After trying and patterning a few of the longbeard xrs this year I was really impressed with the numbers that they put up at 40 yards. I'm also a bit concerned about the lack of pattern inside 40. I like em close and shoot more at 25 yards than I do at 40, and let's face it. These longbeard loads can make it pretty easy to miss at close range. Here is my idea. A Duplex load. What if they did the shot lock treatment to the bottom half of the load, then topped it off with an oz of plain 6s, or even 7 1/2s. Top half of the load would spread out and give a close range pattern, bottom half should hold tight for downrange. Any body have any thoughts on this?
Did you try a more open choke??
If it concerns you then shoot a diff shell.
Not to be negative, but that would kind of defeat the purpose. LBs are long range shells, pure and simple. If you want better close in patterns, you need to use a non shot-locked lead load. And then there are the supposed all range shells like Federal Triple Beard and Third Degree.
Quote from: BandedSpur on June 11, 2018, 08:23:02 AM
Not to be negative, but that would kind of defeat the purpose. LBs are long range shells, pure and simple. If you want better close in patterns, you need to use a non shot-locked lead load. And then there are the supposed all range shells like Federal Triple Beard and Third Degree.
Could you enlighten me as to what is " long range "
Quote from: Fullfan on June 11, 2018, 08:20:43 AM
If it concerns you then shoot a diff shell.
I'd like to shoot a different shell, the one I described above.
I'm just hoping it comes into existence. ;D
Quote from: 10gaugemag on June 10, 2018, 10:35:04 PM
Did you try a more open choke??
I did not. All of my shooting was with a indian creek .670. I have a factory .675 I could try, the next construction I can find for the probore is .695, which may be the ticket.
I can almost guarantee they will improve on the Longbeards by next spring. It will be have a new catchy name... but with "TSS" at the end.....
I like the Longbeards but not because of increased range, which I have no use for, but for increased pattern density at 20-25-30 yds. Are they tight? Yep, just what I like...
Quote from: FL-Boss on June 11, 2018, 10:22:08 PM
I can almost guarantee they will improve on the Longbeards by next spring. It will be have a new catchy name... but with "TSS" at the end.....
I think everyone will make some changes
From what I have read.... The biggest improvement needs to be quality control.... I've heard of a lot of problems this spring...
If you want a 40 and in choke. Look up Sumtoy here on this site. Email or give him a call.
Good luck.
Try a slightly tighter choke. That seems to open them up a bit.
Quote from: ShootingABN! on June 12, 2018, 08:46:06 AM
From what I have read.... The biggest improvement needs to be quality control.... I've heard of a lot of problems this spring...
If you want a 40 and in choke. Look up Sumtoy here on this site. Email or give him a call.
Good luck.
Yep they diffidently need to look into those quality issues.
ust put an optic on the gun & problem solved, Mike
Quote from: Fullfan on June 11, 2018, 11:01:35 AM
Quote from: BandedSpur on June 11, 2018, 08:23:02 AM
Not to be negative, but that would kind of defeat the purpose. LBs are long range shells, pure and simple. If you want better close in patterns, you need to use a non shot-locked lead load. And then there are the supposed all range shells like Federal Triple Beard and Third Degree.
Could you enlighten me as to what is " long range "
Basically anything beyond 40 yds. IMO, 12 ga LBs are optimized for 40-55 or so yds, depending on shot size. Of course they will work inside 40 yds, but patterns are very snug. Non-shotlocked 12 ga lead loads are optimized from 20-45 yds, and provide much more useful patterns inside 40 yds, again IMO.
Quote from: BandedSpur on June 13, 2018, 12:56:38 PM
Quote from: Fullfan on June 11, 2018, 11:01:35 AM
Quote from: BandedSpur on June 11, 2018, 08:23:02 AM
Not to be negative, but that would kind of defeat the purpose. LBs are long range shells, pure and simple. If you want better close in patterns, you need to use a non shot-locked lead load. And then there are the supposed all range shells like Federal Triple Beard and Third Degree.
