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Turkey Guns & Shooting => Turkey Guns => Topic started by: taylorjones20 on March 12, 2014, 10:56:28 AM

Title: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: taylorjones20 on March 12, 2014, 10:56:28 AM
I have seen some pretty impressive patterns on here lately with the long beards.  However, I am shooting an 870 SM with 26" barrel and .660 JH and I am only getting 186 hits in 10" circle at 40 yards with the long beard xr #6.  I shot the #5's as well and I didn't even bother to count the hits because there was so many open spots in the pattern...  I know that 186 is sufficient but compared to Hevi #7's last year at 331 it doesn't seem so good...

Any advice?
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: SCDieselDawg on March 12, 2014, 11:25:00 AM
I have a  870 express magnum with a 26" pipe. It wouldn't break a 100 in the 10" with any shell or choke that I tried until I tried a .665 Indian Creek. My first pattern with that choke was with 3" #6 LongBeards. And it went 205  :drool:  next shot was with 3" #5 LongBeards and it went 140s.
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: Thomas6689 on March 12, 2014, 11:26:23 AM
Open it up just a little .665
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: Quackwacker NC on March 12, 2014, 06:18:56 PM
I'm shooting 3" 870 26" barrel with a .655 ventilator and getting 187-189 with long beards #6
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: surehuntsalot on March 12, 2014, 09:58:55 PM
only 168 at 40 yds??? Really?? you need to take that gun hunting and quite worrying about holes in a piece of paper
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: taylorjones20 on March 13, 2014, 11:56:53 AM
Quote from: surehuntsalot on March 12, 2014, 09:58:55 PM
only 168 at 40 yds??? Really?? you need to take that gun hunting and quite worrying about holes in a piece of paper

Lol, I was waiting on someone to say something along these lines...  I just see so many other posts on here of people getting a lot more numbers with these shells and just wanted to know what I needed to do to get those types of numbers as well.  That's the reason I said I knew it was sufficient but just wanted it a little better.

Thanks for the help so far.  I will be trying a .665 today and will post the results.
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: Chilly on March 13, 2014, 03:06:58 PM
I'll bet "Lot Numbers" get brought up before season starts. 
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: cuppednlocked on March 13, 2014, 03:22:28 PM
IIRC Sumtoy posted something about the shorter barrel guns putting up higher numbers than the longer barrels.
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: R AJ on March 13, 2014, 03:36:11 PM
Quote from: surehuntsalot on March 12, 2014, 09:58:55 PM
only 168 at 40 yds??? Really?? you need to take that gun hunting and quite worrying about holes in a piece of paper

Actually it was only 186 not 168. Think about this, If you don't leave some paper in the 10" you can't count the holes. :z-dizzy:
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: taylorjones20 on March 13, 2014, 04:51:16 PM
I shot it today with #6's JH .665. Got 227 in 10" at 40.
Thanks for the suggestion. I never would have thought that going to a more open choke would help... 
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: spur collector on March 19, 2014, 04:35:24 AM
Sounds like your right where you need to be now. :icon_thumright:
Title: Re: 870 SM and Long beard question
Post by: Gooserbat on March 19, 2014, 05:23:00 PM
180's are way more than you need.  I've never been able to get my gun to shoot much over 120 with the old HV lead #6 and I killed birds all day every day at 40 and a few yard beyond.
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