Shotguns have long been renowned for their versatility, used for everything from home defense to hunting and competitions. Instead of using rifle cartridges shotguns use shotshells—most of which house multiple pellets in a single shell. But whenever you’re firing multiple projectiles, you’ll have to consider the way the pellets spread.
This spread is better known as the shotgun’s ‘pattern,’ and it can vary depending on several factors. Many enthusiasts often mistakenly believe that shot pellets spread widely as soon as they leave the barrel, but this isn’t the case. Depending on how you use your shotgun, you can keep their spread condensed over time, and knowing how your setup patterns is paramount to your success. This is precisely why many enthusiasts devote time to fine tuning their shotguns for optimal use.
Shotgun Range Capabilities
Contrary to widespread belief, shotguns aren’t only effective at close range. In fact, they can be accurate out to long distances when paired with the right choke and shot type. For example, a shotgun with a cylinder choke can achieve its largest effective pattern diameter at roughly 20 to 25 yards, while modified and full chokes further constrict the pattern, allowing you to engage targets beyond 50 or more yards.
Additionally, slugs can shoot even further. Whereas other shot types of house multiple pellets in the shell, slug loads have just one, weighing up to an ounce in some cases. So, depending on your setup, your shotgun could have an effective range of up to 200 yards—especially if you’re using an optic, but we’ll touch more on that later.
Understanding Shotgun Patterns
Before we get in the weeds on how to pattern a shotgun, it’s important to reiterate what exactly a shotgun pattern is. To put it simply, the pattern is the overall spread and density of shot pellets when they hit a target. Ideally, your shot pattern should fit within a 30-inch circle at your target distance, with it impacting densely at the center and gradually thinning out toward the edges. Whether you opt for a tighter a wider spread is dependent on your intended use—for instance, when hunting it’s perfectly fine to go for a 30-inch pattern at your desired range, but in a home defense scenario, you’ll want a tighter pattern to better minimize the risk of unintentionally hitting something else.
Regardless of what distance you intend to pattern at it, if the majority of your pellets fall outside of the targeted circle, that pattern is referred to as a ‘blown’ pattern. Blown patterns are excessively spread out, taking the shot density away from the center of the target. Most of the time, this is the result of having the wrong shot and choke combination, which can be easily corrected by trying out different ones. Our guide, “What is a Shotgun Choke?” goes further on some effective shot and choke combinations.
How to Pattern a Shotgun
Now that you understand exactly what the pattern is, you’re ready to start patterning your shotgun. Patterning a shotgun is a straightforward process and will give you the best understanding of how your shot will spread out, given your current setup. Remember, before you begin patterning your shotgun, it’s crucial to know what distance you’ll be shooting at beforehand. Different scenarios will require you to take shots from varying distances. For instance, if you’re bird hunting, your target distance can be up to 30 to 40+ yards away, while applications like home-defense are much closer at about 10 to 15 yards.
Not taking your distance into account can have a serious impact on your shot pattern, so knowing this beforehand will best set you up for success when set out to pattern your shotgun.
Patterning your shotgun
Patterning is a similar process to sighting in shotgun optics. To do this, set up a series of targets at the distance you plan on shooting at and make sure that you’re using the same choke and shot combo that you plan to use in the field.
With your targets set up, head back to your shooting position. We recommend using a bench rest, if possible, as it’ll make it easier to repeat shots accurately, as well as give you a more consistent baseline. Once you’re set up, take aim at the center of your first target, and fire one shot, then repeat the same process for the other two targets. Afterwards, unload your shotgun, check both visibly and physically that it is unloaded, put it on safe, and inspect your targets.
Ideally, you’ll want to have at least roughly 60% of your pellets within the circle, though you should aim to have more. If you find that less than 60% of the pellets are within the circle, you have a blown pattern and you’ll need to switch out your choke to one with a tighter constriction, repeating the process to be sure of the results. Once you’ve gotten to the point where your shotgun produces an effective pattern, you’ll be good to go. Just be sure to remember the type of shotgun ammo and choke you used when patterning to yield the same results in the field.
Remember, different shot types yield different results, so if you plan to use a different shot type at some point, you’ll need to re-pattern it.
