Finally a bit of a reprieve from the cold Canuck weather. Got outside to do some POI and patterning with a Baker and LC Smith Long Range. The Baker has 28” barrels and the Smith 30”. According to the gauges neither have been honed.

The constriction of the chokes on the Smith are .048 and .050. With a 3” DAH I had to get down on the stock to keep it within 2-3 inches of center at 16yds. Chokes functioned at 94% and 91% of pellets in a 30” circle at 40yds. All good and what was expected.

The Baker functioned bit differently. Chokes are .008 and .025. POI was a few inches low at 16 yds. What surprised me the most was the patterning. The right barrel patterned at 100% with all pellets in the 30” circle and the left barrel with an open choke patterned at 79%.

I was using hand loaded 2.5 inch shells with 3 drams FF BP, 1 1/8 oz #5 shot, felt wad with plastic shot cup and roll crimp. I started using a plastic shot cup to keep the patterns more symmetrical (shorter shot string with less flyers) and tighter pattern. This is the first time to pattern any shotgun with a proper set up and the conclusion is the shot cups are doing their job. The real test is now to take the shot cups out and using the same guns with same load see what the results are.

Have you considered paper or mylar in place of the shot cups, to keep lead off the bore?

I think the plastic shot cup would work the same as paper or mylar cups to keep the lead off the bore, although that has never been my objective.

Those are extremely tight patterns. I've never seen a 100% pattern (at 40 yards].

My old W&C Scott 26" 16 gauge consistently threw 90% patterns with the factory one ounce soft shot roll crimp shells of the fifties. In those days, I didn't own a bore micrometer, so I don't know what caused such superior performance. I no longer own that gun.

I've saw it more than once.

Indeed. But you closed with saying you were going to take the cups out. I think the paper might help if you do. Depending on the paper you use, it could also reduce shot deformation along the bore's wall. Anyway, just a thought you might try. I'm always interested in BP loads. I've had trouble with plastic shot cups over fiber wads. For some reason they still melt onto the bore walls and make for tedious cleaning.

I was amazed as well. Only had 1 pellet outside the circle.

I've been using PB loads as described above for over 15 years. I only had plastic melt in a barrel once. It was a hot day perhaps 90F, the gun sat in the sun at a trap range for an hour then I ran 50 loads through it fairly quickly. The shot cups melted inside the barrel at the chokes in long strings. I've never had anything even close to it since and quite often examine the shot cups when I find them on the range or in the field.

But back to the patterning. I used the Baker today in a pheasant Calcutta. Perhaps new gun syndrome but I couldn't miss. I was somewhat surprised at hitting many in close range.

That's because you never shot a turkey gun...30" 100% pattern at 40 yards is not that difficult.