Have any Hevi shot users made the switch to Long Beards XR?
The cost difference has me wanting to make the change, but for those who have changed, was the performance worth it, as compared to Hevi? Don't really want to give up the good performance of the Hevi, just for the cost difference though.
The cost got me wondering as I shoot 3.5 hevis, and have a 50.00 gift card for Cabela's. I realize cabela's is not the best for Hevi prices, but do not want anything else there. Anyways, with my 50.00's, I can't even get 10 Hevi shells for the 50.00's I have? Will cost more like 80.00 for 10 shells with shipping, rediculous!
But with 20 total 3.5 shells in the Long Beard, I can basically cover that with the 50.00. Just hate to make the switch because of cost, and eat the difference in performance?
I made the switch after shooting one. The cost was a factor in my decision simply because I could double my money and would still have an extremely lethal pattern.
I always have shot 3.5" loads but when I switched I dropped to a 3" #6 shot Longbeard. Great pattern, less recoil and killed every turkey I shot at. I don't see me changing for awhile unless I try my hand at rolling my own.
Sent from the barrel of a model 70 at 3300 fps
In my opinion you will only be giving up performance at either end of extreme ranges. I'd rather take a 12 yard shot with Hevi's 7's than LB's and I rather Hevi 7's if shooting a bit past what we are allowed to talk about here. In the middle I doubt you will see a difference in the level of dead.
I have been seriously considering doing the same thing. I guess the best thing to do is to make the switch for this year and take the risk ... Ugh. I'm addicted to my HS.
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The longbeards seem very unforgiving for close work, If you are limiting shots to 40 or less a standard lead load is more than sufficient if your looking to save a few bucks.
I always preferred the hevi shot rounds, but most of my birds are shot close enough that a dove load would work, unless you just like seeing a ton of holes in paper you wont need to worry about performance on birds with any modern load with the correct choke!
I started primarily bowhunting birds and gave up chasing the ultimate pattern years ago when I first became a serious turkey slayer, the hevi loads were un real when they first came out, though I had killed plenty of birds around the 40 yard mark with standard lead, my Benelli is very forgiving of turkey loads and throws a solid pattern with anything I send through it, so I just shoot whatever I have left over from my patterning days, I am running out of hevi and do not relly care.
As others have said, close in shooting is tight (meaning pattern is tight). With my gun (Benelli SBE II) the pattern is about tennis ball size at 15 yds. Maybe a little bigger than softball size at 20...
Quote from: sixbird on March 03, 2016, 06:41:01 PM
As others have said, close in shooting is tight (meaning pattern is tight). With my gun (Benelli SBE II) the pattern is about tennis ball size at 15 yds. Maybe a little bigger than softball size at 20...
I shoot 3.5 Hevi 6's and know they are tight at 15-20 also, but never shot the Long Beard to compare?
I gave up hevi for longbeard xr last year.
I killed three turkeys with longbeard last year and I have no regrets about my decision to switch. I can't say it was only price that made me switch as I still have some hevi that I will use up one day. I switched mostly due to the pattern the longbeard threw from my gun, best pattern I have ever gotten.
I switched to LongBeards and then switched back to Hevi shot. Now I'm loading my own...
I switched last year and 3 turkeys didn't know the difference. That said, the farthest shot was 17 yards. Two were killed with one shot at 11 yards. I was shooting Longbeard 4's
The LB's put up great patterns, but they are too tight for me. I have also had poi shifts while shooting the LB's. For my style of hunting I don't need 250-300 in a 10 to get it done. I need a full, even, un-gappy pattern inside a 20" circle. I'll stick with the hevis.
2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions
Quote from: BowBendr on March 03, 2016, 08:14:22 PM
The LB's put up great patterns, but they are too tight for me. I have also had poi shifts while shooting the LB's. For my style of hunting I don't need 250-300 in a 10 to get it done. I need a full, even, un-gappy pattern inside a 20" circle. I'll stick with the hevis.
