Longbeard XR accuracy issues with “new box”

[bigwoodstom]

In 12 years of shooting 6s I've never had an issue.

Well, I hadn't either. Just giving some info. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't just live it.

Yes sir, thanks for the info. I always shoot a few from each lot before the season. Hopefully they'll get the issue corrected because I don't think there's a better lead load available.

[Bottomland OG]

Knock on wood I have never had an issue with Lbxr's.

[davisd9]

I just bought a new box of 20 ga 5s, I typically just check my gun with them and practice a few difficult shots to be ready for hunting. I have shot one of the new shells at 15 yards. I shot the last of my last box Saturday at 40. Will try to shoot one at 40 this weekend to see what the new box does. For a lead 20 ga load of less than 200 pellets I was pleased with the shot I took at 40. Will post results of the new box when I shoot one.

Last year's box at 40:





This year's box at 15:



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[Turkeyman]

I patterned my 20 last year with the LB 5s at 40 yards. Not totally satisfied, I picked up some TSS, patterned and used it. I just picked up a couple boxes of LB 6s a month ago and am waiting for a decent day to pattern.

Now...chokes can make a big difference. I have two Carlson chokes...a .555 and a .575. The TSS likes the .575 more than the .555 and that's what I used last spring. I also have the factory EF choke (.588) that came with the gun. Nothing likes it. A few weeks ago I bought a Carlson LB XR choke at .568, being essentially designed for that shell I'm hoping for positive results.

[Twowithone]

Never had a problem with Winnie,s LB 6 shot.

[bbcoach]

These problems of POOR LB performance go back quite a few years.  The very first offerings were GREAT!  Most 12's were putting up Great numbers, 250 to 280's at 40 with the right choke, for the first few years.  Then things went South.  Some said new wads, some said the Shot loc technology had changed but many had problems then.  Today, it seems it is Hit or Miss with many offerings, if you can find them.  Many went the LB route because at the time Hevi 13's were about $5 a piece, compared to a box of 10 LB's were around $20.  Now many are trying to find a suitable replacement for TSS that doesn't break the bank.  Those that have been around when the LB's were popular can elaborate more. 

[POk3s]

Just to add a bit more to my situation, I also tried two different chokes and it didn't matter. Of course I could continue to throw money at it but both chokes were so crappy that I didn't find it worthy to do so.

Definitely shoot the new boxes. Don't just assume everything will be rosy.

As for a replacement, my gun had always shot the federal grand slams well. The Lb were just a bit better...until now. If anyone is looking for a replacement I'd give my nod to them.

[Treerooster]

These problems of POOR LB performance go back quite a few years.  The very first offerings were GREAT!  Most 12's were putting up Great numbers, 250 to 280's at 40 with the right choke, for the first few years.  Then things went South.  Some said new wads, some said the Shot loc technology had changed but many had problems then.  Today, it seems it is Hit or Miss with many offerings, if you can find them.  Many went the LB route because at the time Hevi 13's were about $5 a piece, compared to a box of 10 LB's were around $20.  Now many are trying to find a suitable replacement for TSS that doesn't break the bank.  Those that have been around when the LB's were popular can elaborate more.

History repeats itself....again.

Going WAY back to when Heavier Than Lead loads first started coming out in more commercially available loads (remember Nitro Ray??) it was Envrionmetal's shell. Commonly known as "The White Shell" it was white with a roll crimp. Best turkey shell available at the time. It used HTL shot that was anything but uniform and many shot pieces clumped together. Still it worked. Broke records at a competition turkey shoot. They sold that very shell the first year. Then the next year the shell, marketed as the same one, was brown and had a folded crimp. It didn't shoot near as well.

Then there was Winchester's Extended Range HTL shell. Another HTL shell that shot pretty darn good. It wasn't long before Win came out with their "Extended Range Elite" shell...which wasn't quite as good but not too bad. Then they discontinued the the Extended Range shells completely.

Lesson here is if you are a dedicated turkey hunter and in it for the long haul, and are happy with what you got. Buy a bunch of the shells that work for you. A bunch! The benefit of that is you have a good supply of shells that work and no more testing needed, just regular sight-in maintenance. PLUS, over time the amount you spent on all those shells will be cheap compared to what you can buy in the distant future. It's a gamble of sorts I guess.

And some guys like to tinker with gun, chokes, and loads. Nothing wrong with that except the dollars. Still it can be fun if that is your gig.

