Patterned a 12ga Skeet Gun

[Chris T.]

Hey Pete, There is value to patterning a gun, interesting information. I have heard many times if you have a gun that you like and shoot well, never to pattern it because you may be disappointed.

[J.B. Books]

I read one source that stated a pattern has to be 65% to be effective, it said if you are below 65% you are beyond the effective range of that choke and load. I think that is too high. With a skeet choke it is recommended that you pattern at 25 yards with an expectation of 50% inside a 30 inch circle. 25 yards is 4 yards beyond the middle post on a skeet field, a place where most shooters are breaking the target. If a 50% pattern at 25 yards is the goal in skeet it would seem to me in most clay target situations the range the load and choke achieve 50% is the end of effective range and beyond that range luck becomes a factor, with more luck needed for every additional yard even if the bird is centered. Just my .02.