2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions
This right here ^^^^
My only recommendation is if you do switch to the Longbeard XR loads make sure you pattern your gun and plan on changing choke tubes.
I just finished pattern testing my newest turkey killer (Winchester SX3 Longbeard XR). It patterned best with a Kick's choke and Longbeard XR 3.5 #6. I had a couple of Hevi13 3.5 #6 so I shot one and the pattern was terrible. Actually worse than any other load I shot with that choke. In total I shot 7 choke tubes with WLB 3.5 #5, #6 and HeviShot MagBlend 3.5". LeadSled paid for itself pretty quickly. :you_rock:
Dead is dead the turkey won't care...you will be happy with the Longbeards
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Both will kill farther than we should talk about and a 3.5" is not needed with either.
No, I have no desire to go back to lead.
the way I see it is that I only kill 3 to 5 birds a year. cost is not a huge concern to me because its not like im dove hunting and shooting a bunch of shots. I started loading tss last year and its expensive. I work hard getting a old gobbler in range , therefore I want to shoot the best load I possibly can. that being said , there has been a ton of birds killed cleanly with lead and copper loads. if you get better patterns out of the long beards , then that's what you need to shoot. if you are happy and get better patterns with heavy , then stick with it. have confidence in whatever you decide to use. both will kill birds at respectable distances.
W all the money I have tied up in leases and gear, there's no way I'd ever switch to a product that hits with less kinetic energy.
You'll never find any lead in my guns.
I made the switch when the Longbeards first came out. I know short range I have lost some pattern but I also switched to a FFIII at the same time.
Long range I am more confident than before. One benefit is cost and confidence. I can shoot more shells verifying my aim and pattern throughout the season (although never changes). Before with the HV I was worried about cost of shells and saved shells for turkeys only. Now I know I am ready to pull trigger at any reasonable distance. (and a little beyond that!)
I switch from the LongBeards XR this year to the Federal Heavyweights #7 I don't think I will ever shot nothing else.
Quote from: Gooserbat on March 04, 2016, 09:09:21 AM
Both will kill farther than we should talk about and a 3.5" is not needed with either.
True, but 3.5 6's patterned the best from my gun, with more bb coverage, so more room for error is how I look at it?
You are spot on. Shoot what load your gun patterns best. A turkey cannot be too dead. The longer you hunt odds are that extra payload is going to save your bacon on a hunt.
Always going to be guys that tell you 3.5" is too much. I'm sure they were saying the same things when 3" came out compared with 2.75".
I patterned some Longbeards last year, and they worked just fine, but I stockpiled a lot of Hevi-13 a long time ago, and I'm still burning through it. ;)
As others have said, pattern them both and pick the one that suits your set up best. Turkeys aren't tanks and don't wear armour. I've shot, patterned, and killed birds with them all. I shoot the LB's now, and sometimes switch back to regular lead. In my style of hunting I've never felt like hevi was needed or a benefit.
One thing I remember my mentor saying...."Son, don't skimp on the ammo!" and thats when there was no Hevi 13.
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on March 04, 2016, 11:25:10 AM
W all the money I have tied up in leases and gear, there's no way I'd ever switch to a product that hits with less kinetic energy.
You'll never find any lead in my guns.
I have ZERO dollars invested in hunting land, I own a handful of mouth calls and an old 870, and I have never owned a blind and I don't use decoys.
I've also never had a gobbler question the physics lesson coming out the end of my barrel with lead shot.
Different strokes for different folks.
Longbeard 4s 5s and 6s all shoot extremely well in my gun. Better than Hevi shot ever did.
LB XRs have patterned better than anything I tried over the years with some hevi included. I'm kind of cheap, and I like getting 10 turkey loads in a box. No brainer for me and I shot many different combos over many years in a .676 choked 835. LB simplified it for me, I like #5s. Beautiful patterns to point of aim. Beretta 390 likes the LB XRs too, through .665 tube. Had a buddy with a stoeger stop by and shoot one LB load and he had an ah hah moment.
