Hey Yall!!! I would like to start off by saying that I am new to old gobbler and that I am really impressed by the way this site is ran. I have been on some other chat room's (DUCK HUNTING) and have really got tired of all the negativity and harsh comments that some people have said to others on there. I look at it as if someone needs help I will do everything in my power to help them and give them the best advice I know. So anyways I was very happy to come across this site and I look forward to talking turkey with yall. I live in North Carolina and as of today I have 24 days 8 hours 42 minutes and 33 seconds left till turkey tour 2014 begins. I would like to ask for some of yall's opinions on weather i should try long beards or federal heavyweight with the flight control? I have been doing some patterning on the pretty days that the good lord has granted and so far i have shot the turkey thugs and the mag blend. The turkey thugs threw a pretty decent pattern that i would feel more than safe taking to the turkey woods but the mag blends that i shot were terrible and i mean terrible I could have threw a hand full of rocks and got a better pattern. However I shot mag blends last year and they performed great but the new ones are not up to par in my opinion. I shoot a remington 870 3" 21 inch pipe with a new jellyhead maximum(no different than the old jelly heads)12 gauge. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
both are great turkey loads. The LBs are the best lead loads you can buy and they pattern great. The HW are a bit more expensive but are by far the best production turkey loads in my opinion. They hit like a ton of bricks the 7 hw hit like a 4 lead because of there density. Both would work great. I would go with HW.
Both are good loads and ordinarily both worth trying.
However, Federal recommends the Flite Control wads not be shot through ported chokes, and the Jellyhead looks ported.
As such, suggest you try the Longbreards first. IMO, #5 shot gives the best combination of pattern density and penetration and would try that. I see the Jellyhead Maximum is .660 (on the tight side) and may pattern #6 better.
My .223 cents worth.
With your current set up I'd opt for the Longbeards simply because of the choke you use.
Where about in NC? I am in the Triangle. With a day like today I am itching for the season to start!
My 870 SM w/23" barrel put 242 in 10" at 40 yards with a .660 JH using 3.5" LB #6's.
Thanks for the suggestions so far guys anymore info will be greatly appreciated also. I will probably try the long beards #6 first just because I have heard great things from you guys and other people and also they are selling them at my local walmart for like 16 bucks. You can't beat the price of those shells plus you get 10 where if u spend that much or more on Hevi shot or the federal heavy weights u would only get 5. I also like having 10 shells because I can pattern my gun at 20,30 and 40 yards and still have shells to hunt with.
CUppednlocked I am located in Randolph county in a little community called farmer. Where abouts are u located. And yes i can't wait man this crazy cold nasty weather we have been having has made me mad but I can still hear em gobblin in my sleep.
Jbouler what kind of choke are u shooting the heavy weight 7's with?
I shot a load of LB #5 in the 3 1/2 through an older undertaker.....675 constriction, put 190 in a ten inch circle at 40. Then I shot a HW #7 3 1/2 through a Trulock .650 constriction.....Got 255 :drool: in my 10 inch circle at 40. Can't really explain why it was so good, I've shot between 5-10 shots sighting in before and usually am lucky to get 150. And this had to be a loose shell in my vest so I don't know if I got anymore of that lot or not.
With that Jellyhead the Federals probably won't shoot very well at all in Remington. Now the LB's, it loves those. My 870 has a 28" barrel with a .665 Jelly and the Federal HW 7's were really bad. The factory full throws a better pattern. If that is the shell that you want to shoot, I hear Trulock is the way to go. The Longbeard 5's I got 185.
I might have just missed it, but what is the size of your choke?
Quote from: d.winsor on March 24, 2014, 03:51:22 PM
I might have just missed it, but what is the size of your choke?
It is a .660
I picked up the only box of longbeards my local wal mart had and they were 5's I wanted 6's but figured what the heck I would try the 5's still gonna try to find some 6's. Anybody have anymore recommendations on shells for the jelly head maximum in a remington 870 21' barrel 3 inch let me know I am up for options.
im a fan of the long beards
I'm shooting a JellyHead .655 on the end of my Stoeger M3500. I had researched the Flight Control wads through it, but everyone had said since I had a ported choke, it would cancel the purpose of that wad. I tested Double X's #6 and didn't get the pattern I was looking for. I shot the new Long Beards 3 inch #5's at a measured 40 yards, and got 200 pellets inside a 10 inch circle. I'm a little weary of shooting at 10 or even 20 yards, but everyone says the pattern will still be open enough. You'll like the Long Beards.
Also, I was given the advice of having a very clean barrel before patterning the gun. This looked to be a key factor in my patterning.
And finally, welcome to the board. This is my first year going after turkey and I, like you, am an avid duck hunter. I can relate to the laid back mood and attitude here at Old Gobbler compared to "other duck hunting" forums.
The jelly head in my sbe2 patterns all of the hevi shot stuff i have tried very well, also likes the winchester extended range which I have 2 left!
Out to 40 yards all the shells I have shot were hunt worthy, the 2.5 inch number 6 hevi 13 and win extended were best!
Never shot a flight control shell due to the ported choke, If I ever run out of turkey loads I would replace them with longbeards! Can't be beat for the money! I think i have ten years worth of loads right now though, I kill most of my birds with arrows anymore!
The Heavyweight WOULD be the better shell IF you can find a choke they will pattern well out of. Things are very peculiar in 12 gauge. The 20 gauge guys seem to have less trouble getting good patterns but 12 gauge... a few get good patterns and most get miserable patterns.
The Longbeards seem to be the most choke tolerant shell ever designed. They are giving good patterns out of just about any turkey choke and any gun you try and unheard of patterns for lead out of some chokes.
Found some # 6 long beards today so I now have #5 and #6 long beards. Now if we could just have some normal spring weather that is decent enough to pattern in I can see what the ol 870 likes to eat. I forgot to add that I do have a polished barrel and I really think it does give an upper edge on throwing good patterns, I did it myself and was pretty simple to so with the help of old gobbler and youtube
look to gobbler guns (rob roberts) for a final strut non ported tube . he works exclusively with fed and the HW loads not to mention he does all benellis custom shotguns