[POk3s]

Redoing every year is not my gig. I'm a left handed shooter so I go back out to get comfortable with my gun and make sure my point of aim is perfect. I have lived my entire life not being able to aim directly at a turkey's head. I know that's silly but nothing seems to aim true for a left handed shooter. Usually I tinker, add a shim, add a spacer in the pad, etc. trying to find the perfect combo.

With that, the LB was really good but luckily I shot the one out of the new box...and then two and three.

Regardless, your advice rings true. I should've bought 10 boxes last fall, although I currently have two boxes that are worthless hahaha!

[Treerooster]

Redoing every year is not my gig. I'm a left handed shooter so I go back out to get comfortable with my gun and make sure my point of aim is perfect. I have lived my entire life not being able to aim directly at a turkey's head. I know that's silly but nothing seems to aim true for a left handed shooter. Usually I tinker, add a shim, add a spacer in the pad, etc. trying to find the perfect combo.

With that, the LB was really good but luckily I shot the one out of the new box...and then two and three.

Regardless, your advice rings true. I should've bought 10 boxes last fall, although I currently have two boxes that are worthless hahaha!

Lefty here too. I spent too many years trying to fit a gun to me. Extremely important in wing shooting, at least for me. In 1999 I bought a Benelli SBE (still shoot that gun) and it had a shim kit to adjust the stock. After that I won't own a gun I can't adjust the stock for cast and drop. 

[POk3s]

Redoing every year is not my gig. I'm a left handed shooter so I go back out to get comfortable with my gun and make sure my point of aim is perfect. I have lived my entire life not being able to aim directly at a turkey's head. I know that's silly but nothing seems to aim true for a left handed shooter. Usually I tinker, add a shim, add a spacer in the pad, etc. trying to find the perfect combo.

With that, the LB was really good but luckily I shot the one out of the new box...and then two and three.

Regardless, your advice rings true. I should've bought 10 boxes last fall, although I currently have two boxes that are worthless hahaha!

Lefty here too. I spent too many years trying to fit a gun to me. Extremely important in wing shooting, at least for me. In 1999 I bought a Benelli SBE (still shoot that gun) and it had a shim kit to adjust the stock. After that I won't own a gun I can't adjust the stock for cast and drop. 

I now have a browning A5. Same story. Now that I have it shimmed it's at least close. I basically now aim a turkey head left. Or I can cover only the right half the front bead with the middle bead, kicking my aim a little bit left...if that makes sense. It's almost there. A little bit more tinkering which probably means a custom shim 😃

[YoungGobbler]

It would have been interesting for you to shoot at a 4'x4' pannel or cardboard to see where the mass of lead actually went... Maybe it's just a little bit off... Or it opened completely and didn't reach the target...

[BDeal]

I have had POI consistency issues with longbeards probably 5-6 years ago. Not sure the problem is new

[TrackeySauresRex]

History repeats itself....again.

Going WAY back to when Heavier Than Lead loads first started coming out in more commercially available loads (remember Nitro Ray??) it was Envrionmetal's shell. Commonly known as "The White Shell" it was white with a roll crimp. Best turkey shell available at the time. It used HTL shot that was anything but uniform and many shot pieces clumped together. Still it worked. Broke records at a competition turkey shoot. They sold that very shell the first year. Then the next year the shell, marketed as the same one, was brown and had a folded crimp. It didn't shoot near as well.

Then there was Winchester's Extended Range HTL shell. Another HTL shell that shot pretty darn good. It wasn't long before Win came out with their "Extended Range Elite" shell...which wasn't quite as good but not too bad. Then they discontinued the the Extended Range shells completely.

Lesson here is if you are a dedicated turkey hunter and in it for the long haul, and are happy with what you got. Buy a bunch of the shells that work for you. A bunch! The benefit of that is you have a good supply of shells that work and no more testing needed, just regular sight-in maintenance. PLUS, over time the amount you spent on all those shells will be cheap compared to what you can buy in the distant future. It's a gamble of sorts I guess.

And some guys like to tinker with gun, chokes, and loads. Nothing wrong with that except the dollars. Still it can be fun if that is your gig.

I remember the talk of the old white Hevi back then. They changed the recipe. If I remember correctly, They may have had bird seed in the hull at one time.?. Important lesson was, if you find something that's working and you like em. Ya better buy em. They won't be around much longer.

I was lucky to learn this with the Hevi 7 and the Fed HW 7.