Shot Gun-Shooting High Left

[bench]

Pattering my shot gun and with different loads and chokes I always shoot high and left.
The shotgun is a benelli and comes with different shims do I need to change to a different shim and which way do I change the shim to move the but stock to help correct the problem.
Thanks
Bench

 

[expiper]

bench,,,,what kind of scope rings and bases are you using??...Is this a "turkey" gun,,??...Roger

 

[bench]

No not a Turkey gun-no scope
Just the gun I use for Goose and Duck hunting.

 

[KMart]

If you can adjust the stock, take the comb of the stock down to bring point of impact down.
To make it shoot more to the right, take the comb of the stock to the right.

Also check the way you mount your gun. There is a pocket in your shoulder between the joint and your ear. That is where the gun belongs. The further out toward your elbow you mount the gun the more the gun will shoot to the left.

This is assuming that you are a right handed shooter.

 

[bench]

KMart-thanks a bunch for the info

 

[Larryh128]

That is not an uncommon situation. There are a lot of shotguns that don't pattern where they look. That's why the majority of used shotguns are in the rack. In my early years, I shot about 50,000 clay targets a year & have pretty much seen the effect on barrels. A LOT of new barrels will shoot low, right or left. If the stock adjustment doesn't correct it, a barrel can be "tweeked" with CAREFUL use of a couple v-blocks and an arbor press. The old way was sand bags a tire iron and a 4# sledge hammer. Both work only the v-blocks and arbor press is a little more accurate. Trial & error & a lot of pattern boards.

 

[effendude]

Back when I shot trap competitively, I picked up a used 870 Trap with the latest and greatest new thing at the time; screw in chokes. I thought I had it figured out with a more open choke at 16 yards and I could increase the choke as I walked back towards the fence. I could never get the gun to shoot great, meaning birds that should have been dust balls were just chipped and birds I knew I wasn't perfect on would be crushed. This would get worse as I shot more over the course of the day.

I finally patterned the shotgun and found it shot the center of the pattern nearly 2' to the left and a little high. Further investigation showed the choke tubes sat a little off center in the barrel. As the number of shots fired increased, plastic from the wad would build up on the tight side and throw the pattern off. More plastic built up as the day went one. I sent the gun off to Big Green with a long explanation and 6 months later, I received the same barrel back with a new (clean) choke tube which was still screwed crooked into the barrel. I immediately traded the shotgun for different gun.

I suggest you try to pattern the gun using some light field or trap loads without the choke tube in to see if the off-center shooting still occurs. It may be threaded out of alignment with the bore.

Scott

 

[SW Iowa Shooter]

Many have been adjusted in the past by placing the barrel,from end of magazine tube to a point not closer than 2 inches from the end of the barrel, in the fork of a tree and limb. Best done by an experienced person. Best done by someone else if you are very emotionally attached to the shotgun. Bend, shoot, bend, shoot, until centered at distance and with load wanted. 30 years ago many barrels in our area were off center from a little to a lot at 30 yards. I haven't checked any newer guns in recent years

 

[bobinpa]

First, make sure you are absolutely positve that the gun is shooting high left and it isn't the way you are mounting or pointing the shotgun.

Second, while all of the above methods of barrel tweeking will work, I would be more inclinded to either return the gun to the manufacturer or call Briley. You will have to ship them the gun for their testing but they can make you a set of eccentric choke tubes that will correct the problem. Briley is well known for their choke tubes.

Good luck,
Bob

 

[djtjr]

I got one that shot very high as well and I could not for the life of me figure it out so I sent it back to the rather major manufacturer and they told me the barrel was warped slightly and bent upwards (this was a brand new gun) so they fixed it and it's now fine but it had nothing to do with fit etc in this case.

 

[Judd]

Goodness....

DO NOT BEND YOUR BARREL....there is much better ways of doing this today and the shims are the best way with a new gun.

Manipulate the stock is the best way. Chokes and the equipment used to make them are very good now and producing some really precision stuff. To the point that rarely will you get a gun that chokes are the issue.

99% of the time you can change shims and get them where you need to get them. You need to try some different shims...I would specifically try a smaller number (meaning if you have the 55mm shim try the 50mm)...I would also flip them over to the SX side of the shim. If it is already on SX then flip over the DX side.

