Bad load?

I opened a new box of Challengers today and went Grouse hunting.
I shot and missed a few easy shots and wounded one. I also shot off the head completely on a couple I managed to get.
Blast seem louder then normal.
Not wanting to wound anymore I went back to the camp.
I put up a target at 5 yd then at 10 yd this is what it looks like.
I never patterned my grouse gun before but I’m sure it wasn’t a single hole.
I think it should spread out more then that.
It seem to shoot slightly higher also.
I shot these for a very long time and always did good with them.
Anyways I will go with the .410 tomorrow, I don’t want to wound any more birds.
Any experience on this?
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Wow. What choke is that pattern from?

I've never patterned closer than 20 yds.

5 and 10 yards are going to keep things real tight . Cylinder should give you a 16" spread and a full will lend a mere 6 inches at 10 yards given the shot and wad separate.

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Just wondering, why are you pattering so close. I think at 5 yards regardless of choke will be tight.

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Originally Posted by tom gobble

Just wondering, why are you pattering so close. I think at 5 yards regardless of choke will be tight.

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Primarily why a lot of guys miss Turkeys in close. That is a common spread for almost all shotguns under 10 yards, Baseball size holes.

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Originally Posted by dean.f

Wow. What choke is that pattern from?

I've never patterned closer than 20 yds.

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It’s the same shotgun and choke I’ve been using for the last 20 years. I checked and choke was still there and tight. Nothing changed except maybe the shells.

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Originally Posted by oaknut

5 and 10 yards are going to keep things real tight . Cylinder should give you a 16" spread and a full will lend a mere 6 inches at 10 yards given the shot and wad separate.

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Yes that’s what I would of expected at 10 yard but it seem tighter than that.

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Originally Posted by tom gobble

Just wondering, why are you pattering so close. I think at 5 yards regardless of choke will be tight.

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I wasn’t sure how far to pattern but most shots I take on grouse around here is in that 5 to 15 yard range. The grouse I missed yesterday where in the 5 to 10 yard range.

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Primarily why a lot of guys miss Turkeys in close. That is a common spread for almost all shotguns under 10 yards, Baseball size holes.

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Yes. I missed a few Turkeys up close because of that.

Like I mentioned earlier I used this shotgun for grouse for many years and nothing changed except possibly the shells.

Thanks everyone.

I’m thinking maybe the last bunch of box I bought were different then what I used before.
I burned the cardboard box but have a few more boxes at home and will check.

Missing and wounding one once in a while is one thing but what was happening yesterday wasn’t normal for me.
So in the meantime I will use my .410.
Again thanks.