Patterning My Benelli

[bigpuddin43]

I just put a red dot scope on my benelli sbe II with a 28" barrel and full choke and i am goin to pattern it!! I havent ever patterned my gun before and had a few questions!! How many hits to the head and neck would be needed to be considered a humane kill? Can i pattern it with lead first so i dont have to spend a fortune shooting my hevi-shot loads through it??? will they shoot about the same pattern or not?? also im shooting hevi-shot number 6's is this the best choice or is something better?? thanks

[Tha' Hat]

I don't use a scope on my gun, but I'd probably get the red-dot on target using light dove loads. Once you're shooting straight, switch to the turkey loads.

It's very important to pattern with the load you intend to hunt with. That's the purpose of the exercise anyway. Generally, I like to place a minimum of 15 pellets into a turkey head target at 40 yards, and more is always better (I only shoot lead turkey loads BTW, some of the heavier alloys may pattern tighter in your gun, or mine, for that matter, but I haven't seen the need to change). The number should obviously increase a great deal as you move closer. Thirty or 40 pellets or more should be in there at 30 yards. Much closer than 20 and it should a big, ragged hole with several single-pellet hits around it. (Be sure to shoot it up close, too, especially with the scope, to see exactly where a softball-sized pattern will hit). You're also looking for shells that deliver an even, uniform pattern, one without big holes or gaps, etc.

Try several different shot sizes, and even different brands, at different ranges. I all but guarantee one shot size will shoot better than the others out of your gun.

[The Beagler]

I also shoot Hevi-Shot, good choice. I would definitely start with light loads to get your scope on target.

Start at ten yards and make sure it is hitting dead on. At ten yards, with a super full turkey choke a dove load will be the size of a half dollar or there abouts. So, it's easy to get it dialed in at that range.

Next, you can step out to 20 or go to 30, which ever you think is best with the way the gun is shooting. If the pattern is a little off you can still move your dot or cross-hairs, but I usually wait until I get to 30.

Now, it's time for your Hevi-Shot load, that is if your gun is centering the pattern around the target's head and neck area. To kill a turkey, some people say 3 pellets in the vertebrae and skull and some say 7. I like to say 7 that way I know I kill the rascal.

With the Remington 870 and 11-87 that I have patterned I have found that a choke restriction of .665 works the best. Hevi-Shot will probably recommend a .675. I don't know what the circumfrance of a Benelli's barrel is so you might look on the internet and find what people have found to work best. Turkey guns and chokes are finicky as hell. But, #6 shot will usually pattern well in most guns. My guns shoot #5 & #6 virtually interchangeably so I go for a #5 for more knock-down power at longer ranges.

But #6 Hevi-Shot is going to have more knock-down power than #6 lead, so I'm sure you'll be impressed.

Good Luck