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Practically Shooting

Does fast swing widen shotgun pattern?


wwillson

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I don't know if I've heard that before, but I can believe it's been said. Just like the claim all long barrels hit harder. (I suppose some might with some loads- by about two fps,)

Before watching the video, since I had not heard this before, I thought about the question. Could swinging the shotgun faster make an oval cloud?

Hmmm.

Well, knowing that you can move a handgun barrel enough to change point of impact because the gun can move before the bullet leaves the muzzle was the only reason I even thought about it. The pistol may fire when the muzzle is pointed at one place, but by the time the bullet left the barrel that muzzle is somewhere else. I guess I can see how one might think it should carry over and change the pattern shape, but that isn't the same thing. If the shot load filled the barrel from one end to the other, yes, I could see that you could easily make an oval pattern. But it doesn't fill the barrel. The shot column is an inch long at the most in the shell, and might get compacted even shorter when being forced down the barrel. The frontmost pellet must leave the bore ever so slightly before one in the rear, but the barrel swings hardly any during that time- less movement than the vibrations from the shot I'd think.

I guess I can see how some think it, but it doesn't stand up to much thought, let alone shooting to check it.

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Doesn't surprise me. I didn't shoot trap much, so haven't spent much time where I would hear it. However, almost every time I've started some new shooting sport I hear some "fact" that two minutes of thought would debunk. If only they would stop to think about it. I think it's just that they have heard it for so long, from people that otherwise know their stuff, they have never thought to question it.

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