Just a quick ask about patterning boards -- does whitewash actually work satisfactorily for refreshing the plywood surface between shots? Is whitewash simply lime and water?

I don't get out much so need to ask about the best recipe.

Cheers,

Franco

Just a thought, but I liked steel plate for the surface when I did a bunch of pattern testing. Your ply might get chewed up and be hard to read after a bit. Whitewash should be fine, I just used left over paint with a disposable roller and tray.

At my gun club we use Lithium grease applied with a paint roller on a steel plate.

For a pattern board, I use the metal frame real estate for sale signs that are easily found and harvested after dark from the front lawn of a house for sale. It is best to find a "for sale" sign in front of a house that has no "Beware of Large Dog" or "House protected by S&W" signs in yard. The sign itself is secured to the frame by nylon lock ties. They are easy to stick in the ground as the frame has solid metal posts that can be plunged into dirt by placing one's foot on a cross bar provided for that purpose. After removing the sign from the frame, I use the brown (Kraft) paper that is available on what seems like an endless roll from Home Depot. Cut off enough to cover the front of the frame and clip to the frame with clothes pins or the large metal spring clips used to secure documents. Replace paper between shots. The advantage of this type of pattern board is portability and there is no need to splinter plywood or cover up holes.

My gun club has a 3' x 4' steel plate with a 1 1/2" hole drilled in the center for an aiming point. We use automotive grease out and a large paint brush. Simply "erase" the last shot and add grease as necessary. The only problem is in this part of the country the grease gets pretty stiff in the winter.

I use flipchart paper from the office supply store with 1" squares. Get a clay target hold it in the middle, draw round with a black marker, to sight on and shoot. Now you have a permanent record if you wish. I shot a Remington 1100 12ga
with a Polychoke,using a separate shot and paper for each choke setting, now I can prove to my friends that the device really works
Stapled to a wood frame, I also use it for rifle and pistol shooting on my range here on the farm.
Otherwise, steel plate and grease, plywood, as someone pointed out, splinters.
Mike

I had to set up a new one after my recent move. I used fiber board with paper pattern sheets over it. Fiber board is a definite no-no. Splinters lots worse than plywood. But it's OK . . . I've got a woodburner.

I use political campaign signs that are left laying all over (especially after a wind) after an election. The politicians are eager as hell to get them up before an election but are sure slow at picking them up.

The steel plate and grease is good, however only for lead shot, steel bounces back in my experience.
Take Care pedler

I've shot Hevi-shot at ours numerous times.....just not from a close distance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBwjFvWa9Jw

pedler is right, steel shot will shoot your eye out when it richochets from the steel. Use my flpichart paper method.
And you all do wear safety glasses, right? I sure do.

I'm still using up my "Kribs for Sheriff" signs from the last time I ran...

You ever think about selling them ?





There's got to someone out there that would enjoy shooting at you

Couple of questions on your objecives.

Do you wand to do comparitive patterns - this load/gun vs that load/gun? Do you want "some idea" of what patterns look like? Do you plan to makd decisions as to loads and guns from the patterns? Are you familiar with the book, "Sporting Shotgun Performance" by Dr. Jones, along with his free Insights pattern analysis program?

Depending on above answers, I may have some suggestions.

jOe, that really made me laugh! Thanks!

I'll be needing 40 Kribbs for Sherrif signs, please and a couple real estate signs to go.

This has gone places I certainly didn't expect and it's all good. I have way too many sidebysides and love each one of them. I intend to compare a variety of ammo using about the same load in a variety of guns, 12 and 16 ga. Lots of shots. No steel shot, though.

I'm thinking paper has the value of providing a record for some comparisons, afterwards but for specific guns comparing loads the paint or grease is perfect.

Franco

Franco, current research indicates that patterns are so variable that shooting less than a group of 10 can easily lead you astray. One of the reasons there are so many points of view and differing beliefs about shotgun performance stems from shooting too few patterns to draw statistically valid conclusions. Also, "eyeball" of all those little pellet holes doesn't seem to work out. The mentioned book shows how to use digital photos to record patterns and feed the computerized Insight program for statistical output. Do it right and make your work count - my suggestion.

When you've shot enough patterns to know what a good one looks like it's easy to get over the hole counting.

Last Dollar says that Joe makes him laugh. Rocketman's last two posts make me laugh until I cry. I tried to get a 40X40 pattern sheet into my scanner. Now I have a real mess on my hands.

Joe, I hope you guys are wearing football helmits when you pattern on a greased steel plate. Does Joe Biden pattern his guys in a simlar fashion? You made an old man laugh! Chops

I aint sellin those signs! If I get bored, I might run for Sheriff agin...

I guess you could work out a method to scan ( ) a 40 X 40 pattern sheet. However, taking a digital photo --- p h o t o, 8b, and downloading it is a lot simplier. Anyone thinking of pattern research owes it himself to read the mentioned book before starting. Save you a lot of time and make your results worthwhile if you follow the suggested approach.

DDA