After the Longbeard loads came out and watching the company video's, I made the jump from Nitro company to the Winchester shells. One thing I did want to do is try to stick with some good kinetic energy, so I decided on the #4's in the Longbeard shells. I also, late fall, got a new Patternmaster Code Black choke tube for my Win. 1300. From what I observed on paper, this will be my new tube/shell of choice. Wasn't very happy with the Nitro Shells leaking out most of the buffering material due to bad crimping issues. The crimp on these new longbeard's are awesome!! :gobble:
Quote from: maytom on March 05, 2016, 10:44:43 AM
After the Longbeard loads came out and watching the company video's, I made the jump from Nitro company to the Winchester shells. One thing I did want to do is try to stick with some good kinetic energy, so I decided on the #4's in the Longbeard shells. I also, late fall, got a new Patternmaster Code Black choke tube for my Win. 1300. From what I observed on paper, this will be my new tube/shell of choice. Wasn't very happy with the Nitro Shells leaking out most of the buffering material due to bad crimping issues. The crimp on these new longbeard's are awesome!! :gobble:
Assuming you have a 12g, what is the size of the load, 3" or 3.5"? Thx.
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3" chamber.....I did at one time own a Mossberg 835 when they first came out many years ago. But the recoil was brutal out of that gun with those 3 1/2" shells. Didn't care for the rattle in the pump section, seems to make to much noise. Switched to the 1300.
Quote from: maytom on March 05, 2016, 11:35:54 AM
3" chamber.....I did at one time own a Mossberg 835 when they first came out many years ago. But the recoil was brutal out of that gun with those 3 1/2" shells. Didn't care for the rattle in the pump section, seems to make to much noise. Switched to the 1300.
Shot the hevi shot for a while and actually had better patterns with some of the first generation Remington loads that were like 1-5/8 ounce. Anyway, I've shot a few birds with hevi shot and have zero complaints. Did make the switch to LB's though and will probably continue shooting them for a while out of my 835. My sx2 is still set up for hevi and heavyweight. My plan is to either switch the 20 to TSS next year or find another 20 and spdedicate it as a straight turkey gun. As for the 835 recoil, you're spot on. One of the hardest kicking things I've ever owned. In saying that, I happen to love the "Mossberg rattle." The older the better. They tend to rattle more. Not sure why, but I like them.
I started turkey hunting w/ 12 gauge duck and goose loads, reloaded high velocity 3", 15/8 oz nickle-plated 5's and 6's, went to Activ 3", 21/4 oz 5's and 6's, discovered tungsten in the Polywad offerings, stayed w/ tungsten w/ Remington 3" and 31/2", 15/8 oz and 13/4 oz 5's and 6's, tried the first junk offerings from EnvironMetal then finally settled on the Hevi-13 gold hull loads in both 3" and 31/2", 6's, 7's and MagBlends . I've evaluated the LongBeard 3" and 31/2" shells and they are without a doubt the best patterning lead loads which I have ever shot. With that said, I've got a substantial stash of EM Hevi-13 shells and there is not a lead load currently available which matches the performance and range capabilities of tungsten. Even w/ the re-patterning which I routinely do every year, my annual expenditure on turkey loads is still inconsequential relative to what I spend during turkey season.
Has anyone shot the Win LB rounds with a Hevi-13 choke tube ? I am using that tube out of my SX3, and my hevishot 6&7's pattern great. Tried other rounds out of the Hevi-13 tube, and they didn't pattern well.
Quote from: wvmntnhick on March 05, 2016, 11:49:38 AM
I happen to love the "Mossberg rattle." The older the better. They tend to rattle more. Not sure why, but I like them.
Not sure how much you will like if it spooks a bird? Spooked a couple over the years with my Mossberg, as I had to reposition when he went behind a tree, and "clunk". Ended up putting felt pads and tape on the tube to keep the forearm from rattles and clanking. Now I no longer have that gun, and don't miss it a bit.
