Using shims to adjust shotgun pattern

pirogue

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Getting ready for Turkey season, and My shotgun shoots low and left, whether I use the factory chokes or additional one I bought. It came with shims, but I haven’t installed them. If one feels like they can sight well down the barrel to start with, how do the shims contribute? Do you just have to change anchor point, rely more on front sight, or something else?
 

Wapiti1

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Stock shims fit the shotgun to you, which you seem to already know. However, with no rear reference for sighting, adjusting the stock fit to move your cheek weld/eye position can adjust your point of impact. Don't assume the rib is aligned to the bore. I assume you shot your pattern from the same seated position you will be shooting the bird from?

Personally, I prefer a small clamp on ghost ring on my turkey gun. It forces me to get my head down when I'm in a seated position. Otherwise, I shoot high every time. My stock is fit to me for standing wing shooting, and it's not right for seated turkey swatting.

Jeremy
 

Tod osier

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Getting ready for Turkey season, and My shotgun shoots low and left, whether I use the factory chokes or additional one I bought. It came with shims, but I haven’t installed them. If one feels like they can sight well down the barrel to start with, how do the shims contribute? Do you just have to change anchor point, rely more on front sight, or something else?
Shims will not change point of impact of the shotgun already fits you (sounds like that is the case that it fits and you can get your head on the stock and see the bead). You would add shims to change fit and it wouldn't do anything for impact in an aiming situation like turkeys, but may have an impact on impact for wingshooting.

As the other response, some sort add on sight is a good addition. I have both clamp on sights and sights that are screwed into tapped holes.
 

N2TRKYS

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I like to keep my turkey gun as short as possible. However, this can cause fitment issues when using a bead. I use a Vortex Venom red dot and have never looked back.
 
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pirogue

pirogue

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Shims will not change point of impact of the shotgun already fits you (sounds like that is the case that it fits and you can get your head on the stock and see the bead). You would add shims to change fit and it wouldn't do anything for impact in an aiming situation like turkeys, but may have an impact on impact for wingshooting.

As the other response, some sort add on sight is a good addition. I have both clamp on sights and sights that are screwed into tapped holes.
Kinda what I was thinking if you can get down on the bead. Thanks
 
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