Patterning and penetration testing a 12GA shotgun.

T

titanium

New member
Hello fellow hunters,
I have read some of the great information in the earlier posts about shotgun loads. Great info!

I would like to know the best way to both pattern test and penetration test a 12GA shotgun to test Federal copper plated #4's and Bizmuth #2's. I am trying to kill coyote and fox.

For example: Should I use a 3 foot by 3 foot paper target stapled onto a 5/8 inch piece of plywood? How would one determine the penetrating power of a shotgun load using plywood or a similar material? Should I use 1/2 ", 3/8", or 1/4 " plywood instead?

Thanks!
 
In an old issue of American Rifleman they used an thick phone book, you could also use a stack of newspapers or an old book that's what I use!
 
Are you looking for pattern testing as in point of impact or kill zone? I would think 1/2" would be way more than what it would take to bust through a yote. I recently tested some using paper and cardboard and found some BB and 2's actually sticking in the cardboard at 50 yds.
 
Thanks for the replies.
Since I have an adjustable choke on my 12GA shotgun, I guess I am looking first for the range that will allow pellets to penetrate the skull of a coyote, thus killing it. Does anyone know how to determine the right penetration using plywood or some other material?

After the penetration test, I can then adjust the choke to give me a pattern that will cover the vitals and skull with the correct amount of pellets. Does anyone know the right amount of pellets that should be hitting the target in an area about 10" X 20" ? This is the approximate size of a coyote's vitals and skull.

Finally, I can then find the maximum and minimum ranges at which my shotgun wil best perform. Maximum range being a definite kill, with pellets penetrating the skull and in sufficient number to kill the animal. Minimum being the range that would keep damage tolerable without doing something like cutting a fox in half. If I saw a fox up close, I would let it get out to a better range then stop it or just let it go.

My goal is to know the knock down power and range of my shotgun, thus hunting with very good confidence in my weapon.
 
If you are looking for penetration and stopping power I would recommend a larger shot size. Larger pellets penetrate deeper. I've killed over 500 coyotes over the last 23 years with my shotguns and rifle. I kill around 80 % with the shotgun, 20 % with the rifle. I carry both guns to every call and ALWAYS hold the shotgun with the rifle close by. Any more I only use #4 Buckshot. I actually use a Cabelas slingshot pellet mold and make my own buckshot out of old wheel weights because they are harder than pure lead and pattern better. I load 46 Pellets in my 10 gauge(2 1/4 oz. load). I load 34 pellets in a 3' 12 gauge(1 7/8 oz. load). With these loads I make almost all instant kills at 45 yards with my 10 gauge and 35 yards with my 12 gauge. The coyotes drop like a rock. The pellets penetrate clear through and you see the hair fly out the back side. With these harder buckshot I have 76% of the pellets in a 30 inch circle at 40 yds. That's a lot of quarter inch holes in the kill zones.
When I pattern a shotgun, I use large pieces of cardboard and shoot at a black dot put in the center. Than draw a 30" circle around the THICKEST part of the pattern. Count the pellets and see what percent you have in the kill zone. Don't be surprised if the densest part of the pattern is not on the black dot you drew. Hopefully it will be but some shotguns pattern higher or lower than point of aim, or left or right. I had an Ithaca 10 gauge than patterned almost a foot above the point of aim. I was shooting over the coyotes. I had to start aiming at the lower part of the chest and my kill rate went way up.
I hope this helps. With whatever load you decide on make sure you pattern your gun to see where most of the pellets are actually hitting.
Please excuse any spelling errors. I'm used to spellcheck and don't know how to use it on these posts.

Steve

Steve
 
Thanks a lot Steve,
It sounds like you really have your act together and know exactly what your guns will do. That is my goal.

In my state of PA, it is not legal to use buckshot, but the new Hevi-shot looks promising for longer ranges.

Anyone else out there know how to find your shotgun's performance?
 
Ok,
1/2 plywood will be a definate tester for what you are looking for as far as range for penetration. If it busts this, you should have no problems.

For the next go around, I would use a large piece of cardboard with a center aiming point to check patterns of each load and choke setting first to determine correct point of impact for each. This will tell you how far off each one is high/low or LF/RH of center.

After this, I use 18x24" sheets of white paper with an 8" Shoot-n-see circle target in the center as my chest area vital zone. This gives me vital zone % of hits and shows me head/body coverage too. Depending on the size of shot used in your loads, about of pellets it takes to kill would be impossible to determine. 1 #4 buck will kill if a head shot.

In your area, I would stick with nothing less than 2's or BB. I have just started work with 12 different chokes using 10 different 3" and 2 3/4" loads,spawned by a thread about chokes and loads on this board to check out kills said to be made at 60+yds. Hevi-Shot does look to be a real deal but still in the testing process on this at the moment.

Kyote is right, you need to know exactly what your limitations are for sure as they don't all turn out like we hope. Let us know what you find out.
 
I have always used a Sears roebuck catalog(thats dated me right away) or a thick telephone book to test the penetration. you are comparing the loads to each other anyway, shoot once with the tungston and check how many pages you shot through. then either change books or mark your first holes and shoot from the same spot with the other load and compare the penetration.
pattern the loads as usual and choose which one your gun likes best and penetrates most.
GOOD Huntin!!
 
How deep into an old book or how deep into a piece of wood is considered enough penetration. I'm about to buy a shotgun for yotes to do my "in the woods" hunting. All I ever have used is a rifle. Thanks
 


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