First let me start be being absolutely clear.
I am in no way what so ever bashing Winchester Long Beard XR shells.
And I do not want this post to degenerate into a WLBXR bashing thread.
I SERIOUSLY doubt there is a bigger fan of them and very few people who has bought AND shot more WLBXR shells than me. Since the very first year they came out I have shot well in excess of 300 of the 12ga 3.5" WLBXR's in #4, #5, and #6 shot in both 2 and 2.125oz loadings.
I have made many clean kills at ranges farther than I will say here. I have gone 25 and 2 in three different states on turkey kills of Toms and Jakes with them. My sons using the 3" version have each gone 4 or 5 and 5 for 5 so my sons and I are huge fans of them. I have been beyond 100% satisfied with them every year I have used them. Every year before turkey season I first re-check the zero/POI of all three of my 12ga dedicated turkey guns. Then I begin experimenting with new AM chokes using 2.125 & 2oz loads of #4 and #5 shot from 25 to 50 yards and beyond.
My targets from last year I had showed a an average of over 50% pellet count in a 10" circle at 40 yards and 40-45% at 45 yards. using a Carlson's WLBXR specific choke. Those targets were shot with essentially the last of my older stock of WLBXR shells from 6-7 years ago when I bought a large supply of shells.
Last year IIRC between rechecking zero/POI and testing new chokes, I fired over 60 shells
After every lengthy range session I would fill my barrels with 100% cotton rags and plug the end and fill with acetone, let sit overnight and clean the next day using phosphorus bronze bore brushes as well as soak my chokes in acetone for 24-48 hours. I also using acetone soaked patches swab 4x after every 10 shots at the range.
This year using my new WLBXR ammo I acquiered over the last two years after shooting 5 targets from each gun at 45 yards I was very surprised to see my pattern density drop by a 15% average and while I wouldn't declare the pattern uniformity as unacceptable it was definitely not a good as last years targets uniformity with more than a few areas in the 10" circle devoid of pellets the size of a toms head, something that very rarely happen with my older stock. Once I saw my patterns were not what I was use to I made sure to shake each shell prior to shouting it to see if the polymer packing Winchester encapsulates the shot with had shattered, but i heard nothing that would indicate that while shaking the shells.
The range conditions were very good temps in the high 40's negligible wind and mild humidity.
All shots were takes as always from the bench with a very steady recoil absorbing rest.
Any POA/POI shift I saw was so small as to be negligible. Yes I did make SLIGHT POI adjustments to my scope and two red dots to compensate, but that was just me be a perfectionist.
Has anyone else who has extensive experience with Winchester Long Beard XR shells experienced a similar reduction in over all pattern density and uniformity?
Lastly again I am not in any way trying to bash WLBXR shells or dissuade anyone form using them just asking if my drop in performance is a fluke or more wide spread.
