Long Beard XR #6's Opinion (Updated!)

[Punisher]

How has everyone's experience been with these shells? I shot two with this load last year with no issues, but, unfortunately, I shot a long beard the other day at 33 yards and he fell, but then got up and ran off. I am second guessing myself. I had been using Fed. HW #7's, but switched to these last year. I need someone to convince me that these shells are adequate gobbler getters! Thanks in advance. (Well, they redeemed theirselves this morning!)

[Boykin Hollow]

It was all I used when they came out.  I was shooting the # 6's out of a benelli super black eagle using a Jebs choke.  All I shoot now are my hand loads in TSS # 9's out of a 20 gauge and also a 12 gauge in 3 inch mags.  The long beard shells are some of the best factory shells out there right now.

[Old Dominion Tom]

I posted this under another thread a couple of weeks ago.  I hope this helps your confidence.  It is a SOLID 40 yard load...

I don't have any chronograph results to report, but I can say with certainty that the 20 gauge Longbeard XR in #6 has more than enough to get it done at 40 yards.  I took a nice bird right at 40 yards yesterday and it flat out stoned him.  I was shooting a 21" 870 with the Carlson Longbeard choke.

The Longbeard #6 does not penetrate as well as the Fed HW #7 - this did not surprise me.  Some of the stray pellets that found their way to the breast meat stayed there in the near side breast, where as I've seen stray HW #7 pellets completely exit or get caught in offside breast.  So this load doesn't have the same potential as the discontinued HW #7, BUT it does everything you need at 40 yards with authority.

I just wanted to pass this field data along to those who may be uneasy about the 1000 FPS muzzle velocity that Winchester publishes with this load.  Don't expect the same margin that the HW's provide, but know that these loads are more than adequate for shots out to 40 yards.

[tree-rat sniper]

They did the job nicely yesterday afternoon!

[surehuntsalot]

They did the job nicely yesterday afternoon!

good deal