Could you enlighten me as to what is " long range "
Basically anything beyond 40 yds. IMO, 12 ga LBs are optimized for 40-55 or so yds, depending on shot size. Of course they will work inside 40 yds, but patterns are very snug. Non-shotlocked 12 ga lead loads are optimized from 20-45 yds, and provide much more useful patterns inside 40 yds, again IMO.
True. ;)
Change shells
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Winchester has improved their turkey loads. Ten years ago, they were the top lead turkey load manufacturer. Then came Hevi-13, tighter chokes, 3 1/2 inchers and TSS. So a few years ago, Winchester came out with the Shot-Loc technology. By locking the shot together in the wad, it allowed a lead load to compete (longer distances) with the new offerings. With this technology, they knew they would have tighter patterns at closer distances. We, as hunters, need to evaluate our hunting styles and expectations and select our equipment for those expectations, knowing there is limits for that equipment as well (one size doesn't fit ALL). If most of your shots are inside 40 yards, I would suggest, as others have, a GOOD 3 or 3 1/2 inch load of #5 or #6 lead with a little more open choke. My :z-twocents:
Quote from: owlhoot on June 12, 2018, 06:15:06 PM
Quote from: ShootingABN! on June 12, 2018, 08:46:06 AM
From what I have read.... The biggest improvement needs to be quality control.... I've heard of a lot of problems this spring...
If you want a 40 and in choke. Look up Sumtoy here on this site. Email or give him a call.
Good luck.
Yep they diffidently need to look into those quality issues.
Oh man this concerns me, I bought 3 boxes because it came highly recommended by several people here and I can't afford anything else now. Will see this weekend. I have a Remington extra full choke in it but think I will have to bring the standard full choke when I sight in this weekend just in case.
Someone post up some 20yd longboard patterns. I'd like to compare them to the old Win HV 20yd patterns I have.
Quote from: Tom Foolery on April 16, 2019, 05:55:08 PM
Someone post up some 20yd longboard patterns. I'd like to compare them to the old Win HV 20yd patterns I have.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190417/c7c7d5a3ab59616b7d6a494af5c2b9b9.jpg)
20 ga 870 .570
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here is one from 835 @ 22yds
Win HV 3.5" #6
835
.676 stardot
I think I counted 14 or so pellets outside the 10" circle
http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss29/Tom_Foolery_74/20yd835Win6HV.jpg
Here is the thread with the pic in it, post #5.
http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,17779.msg196054.html#msg196054
When Winchester dropped the old extended range shells years ago, I was very dissappointed. They hit another homerun with the longbeards. I don't see why you would need anything else with a 12ga and they ain't too bad with a 20ga either
There's a lot of other shell options out there that I think would pattern how you are describing with the right choke. Check out federal 3rd degrees
Long beards definitely are a good shell but they need to work on quality/consistency. I have shot them and have great patterns and I have shot them at 25 on paper and it looked like it was shot at 60 out of the same box? I've also got a few where resin is 1/4 inch thick on top of over shot card? But overall I say they are good shells it just worries me thinking "what if that shell was shot at a bird".
Quote from: Tom Foolery on April 16, 2019, 05:55:08 PM
Someone post up some 20yd longboard patterns. I'd like to compare them to the old Win HV 20yd patterns I have.
I keep coming back to Longbeards. I shot them again this week because I can't decide if I like them or not. Definitely tight, in close.
12g
665
20yrds
#6s
I keep hearing how they're tighter than the old Win HV loads at 20yds but none of these are tighter than the one I shot?
I keep hearing they're like shooting a slug? My 870 with a .660 Kicks and LB 6's does look like I've shot a slug into a target at 20yds. It actually looks like the Win HV at 20yds.
With todays loads, chokes and guns, tight is the norm as far as I'm concerned. We have bought into more is better with our equipment. I shoot a 835 3 1/2 Hevi 7's through a .670 pure gold choke and put over 300 pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards. I know with this setup, my 20 yard pattern is the size of a baseball and 30 is the size of a softball. So it is up to me to make sure I'm shooting my gun like a rifle. If we want a more open pattern, we need to change our load and or choke. My :z-twocents: