Winchcester Longbeard XR

[Wbn]

I was planning to use my 20ga for the rest od the season.  I got it out and checked the red dot zero just to make sure.  At 40 yards the pattern was sparse and a large hole was in the target.  I shot it again and the same thing.  It is like the shot-lok is not breaking up.  I have shot out of this box before and it patterned very good.  Anyone esle seen this?  Any help will be appreciated.  Thanks,

[owlhoot]

How old are they? How were they stored, what type of environment?

[Ihuntoldschool]

40 is pushing the limits of a 20 with lead shot.
Bring your target in just a few yards and see how it does.

[Wbn]

How old are they? How were they stored, what type of environment?

They are about 4yrs old.  They were stored in a plastic ammo box in my gun room.

[Wbn]

How old are they? How were they stored, what type of environment?

40 is pushing the limits of a 20 with lead shot.
Bring your target in just a few yards and see how it does.

I did,  it is like the resin is not breaking up.

[ChesterCopperpot]

You search out the problems with LBs and there's been piles of us on OG had major issues with them through the years. When they work, they work great! When they don't, I'd rather shoot dove loads and keep shots at 25. The year a bad lot of LBs cost me two birds I set them aside and have never looked back. I'll never hunt with them again.


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[ChesterCopperpot]

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[ChesterCopperpot]

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[Quackhound]

Interesting ?

[BandedSpur]

LBXR inconsistency raises its ugly head again. Could not pay me to shoot those shells.

[sswv]

how about some details BandedSpur?   I's like to hear about the bad side of the LB's

[BandedSpur]

how about some details BandedSpur?   I's like to hear about the bad side of the LB's

Google search for Longbeard XR issues and you will have lots to read. Seems to run the gamut from 10" core moving around to shells not going off when struck by the firing pin to a slug of shot and resin going through the pattern board. My experience was helping my buddy pattern his 870 (Undertaker .665) with 3" 1.75 oz 5s. He had been averaging around 130/10, not great but not terrible with early manufacture shells. Shot one through my IC .665 in my 1187 and got 120/10 @ 50. Then two years ago he bought some that averaged 109/10. Last year's shells averaged 55/10 for 3 shots from his Undertaker - 68, 60, and 37. I let him borrow a couple of choke tubes that are normally all stars in the 870. My IC .665 did 70/10 and my JH .660 did 37/10. That's a problem.

Now I just load TSS for him.

[sswv]

DANG, that's a LOT of issues with one brand/type shotgun shell. I have several in 12 & 20ga and I'll be nervous from here on out with them.

[BandedSpur]

DANG, that's a LOT of issues with one brand/type shotgun shell. I have several in 12 & 20ga and I'll be nervous from here on out with them.

When they work like they should, they are the best lead shell ever produced by a wide margin, IMO. They are just too inconsistent for me. If I was going to shoot them, I would shoot one shell from every new box I bought at the pattern board to verify before I hunted with them, YMMV.

[ChesterCopperpot]

When they work like they should, they are the best lead shell ever produced by a wide margin, IMO. They are just too inconsistent for me. If I was going to shoot them, I would shoot one shell from every new box I bought at the pattern board to verify before I hunted with them, YMMV.

My thoughts exactly. When they work they're incredible. However, the issues are evident and widespread. BUT, I've never heard of or encountered a single bad shell. It's always been an entire box or lot. When I had all the issues one season and finally determined it was the shells, me and a buddy shot the entire box and every single one did the same thing. We went to a different box and it was right back to the patterns I'd shot for years. I think if you patterned one shell per box you'd likely catch the problem in time.


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