Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

I'm shooting a 3" 12 gauge for Turkey's. I know I need to pattern my gun to find out the best load. As a rule which  Win Longbeard load do you like best, 1 7/8 oz or 1 3/4 oz load?? I'm gonna shoot number 6 shot

The only ones I have shot are the 1 7/8 oz in 6's and I was/am very happy with my results.

I like the 1 7/8 in the 6 and 5. I use the #5 just because I get a little better pattern out of my setup. I do have some #6 and if I had trouble finding #5 would not hesitate to take them to the field.

I have had more consistent patterns with the 1 7/8 loads, but in reality there was very little difference. I actually prefer the 1 7/8 oz #4s

The heaver the better 3" Winchester's shoot great I use #5 shot


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Depends on the size of the shot, choke and gun ( PATTERN }... that's the one i would shoot ...

1 7/8 #6's


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Heavier loads put up higher numbers from what I've seen.

Quote from: Gobble! on February 10, 2020, 10:19:29 PM
Heavier loads put up higher numbers from what I've seen.

In 1 3/4 oz to 1 7/8 oz loads of #6 shot there is approximately 28 more pellets in the 1 7/8 oz load then 1 3/4 oz.
1 7/8 oz load has 422 pellets of 6 shot.
1 3/4 oz load has 394 pellets of 6 shot.

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Only opinion I would share is a #6 lead pellet is still a #6 lead pellet. If you can get good patterns with #5s then go with them. From my experience with 3" #5 LBs I got 140s at 40yds. That's plenty lethal for me.

Every gun is different, but I use the 1 7/8 #6 loads. Really like them for the $$ as well.  :fud:

 I dont know why but I had better results with the 1 3/4oz #6 than the 1 7/8oz #6 .  It all about what your gun shoots best. Youll just have to try some out and decide for your self.

I've shot 2 boxes of the 1 3/4 oz #5s, and killed one bird with them last year. I have a box of the 1 7/8 #5s I shot just one of them so far on paper at 40 and it was ok just a little patchy compared to the 1 3/4. My barrel my have been getting pretty dirty though from sighting in and testing other loads. I'm going to shoot a few more of each with a clean barrel to see which I want to keep using. The 1 3/4oz longe beards definitely put the most in a 10" of any other shell I've used. Still kinda miss my old 2oz #5 federal premium they stopped making though. It was an amazingly even pattern with a lot more forgiveness.

I shoot the LB XR #6 1 3/4 and they will roll a turkey. I save my money on for more gas money and mouth calls instead of TSS. Out to 40 it is a great load. All I need.

Keep in mind those things are crazy tight up close.

I have a friend who is prone to miss, told him stay away from them, he couldn't help himself and got em, and missed


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I shoot the 1-3/4oz load of #5's myself in the 12ga. and the #6's in the 20ga.

Seems two things are to be considered comparing 1 7/8 oz. to 1 3/4 oz: 1) 422 pellets vs. 394 pellets...a difference of 28 pellets in your pattern. 2) 1050 fps vs. 1200 fps . So, all things being equal, at 40 yards you may hit the head/neck area with one or two more pellets but at a reduced velocity. The age old debate of pattern density vs. pellet energy! So now it comes down to patterning both because your gun may like one over the other. Re: pellet energy, years ago I used to shoot into a phone book at 40 yards and check pages of penetration but can't find a phone book anymore!! The ideal thing is to run out of sufficient pattern density and sufficient pellet energy at the same distance, regardless of what shell you're using.

Tongue in cheek, I've always said my 7MM ain't much on pattern density but can't be beat for pellet energy!

Quote from: Turkeyman on February 25, 2020, 12:54:28 PM
Seems two things are to be considered comparing 1 7/8 oz. to 1 3/4 oz: 1) 422 pellets vs. 394 pellets...a difference of 28 pellets in your pattern. 2) 1050 fps vs. 1200 fps . So, all things being equal, at 40 yards you may hit the head/neck area with one or two more pellets but at a reduced velocity. The age old debate of pattern density vs. pellet energy! So now it comes down to patterning both because your gun may like one over the other. Re: pellet energy, years ago I used to shoot into a phone book at 40 yards and check pages of penetration but can't find a phone book anymore!! The ideal thing is to run out of sufficient pattern density and sufficient pellet energy at the same distance, regardless of what shell you're using.

Tongue in cheek, I've always said my 7MM ain't much on pattern density but can't be beat for pellet energy!

Speed does nothing in terms of energy for shotgun pellets at 40 yards. Up close, sure. Time they get to 40 yards, the faster loads are often going slower than the load that started slower. The faster they start, the faster they slow down. It's an element of physics I can't fully explain.


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Not quite true. As a math major in college with several physics courses...all being equal e.g. shot size and initial velocity, the one which started faster will always be faster at any given distance. However, you're correct in one aspect...the difference in velocity of the two will decrease with distance due to air resistance having a greater affect upon the faster pellet.

That's why #9 TSS retains it's velocity...heavy weight with less air resistance due to smaller diameter.

Quote from: Turkeyman on February 25, 2020, 03:58:21 PM
Not quite true. As a math major in college with several physics courses...all being equal e.g. shot size and initial velocity, the one which started faster will always be faster at any given distance. However, you're correct in one aspect...the difference in velocity of the two will decrease with distance due to air resistance having a greater affect upon the faster pellet.

That's why #9 TSS retains it's velocity...heavy weight with less air resistance due to smaller diameter.

Well, I'll not argue with you. But they've proven it with steel shot over and over again. I'd assume lead would succumb to the same issues.


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3" 1 7/8oz #6's have patterned and performed great for me. They patterned better than the 3.5" #6's so that's what I stuck with

I put two rounds of LB 3.5" #6 down range this year and the pattern was horrible, best was ~76 in 10" circle.

Same rounds last year were putting out ~170. 

All rounds from same box and did notice the wad was somewhat deformed or melted??

Only other variable, was shooting into breeze but wouldn't expect that to open up the pattern?

Quote from: northms on February 11, 2020, 10:20:36 PM
I shoot the LB XR #6 1 3/4 and they will roll a turkey. I save my money on for more gas money and mouth calls instead of TSS. Out to 40 it is a great load. All I need.

Im the opposite. I dont shoot a dozen birds a year and I dont have to pattern my gun with them year to year either. I spend the money on TSS because there is no factory load that equals it period. I spend more money on calls and other things so in the grand scheme of things , 4 or 5 bucks a shell is not bad

Quote from: Dtrkyman on February 13, 2020, 10:26:51 AM
Keep in mind those things are crazy tight up close.

I have a friend who is prone to miss, told him stay away from them, he couldn't help himself and got em, and missed
I shot the #6 magnum lb xr and boy you ain't kidding.  Inside 25yds it's like shooting a slug. Missed the top of one's head at 15 and went with the fed 3rd degree.

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