Shotgun patterning left

[ShortMountain91]

So I patterned my A5 for the first time the other day and noticed all my patterns are left. I used a rest and made sure my mid bead and front bead were aligned to take out any potential mounting issues. I didn't think this would change anything but just to ease my mind I put in my shim to increase the cast off but again made sure my beads were aligned and got the same result, still left. Do y'all think the barrel could be bent? I used 2 different chokes and one was the factory choke so I don't think it's a choke issue. Thanks in advance for any help!

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[VernAK]

Are you getting the butt seated squarely in the pocket of your shoulder? The reason I ask is if the stock butt is slightly out toward or on the arm, recoil will move the the pattern left for a right handed shooter.

 

[Stalker69]

Looks like rear bead needs to move to the right a little. Or you may try taking the back bead off and see what she does.

 

[ShortMountain91]

Are you getting the butt seated squarely in the pocket of your shoulder? The reason I ask is if the stock butt is slightly out toward or on the arm, recoil will move the the pattern left for a right handed shooter.

Yes I fell like I'm definitely seating the gun square and firm in the shoulder pocket

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[ShortMountain91]

Looks like rear bead needs to move to the right a little. Or you may try taking the back bead off and see what she does.

I do think if the bead was gone I could get the pattern centered with cast shims but j like having both beads when I'm turkey hunting and actually aiming the gun instead of pointing it. For wing shooting I'm not looking at the beads anyway

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[howl]

If you're sighting down the rib, with the bead looking like a ball sitting on the table, it should hit where the bead is unless they made it to hit an amount high on purpose. Windage should be dead on. If it isn't, they made it incorrectly. Browning thinks hitting within 6" is good enough.

The fit of the stock affects where the barrel, that shoots to the bead, is pointing when you have your head down and aren't looking at the bead. You're looking at the bird. That's a different thing the barrel maker can't control.

The barrel should shoot where aimed. The stock should fit you so that the gun shoots were you look. You tested aimed. If it's left, it's defective. Browning has no warranty. They may or may not fix it depending on mood. No kidding. The old school method to fix that is to bend the barrel. New school is to re-thread the chokes.

Trying to compensate for a defective barrel with gun fit is a poor solution. The reason is you need to be able to use the bead for long distance pull away shots even though most of your shooting will not involve looking at the barrel at all. It needs to do both to make use of high quality modern shells and the longer shots we take with them.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I never look at the center bead. I center my front bead on the vent rib. I've never understood the purpose of the center bead, except to get in the way.

For turkey and super tight patterns, I find a red dot to be the bee's knees.

 

[hodgeman]

That's a very common issue. Most people never notice it, which tells you how few people actually pattern their shotguns.

Really old school fix involved whacking the barrel on a big chunk of babbit to bend it. I'd probably call Browning to see if they'll do anything to help.

 

[ShortMountain91]

If you're sighting down the rib, with the bead looking like a ball sitting on the table, it should hit where the bead is unless they made it to hit an amount high on purpose. Windage should be dead on. If it isn't, they made it incorrectly. Browning thinks hitting within 6" is good enough.

The fit of the stock affects where the barrel, that shoots to the bead, is pointing when you have your head down and aren't looking at the bead. You're looking at the bird. That's a different thing the barrel maker can't control.

The barrel should shoot where aimed. The stock should fit you so that the gun shoots were you look. You tested aimed. If it's left, it's defective. Browning has no warranty. They may or may not fix it depending on mood. No kidding. The old school method to fix that is to bend the barrel. New school is to re-thread the chokes.

Trying to compensate for a defective barrel with gun fit is a poor solution. The reason is you need to be able to use the bead for long distance pull away shots even though most of your shooting will not involve looking at the barrel at all. It needs to do both to make use of high quality modern shells and the longer shots we take with them.

I think you've said it 100% correct. This is exactly what I was thinking was going on. If the beads are aligned that's where the shot should go which is not what I was getting. Guess I'll be giving Browning a call

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[NaturalJon]

I have found that shimming for proper fit (drop and cast) and using aftermarket chokes was the key to my A5. It feels like a part of my body now when I shoot. I use Carlson's Cremator chokes.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

Its a gun fit issue.

Your stock needs to FIT YOU for a shotgun to shoot to point of aim.

Find a pro who has a try gun and spend a few$$ to find out what you need. If you have a little skill and patience you can fit your gun your self, but results are usually better and faster to have a pro do it.

 

[ShortMountain91]

Its a gun fit issue.

Your stock needs to FIT YOU for a shotgun to shoot to point of aim.

Find a pro who has a try gun and spend a few$$ to find out what you need. If you have a little skill and patience you can fit your gun your self, but results are usually better and faster to have a pro do it.

The gun fits great. I can shoulder it eyes closed and then open them and everything is lined up great. Perfect sight picture. But when I take that sight picture and put it on a stationary target (not wing shooting) the gun shoots left. Like I said, I increased cast off then lined up the beads just to check and it still shoots left

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[87TT]

Have someone else shoot a pattern. Then see if it still shoots left.

 

[howl]

I never look at the center bead. I center my front bead on the vent rib. I've never understood the purpose of the center bead, except to get in the way.

For turkey and super tight patterns, I find a red dot to be the bee's knees.

Stack the beads to shoot high for rising targets. Never found it useful, but then I don't shoot trap.

 

[Wapiti1]

Two things to try. Add a 1/2" of foam to the stock comb with some tape and shoot again. It may seem like it fits, but it may not. This is a quick way to see.

Back off the barrel retainer nut one to two clicks. It could be too tight and pulling the barrel down. This isn't typical for an A5, but possible.

You can also pull the barrel and see if it is straight. Get back about a foot from it and look down it with a dim light at the other end. You will be able to see any bend even down to a very small amount. Rotating it can help show if it is bowed as well. This is the old school way of straightening them. Look, bend, look, bend, and those guys could get them dead straight.

Jeremy

 

[El Gavilan]

Try a different choke just to make sure that one is not the problem.


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[ShortMountain91]

Have someone else shoot a pattern. Then see if it still shoots left.

Yes I'm going to try and do this over Christmas

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[ShortMountain91]

Two things to try. Add a 1/2" of foam to the stock comb with some tape and shoot again. It may seem like it fits, but it may not. This is a quick way to see.

Back off the barrel retainer nut one to two clicks. It could be too tight and pulling the barrel down. This isn't typical for an A5, but possible.

You can also pull the barrel and see if it is straight. Get back about a foot from it and look down it with a dim light at the other end. You will be able to see any bend even down to a very small amount. Rotating it can help show if it is bowed as well. This is the old school way of straightening them. Look, bend, look, bend, and those guys could get them dead straight.

Jeremy

It's not off on elevation but on windage (shooting left). Could the barrel retaining nut cause left shooting? Might try that. I will definitely pull the barrel and see if I can see any bend in it

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[ShortMountain91]

Try a different choke just to make sure that one is not the problem.


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The pictures are with 2 different chokes. One of them factory and one aftermarket

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[Wapiti1]

It's not off on elevation but on windage (shooting left). Could the barrel retaining nut cause left shooting? Might try that. I will definitely pull the barrel and see if I can see any bend in it

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I was thinking you had both an elevation issue low and left windage. It is possible an adjustment of the nut will move it right if there is an issue with the forearm (cracked, splintered at the barrel ring junction). Otherwise, barrel nut adjustment moves it up or down. The way these are designed, the forearm wood can compress, and sometimes they start to shoot low. There are several fixes, the easiest is a shim in the forearm made from PVC.

When you pull the barrel also take a look at the rib alignment verse the bore. Those two are what need to be aligned.

Jeremy