How’s your shooting been?

While waiting for all he corn to be picked where I usually hunt, I've only been out twice so far. Started out with the Maxus, then switched to the SX4 20 ga, and finished with the Citori Gran Lightning 16. I like the light recoil of the two gas guns, but usually gravitate to the 16 since I shoot it the best. Similar to what Roy B said; "Some days it's light out for the birds, and other days I wonder if I've ever done this before".
 
Been shooting above average, early on it was a lot of wing tipped birds and running criples. Thankfully that's lessened and I'm stoning more in the air. Dogs have been great and not lost a bird yet hunting solo. Did have a low flying straight-away I missed 3 times with autoloader on Saturday. Bird flushed at my feet. I don't really like that gun and plan to sell it. I also missed a layup this year, but thankfully my buddy got him. Main loads are 1 1/4 lead 5 and bismuth 4 at 1300 or 1350fps. I've got a random collection of other shells, #4 stormy prairie and whatnot that might come out late season. Going forward I plan on buying ammo in flats and narrowing the variety in my collection. Main gun a 725 feather 12ga. with i/c and mod. Most birds with angle I hit the extreme front end, don't miss many behind. 2 recent roosters had broken beaks and not one pellet in the breasts. I think it's from all the clays I shoot, which generally require more forward allowance.
 
Bob Peters said:
Been shooting above average, early on it was a lot of wing tipped birds and running criples. Thankfully that's lessened and I'm stoning more in the air. Dogs have been great and not lost a bird yet hunting solo. Did have a low flying straight-away I missed 3 times with autoloader on Saturday. Bird flushed at my feet. I don't really like that gun and plan to sell it. I also missed a layup this year, but thankfully my buddy got him. Main loads are 1 1/4 lead 5 and bismuth 4 at 1300 or 1350fps. I've got a random collection of other shells, #4 stormy prairie and whatnot that might come out late season. Going forward I plan on buying ammo in flats and narrowing the variety in my collection. Main gun a 725 feather 12ga. with i/c and mod. Most birds with angle I hit the extreme front end, don't miss many behind. 2 recent roosters had broken beaks and not one pellet in the breasts. I think it's from all the clays I shoot, which generally require more forward allowance.
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Tmi
 
Not what I wanted with one gun. Good with another. I bought a Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen (new version) to take to SD. I also bought a Marlin Model 90 16 ga I planned to take. Shot the Marlin on day 1 and shot it well by the 2nd walk. Switched to the Browning on day 2. I hit a few, but overall it was a miss fest. The gun came with the neutral cast shim in it and I though it fit well. I had shot it a few times and thought I was good to go. Birds coming over my head or just slightly left or right, no problem. Crossing birds just a big whiff. When I would miss, someone would say, “you were behind it.” I knew I wasn’t behind it but I corrected by using more lead. Still missed. I knew all of my other shotguns have slight cast off and the comb was a little higher but I thought it being neutral was no big deal. Finished day 2 and day 3 with the Marlin. Fun to hunt with a 1953 shotgun anyway.

got home and pt in the 1 RL shim and what a difference it makes. Way better shooting for me. I know some say the 1/16” raise in the comb doesn’t do much but the combination of cast off and slightly higher comb helped me. Now I think I was shooting under the birds as much as anything else. Those flying over my head just were flying right into the pattern.
 
I’ve missed my fair share and made a couple good shots. Seems if I think about it I miss. Have noticed a lil too many live birds when I pick them up and I’m shooting 5’s right barrel 4’s left. Had the best luck with Migra 4’s over 6’s but that box is gone!
 
Obi_Wan said:
Not what I wanted with one gun. Good with another. I bought a Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen (new version) to take to SD. I also bought a Marlin Model 90 16 ga I planned to take. Shot the Marlin on day 1 and shot it well by the 2nd walk. Switched to the Browning on day 2. I hit a few, but overall it was a miss fest. The gun came with the neutral cast shim in it and I though it fit well. I had shot it a few times and thought I was good to go. Birds coming over my head or just slightly left or right, no problem. Crossing birds just a big whiff. When I would miss, someone would say, “you were behind it.” I knew I wasn’t behind it but I corrected by using more lead. Still missed. I knew all of my other shotguns have slight cast off and the comb was a little higher but I thought it being neutral was no big deal. Finished day 2 and day 3 with the Marlin. Fun to hunt with a 1953 shotgun anyway.

got home and pt in the 1 RL shim and what a difference it makes. Way better shooting for me. I know some say the 1/16” raise in the comb doesn’t do much but the combination of cast off and slightly higher comb helped me. Now I think I was shooting under the birds as much as anything else. Those flying over my head just were flying right into the pattern.
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It wouldn't explain clean misses, but be aware that the factory chokes that come with the new-style sweet 16's shoot a much more open pattern than how they're marked. I got mine not long after they came out, Fall of '17 and I had already read a few things online about the chokes being very open. When I patterned mine, that definitely was the case. (the factory mod choke throws a more open pattern than my Trulock skeet choke, so they're off by more than just one level, more like two)

I suppose they may have changed them at some point in the past 8 years. Some online digging might yield some useful info. I switched to Trulocks and never looked back.
 
Failed to mention what guns I’ve been shooting. Three days with Rizzini 16 with 1 1/18 oz of number 6 in IC bottom and 1 1/8 oz of number 5 in a modified choke on top. The other 10 with beretta 28 gauge choked modified with 7/8 or 15/16 oz number 6 and top barrel choked IM with 1 oz of nunber 5’s. Almost all birds stone dead. Worst wounded runner of the trip was the final bird of the trip yesterday but we were in short cover and after some heated bird and dog races the dogs won!
 
roadscholar said:
It wouldn't explain clean misses, but be aware that the factory chokes that come with the new-style sweet 16's shoot a much more open pattern than how they're marked. I got mine not long after they came out, Fall of '17 and I had already read a few things online about the chokes being very open. When I patterned mine, that definitely was the case. (the factory mod choke throws a more open pattern than my Trulock skeet choke, so they're off by more than just one level, more like two)

I suppose they may have changed them at some point in the past 8 years. Some online digging might yield some useful info. I switched to Trulocks and never looked back.
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I’m shooting a Briley choke in it.
 
It's been 30 years or so since I had any trouble shooting. I have missed a few here and there but overall, I seldom miss. I always try and limit myself to shooting a limit of 15 dove with one box of shells. Sometimes I have to break open a second box but not often. Pheasants are pretty easy targets.
 
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