Quote from: Cutt on March 03, 2016, 06:57:13 PM
Quote from: sixbird on March 03, 2016, 06:41:01 PM
As others have said, close in shooting is tight (meaning pattern is tight). With my gun (Benelli SBE II) the pattern is about tennis ball size at 15 yds. Maybe a little bigger than softball size at 20...
I shoot 3.5 Hevi 6's and know they are tight at 15-20 also, but never shot the Long Beard to compare?
Longbeards seem to pattern noticeably tighter than Hevi but at 10 and 15, they're all pretty tight...
I've killed birds from 10 yds to 40 yds with #6 longbeards with no problem, but as others have said, up close its a very tight pattern
I prefer my Hevi 6 myself, But i buy longbeards for when people borrow my gun they have a cheaper load to shoot. HW#7 out of the 20
I spend a lot more money on far less important things
Quote from: kyturkeyhunter4 on March 04, 2016, 11:37:22 AM
the Federal Heavyweights #7 I don't think I will ever shot nothing else.
I have shot the Heviweights #7's for about 5 years and was very happy with them. And then along came TSS #9 shot.
Quote from: hd mike on March 05, 2016, 01:46:56 PM
Has anyone shot the Win LB rounds with a Hevi-13 choke tube ? I am using that tube out of my SX3, and my hevishot 6&7's pattern great. Tried other rounds out of the Hevi-13 tube, and they didn't pattern well.
The LBs pattern well out of my 11-87 with a Hevi-13 choke. Numbers - unknown, but the pattern was nice and evenly distributed on the target, which is my concern. Good luck.
Quote from: hd mike on March 05, 2016, 01:46:56 PM
Has anyone shot the Win LB rounds with a Hevi-13 choke tube ? I am using that tube out of my SX3, and my hevishot 6&7's pattern great. Tried other rounds out of the Hevi-13 tube, and they didn't pattern well.
Yes. In my Browning Maxus the Hevishot tube .664 patterned best with LB #6 3.5". That was on a 70 degree day 2 weeks ago. Last spring I patterned same gun on a 40 degree day and the Carlson's longbeard xr tube patterned best with LB #5 3.5".
Since I'm only using the Maxus for hunting here in Mississippi I'm sticking with the Hevishot tube and it's warm weather pattern. 8)
I shoot long beard XR 3' #5. Buddy shoots hevi shot 3' #5. Both have Carlson choke tubes. The XR's outperformed the hevi shots once you got passed 40. But inside 40 you couldn't tell the difference between the two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwg_H8SoK8U
Most reviews I found on YouTube and elsewhere showed the XR's a tighter group at long range. That's what I've gone with and haven't missed a turkey yet at reasonable range.
The longbeards pattern to tight up close for my taste. And they don't hit any harder than standard lead so no I am not switching.
I made the switch from magnum blends to 3.5" LBs and they're grouping well at 40-yds. Now, I must field test them on a gobblers head.
If it patterns so tight, why not try a standard full choke?
Quote from: jims on March 26, 2016, 07:15:38 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwg_H8SoK8U
Most reviews I found on YouTube and elsewhere showed the XR's a tighter group at long range. That's what I've gone with and haven't missed a turkey yet at reasonable range.
They are comparing it at 60 yards, which is too far for any load, let alone a lead load? As they were advocating, anything beyond 40, the XR's were the better choice, great advice!
I switched when I bought a new 835 last year. I wasn't interested in trying to find a choke the hevis liked. The first box of 3 inch #5's patterened unbelievably out of the stock Turkey choke.
Small Hevi shot in turkey breast = cracked tooth, dental implant and $4,000 bill.
After many years of shooting Federal copper plated 4's I went to Hevi for about five years and now I switched to LB #4. I get 120-150 in 10" at 40 yds. Still plenty enough to consistently kill a bird but fewer and bigger pellets means less pellets end up in my mouth. Trust me, those little, hard pellets are tough on teeth and I am surprised more people don't talk about cracked teeth on OG.
Good luck and keep your shots high if you go with Hevi Shot.