Best Shot Type for Specific Needs
Although shotguns are only traditionally offered in a few different shell gauges, the number of shot types they accommodate is incredible. As such, to the uninitiated, there’s often some confusion as to which shot type will best serve your purpose.
Dove Hunting
Shotguns are widely used for their capabilities during dove hunting season. We already have an article that goes more in-depth on the best shot for dove hunting, but we’ll sum it up here.
Doves are relatively small birds, so it isn’t necessary to use large shot sizes. As such, it’s best to use smaller shot sizes like #7, #7 ½, and #8 shot. Due to their smaller size, these shotgun shell types can be loaded with more pellets, further increasing your chances of hitting a dove. Anything larger would just be overkill, and with fewer pellets per shell, your chances of hitting the humanely hitting the dove wouldn’t be that great anyway.
When dove hunting, you’ll typically be roughly 30 to 35 yards from your target, though this can vary, so you’ll want to pattern your shotgun for these distances. To keep your shot optimally condensed, we recommend using a modified or an improved modified choke.
Skeet Shooting
Skeet shooting, or clay shooting, is another common pastime amongst shotgun enthusiasts. Like with dove hunting, smaller shot sizes work best when shooting skeet. In fact, you’d need to size up just by a little bit, as #8 and #9 shot is what’s most used for skeet shooting.
These shot sizes perform best when you’re shooting skeet, giving you a big enough pellet to effectively shatter the clay, and enough pellets for the best possible chance of a solid hit. When shooting skeet, you’ll be shooting clay targets at various distances, but they’ll generally be engaged within 20 to 25 yards. So, with that in mind, you should pattern your shotgun for these distances, using an improved cylinder or modified choke.
Again, like with dove hunting, there is a lot to go over when discussing skeet shooting, such as the different techniques and the best skeet shotguns to use. Fortunately, we have a guide that goes over all of that.
Shotgun Sighting Accessories
Just like any other firearm, a shotgun’s performance can be enhanced when using a specialized optic. In fact, many new production shotguns come pre-equipped with an upper picatinny rail or have the mounting points for one. For instance, pump-action shotgun models like the Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag can come from the factory with optic and rail preinstalled. As such, many enthusiasts are now opting for red dot sights and prism scopes, as they offer more utility than the standard bead sights that come on most shotguns.
Red dot sights have several key advantages compared to standard irons or bead sights. By design, they make it much easier to shoot with both eyes open, which not only allows you to pick up your sight and target faster, but it also opens up more of your peripheral vision, making it easier to see your target and your surroundings in their entirety. Modern reflex sights can also project different reticles. For instance, the Primary Arms SLx MD-25 Gen 2 come equipped with reticles like the ACSS CQB reticle which is made up of an outer horseshoe and a center chevron that can range for slugs and approximate shot spread.
Also, since shotguns don’t require heavier full-size optics, many enthusiasts often opt for smaller pistol red dot sights and mini-reflex sights. These optics still offer the same benefits as full-size red dot sight options, but they’re much smaller and lighter, making them a better choice if you’re looking for a low-profile optic.
Lastly, while not a reflex sight, prism scopes like our SLx® and GLx® 1x MicroPrism™ scopes use the ACSS Cyclops reticle system, which can range for slugs and roughly approximate shot spread at 25 yards.
Conclusion
Shotguns have been, and will continue to be, one of the most versatile firearm platforms available, capable of being used in a myriad of different applications. Regardless of whether you opt for a pump-action or a semi-auto shotgun, understanding how your shotgun patterns is paramount to your success whenever you’re using one.
By understanding how your shotgun patterns at a specific distance, you’ll have a better idea of your shotgun’s capabilities and performance. We recommend experimenting with different shot and choke combinations to see what pairing works best for you. Even further, though they aren’t always the most orthodox option for many applications, adding an optic like a red dot or prism scope can further your shotgun’s capabilities.
If you devote time to research the different shot and choke options, and experiment with which ones work best for you, your shotgun will be ready to go when needed. Although we mentioned it previously, it’s worth noting that there are a lot of reflex sights and other optics that pair particularly well with shotguns. Our guide on red dots for shotguns goes over some of the different options that are well-suited for use on shotguns.
