Winchester Long Beard XR...HYPE or REAL DEAL???

[jakesdad]

"Take ANY turkey shell with your #1 hunting choke and post a picture of your more open pattern at 20."
Both patterns with a 870 28" barrel and ventilator .655
One is Longbeard 3" #6  and the other is Win. grey box 3" #6

Yes both are tight but the grey box loads give a little more wiggle room with a evenly spaced and dense 10" pattern,while the Longbeards throw a fist sized hole.

Not saying either one is right or wrong.That decision is left to the shooter.I prefer the second pattern for where I hunt,your situation may dictate otherwise.

[cuppednlocked]

What is your 40 pattern like?

[jakesdad]

Longbeards are in the 180s-190s

Grey box run mid 120s

[mtns2hunt]

I think it is going to be like the old West shoot outs this Turkey season : a lot of lead thrown, many misses, and probably some wounded and crippled birds. Everyone will figure our eventually that while LB is a good Turkey load it is not the magic shotgun shell to Turkey Glory. You do have to admire Winchesters marketing team - they certainly have hit the ten ring.

I have patterned my shotgun to 40 - 45 yards with #4, excellent patterns and I am very confident in myself, gun and load. However, to me the challenge is to call in the Turkey watch him strut his stuff, twirl around and carry on a bit. Not see how far away I can shoot him - if that was the case I would simply take a rifle and polish him off at a 100 yards or so.

Does it not occur to some that maybe we are forgetting why we use a shotgun, a primitive weapon or some type of handicap? Just my opinion: hope everyone has a good, ethical and safe Turkey season

[SpitNDrumN]

I love them!

[mattbrooks]

I don't know what #6s will do BUT I know 3" #5s will penetrate tin at 60 yards.




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[DirtNap647]

that's impressive

[turkey buster]

Said it before and will say it again. Winchester has changed the game a WHOLE lot. All of the other manufacturer's had better getting to coming up with a new product.

change what game. They dont pattern as good hevi's, they dont hit as hard as HW's, and they sure in the heck aint TSS. All Winchester did was make the best shell in a particular price range and thats it not the best shell ever.  Yes they made a 2$ lead shell perform on paper like a 6$ plus htl shell but they still have the range, penetration, and density of a 2$ lead shell. What makes lead inferior to htl was never just the patterns it produces it was mainly the density of the lead itself. Winchester dipped a turd in chocolate and has many convinced there is caramel inside. When season opens many people are going to take a bite and realize that aint caramel!




Don't t tell my pawpaw you can't kill them with lead. He's got enough beards to build 10 belts to spank you with lol

[tnturkeykiller]

The problem we have seen in the pass is that big manufactures will not leave a load alone this year it may shoot great next year its crap . I have shot Nitros for 15 years dont have to think about if it will shoot this year they shoot every year.If you like what it is doing this year you better buy all you can find because next year it will be different.

[shadetree callers]

Too tight, really How can anyone say that a shot pattern is too tight ? Do you guys need a margin of error to hit your target. My shotgun shoots slugs 1/2'' diameter, accurately from muzzle out to 150 yds. With proper sighting and practice everyone should have their turkey guns shoot that well . from 10 yds to 40 yds your gun should hit its target no matter how small the pattern. If your gun requires a large pattern full of fliers , just to hit a turkey at 20 yds then i would think your setup needs more than just an open pattern.
At close range the Long Beards perform just like any turkey load will. Its the patterns they throw at 25 - 45 yds that makes them impressive.

[2much2loud]

A turkeys head is constantly moving so yes some patterns can be too tight at close range and you do need some room for error

[owlhoot]

Just look at some pattern pics on here, some have an aiming spot , the 10 in circle is left, then right , low and high.
Some with the same choke and load. At the range and the paper isnt moving, your heart isnt jumping out of your chest , you have not been sitting still for hours with your arm up for the last ten. If you can miss on paper you can miss in the field.           

Granted some are not sighted in yet with scopes and sights.