing very obviously crooked choke holes. I have evidence to back everything I state.
[email protected]
I know of no manufacturer that will guarantee a shotgun to hit exactly where you point, though some might try to find you one that is less "off" than the one that has somebody currently disappointed.
Use of adjustable sights is one method of correcting the point of impact, but I have seen so many crooked choke tube holes cause problems, that I always recommend that a discerning shooter might decide to try starting with a new and straight choke tube installation.
A bent rifle barrel can be on target if your sights can adjust that far, but is that the same as a straight barrel?
Same with a crooked choke hole being put on target with a large adjustment of some sights. The pattern is bound to suffer some effect from the shot hitting the choke off-center and having to change direction at the same time as being squeezed through the choke.
Realize that factories all work with the manufacturing tolerances that they conclude is sufficient for them to stand. In other words, how bad is still good enough? In these cases for typical hunting guns, I have seen ones that shot off a foot at 20 yards, and had that barrel replaced by one that shot off that much, at 40 yards or so. If your barrel hits less than a foot off at 40 yards, chances are not good that the factory will think that is too far off- for them.
Too many people shop for the cheapest this or that, many times, and the cheap stuff sells the most volume. Funny, isn't it, that some went through the trouble to make wally-world versions, and now they are closing the gun sales down.
All those small shops that suffered by bargain hunters going to the big box, well guess what, they have left your business in the lurch.
Those shooters wanting to get a serious education should read my previous posts, straight from a gunsmith perspective.
There are lots of pictures, including ones showing very obviously crooked choke holes. I have evidence to back everything I state.
[email protected]
evbutler462
Member
I went back and read your previous posts. I suggest that everyone on this forum do so. Good that you take time from your gunsmithing to help us. I went to gunsmithing school in the 1970's at a school here in NC but didn't get the type training Kirby got. I went because the police department paid for it and got me a slight raise in pay. I did not follow the trade except to work on guns for the PD. It was 17 weeks of pretty good basics that I don't remember much about. I have a lot of reference books that I try to keep up with, but I am an amateur and try to help out on the forum as I can.
I have had a few guns in the past that I had to return because they were way off on POI.
Thanks, kirbythegunsmith for your kind advice.
I have had a few guns in the past that I had to return because they were way off on POI.
Thanks, kirbythegunsmith for your kind advice.
Now for some practical advice...
That's all fine, but the easiest way (which is what nt10ring ASKED for) would be to put a spacer under the front sight. You can fabricate it or beg a friend with some tools to help you. Play around with an Xacto Knife and balsa wood or something as a model, replace with metal when you have the thing shooting where you want it.
This turkey gun is equipped with RIFLE STYLE sights, front and rear, so shotgun style advice about stock spacers is totally irrelevant. That advice would be useful if the problem was getting the shooter's eye in line with the sights, but that's NOT the problem here.
This dad is not going to buy his young daughter a Perazzi to hunt turkey. She will grow out of this thing in a season or two. So we needn't hear a lecture about how Mossbergs are cheap. Of COURSE they're cheap. That's why he bought it.
So, I'd say, jerry-rig a spacer under the front sight, shoot the turkey, and sell the gun to another dad in a couple of years.
Note: I'm not trying to insult anyone, just trying to help the original poster.
That's all fine, but the easiest way (which is what nt10ring ASKED for) would be to put a spacer under the front sight. You can fabricate it or beg a friend with some tools to help you. Play around with an Xacto Knife and balsa wood or something as a model, replace with metal when you have the thing shooting where you want it.
This turkey gun is equipped with RIFLE STYLE sights, front and rear, so shotgun style advice about stock spacers is totally irrelevant. That advice would be useful if the problem was getting the shooter's eye in line with the sights, but that's NOT the problem here. This dad is not going to buy his young daughter a Perazzi to hunt turkey. She will grow out of this thing in a season or two. So we needn't hear a lecture about how Mossbergs are cheap. Of COURSE they're cheap. That's why he bought it.So, I'd say, jerry-rig a spacer under the front sight, shoot the turkey, and sell the gun to another dad in a couple of years.
Note: I'm not trying to insult anyone, just trying to help the original poster.
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