 

[NateHaler]

Pattering my shot gun and with different loads and chokes I always shoot high and left.
The shotgun is a benelli and comes with different shims do I need to change to a different shim and which way do I change the shim to move the but stock to help correct the problem.

Google searching: http://forums.benelliusa.com/showthread.php/9737-changing-shims

 

[snakepit]

Many have been adjusted in the past by placing the barrel,from end of magazine tube to a point not closer than 2 inches from the end of the barrel, in the fork of a tree and limb. Bend, shoot, bend, shoot, until centered at distance and with load wanted.

I prefer using the curb and street then stepping or jumping on the barrel method. lol

 

[savagedasher]

You can adjust you stock any way you want It will never effect the center of the pattern. I have two 3 1/2 mags, The Remington shoots 18'' hi a little to the left at 30 yd. the Winchester shoots a full pattern low right. Turkey hunting I have Ben able to correct the problem with sights.
Wing shooting is far different. I would contack the manufacture . If he didn't want to help call Briley the can make it shoot where ever you want it . Larry

 

[bheadboy]

The way you mount the gun can cause left or right impact, if you cant the but and hold that cant to the right you should impact left, the reverse is true if you cant left.

before anything check to see and have some one watch you, if you cant or hold vertical .

if you mount the but stock too high on y our shoulder you tend to shoot low, if you mount in low you tend to shoot high. check again based on how you mount.

there could well be nothing wrong with the gun

Bob

 

[KMart]

You can adjust you stock any way you want It will never effect the center of the pattern.

BS. Adustable stocks are made so that you can adjust the point of impact. Where and how you put your face on the stock (wood on wood) IS the rear sight of the shotgun.

If you do not put the stock into your shoulder and your face on the stock the same way EVERY time, you are making a sight adjustment every time you firethe gun.

 

[WyleWD]

You can adjust you stock any way you want It will never effect the center of the pattern.

BS. Adustable stocks are made so that you can adjust the point of impact. Where and how you put your face on the stock (wood on wood) IS the rear sight of the shotgun.

If you do not put the stock into your shoulder and your face on the stock the same way EVERY time, you are making a sight adjustment every time you firethe gun.

+1 on all this post. I have a Silver Mallard that patterned high when I bought it. As I recall I lowered the comb of the stock with one of the shims and patterns pretty much right on. Also found that different brands and sizes of shot may affect patterns depending upon what choke you have.

Agree to that consistent shoulder mount is a factor as well. JME. WD

 

[savagedasher]

Their is normally 3 types of shot guns. Field Sporting clays Trap. Most modern guns have a rib with a large bead in the front and a small mid bead. Shot gun have a adjustment in the stock to adjust your head position where you can figure 8 the two sights. Trap guns have a high rib with vertical impact built in as much as a full pattern. Sporting clays and field guns doesn't have as much rib and don't shoot with as much vertical . I ASSUME he has tested figure 8 the sights and the gun shoot low left. No stock adjustment will correct that. Larry

 

[KMart]

I am quite aware of the different types of shotguns. I competed in ATA Trapshooting for over 30 years and even managed to make the Trap and Field All American team one year. My tournament guns have the ability to be adjusted every way known to man, including an adjustable rib.
I CAN make the front bead and mid bead line up making the correct adjustments on the stocks..
Maybe you can't.

 

[Judd]

Their is normally 3 types of shot guns. Field Sporting clays Trap. Most modern guns have a rib with a large bead in the front and a small mid bead. Shot gun have a adjustment in the stock to adjust your head position where you can figure 8 the two sights. Trap guns have a high rib with vertical impact built in as much as a full pattern. Sporting clays and field guns doesn't have as much rib and don't shoot with as much vertical . I ASSUME he has tested figure 8 the sights and the gun shoot low left. No stock adjustment will correct that. Larry

So your saying an adjustable comb and shims are worthless on a shotgun?

I wonder why manufactuerers spend the time, money and overhead to put them in the case with a new shotgun...

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. For the record I have adjusted either via adjustable comb or shims on every shotgun I have owned to adjust the POI vs POA.