I had my first chance to pattern my new gun today but the wind was pretty bad.

I was shooting an 870 SM turkey gun/ IC 665/ Nitro 3" 1 7/8 oz. 4-5-7's. I am using rifle sights and had a hard time getting POA the same as POI. Moved the sight to the right several times b/c I was shooting right but didn't seem to help. Wind was blowing left to right so I thought it might be effecting the flight at longer ranges, especially. I haven't counted number of hits in 10" circle yet but at 40 yards I had 42 holes in the neck/ head of the turkey and at 50 yds had 14. I'm pretty sure that if/when I get my POI to match my POA I'll get much better numbers but wasn't sure how much of an issue 15-20 mph wind can cause especially when shooting in a large field.

It will move it a good bit. I'd say the center of your pattern was probably moved over 4 inches or more on a fifty yard shot. I shot a couple pieces of paper last year in Kansas in about a 35mph crosswind just to see what the effect was and you actually had to dope the shot into the wind to get the center of the pattern on the paper.

Thanks. That makes me feel a little better. I'll try again on a calm day. In hind sight I shouldn't have waisted my Nitro shells with so much wind.

If it were me, I would throw that turkey target away, go to walmart and buy about 10 pieces of posterboard for 26 cents each and shoot at that to work on your poa vs. poi....on a less windy day

look at the left image...was pattering yesterday morn using a sled so had a solid setup. cold front was passing through and wind was gusting. my uncle commented that we had a gust about the time i fired and is prob the reason for the lefty pattern.

Were you moving the rear sight to the right because you were shooting right? Shouldn't you be moving the rear sight to the left?

the pattern looks left,if that is so,you should move the rear sight to the right,try again when its not so windy

Did you figure that out ALL on your own?

That is not the OP's (truedouble's) pattern...he stated he was shooting right and he moved his sight to the right, which is wrong.

yea, the turkey heads on 11"x11" piece of paper are about worthless, especially if you don't have your gun patterened, BUT that is all I had today, other than the box my gun came in, which after only two shots it was worthless as well as far as finding where POI was. Glad to shoot my gun but I probably just threw away about $30.

Well, that could have been part of the problem I know on bow sights and on a scope you always move the direction your gun is off (hitting right then move right). That being said, it's been years since I've messed with iron sights and was wandering today if I was moving it the wrong way since I'm using a front and rear sight. So, if you are hitting right, move the rear sight left? But, if you are hitting high you do move the sight forward/ up, correct? I feel like a D.A. for asking this but like I said I haven't used iron sights in years.

Yea Casey is right.

Move the rear the way you need to go.

I would recommend starting close with light loads and get the sights close then go back and check with the turkey loads.

Also, I bought a large roll of construction paper at lowes or home depot for around 10the bucks. It has lasted me for years. And I shoot more than most with multiple guns.

I then take a piece of tape and use for the target or use some turkey head target over it and center.

That way I can see the head and the whole pattern.

Good luck with it.

And sight-in with dove loads, easier on the shoulder and wallet.

thanks for all the advice. I'm going to take either poster board or something like const. paper next time so I can actually see the entire pattern.

what distance would you recommend starting with a light load?

Close enough so you just shoot a hole. Probably about ten yards then just start backing up a little.

I usually start at twenty, the pattern is small enough to still see the core of it. But it doesnt matter.

You are jumping back over to bow...if you are shooting right, move rear sight left, if you are shooting high, move rear sight down....on a bow, you are moving the front sight, that is why you move the direction you are shooting with a bow.

I did mine at 15 but I imagine anywhere in that area will get you real close. Also, couldn't agree more on the brown construction paper or painter's paper or whatever they call it. Works like a charm.

No....move the rear sight rearward/down to bring your point of impact down.

thanks again! All questions I should have asked prior to shooting 4 Nitros, and a handful of other turkey loads....