Realistically

[Bowguy]

Fellas I see lots of guys pattern or post pics. Everytime a shot is off they claim they "pulled it" a hair whatever way. Either that's really poor shooting that in a controlled relaxed environment they missed a shot or the loads are inconsistent.
Back when longbeards were the craze. I tried em and was actually surprised how nice some patterns were. I shot, as I always do and imo the only way to check anything, off a cradle or rest. How come I had one heck of a time knowing where to set the sights? Couldn't get 2-3 shots in a row to be consistent . I understand about clean versus dirty guns. Imo it's the load/choke combo at least as much if not more often than the shooter "pulling a shot".
Idk if longbeard got better. This is no bash on them. Just food for thought. You can't pattern a gun or set the sights before you can be consistent. If you are, and you can increase those odds with a rest. Be realistic in what you're reading as results. I'm not saying not to practice say off a knee or somehow unrested, we should. They are just two very dif parts of getting ready.

Just curiosity? Did longbeards become any more consistent lately? (In comparison to their first coming available.)

[Tom007]

Fellas I see lots of guys pattern or post pics. Everytime a shot is off they claim they "pulled it" a hair whatever way. Either that's really poor shooting that in a controlled relaxed environment they missed a shot or the loads are inconsistent.
Back when longbeards were the craze. I tried em and was actually surprised how nice some patterns were. I shot, as I always do and imo the only way to check anything, off a cradle or rest. How come I had one heck of a time knowing where to set the sights? Couldn't get 2-3 shots in a row to be consistent . I understand about clean versus dirty guns. Imo it's the load/choke combo at least as much if not more often than the shooter "pulling a shot".
Idk if longbeard got better. This is no bash on them. Just food for thought. You can't pattern a gun or set the sights before you can be consistent. If you are, and you can increase those odds with a rest. Be realistic in what you're reading as results. I'm not saying not to practice say off a knee or somehow unrested, we should. They are just two very dif parts of getting ready.

Just curiosity? Did longbeards become any more consistent lately? (In comparison to their first coming available.)

I've found very consistent patterns with Longbeard #6's in various choke tubes, in various guns. I spend a tremendous amount of time (and $) patterning my Turkey guns. I really enjoy this time at the range. Every box of shells has a serial (lot) number. I pay close attention to these lots making sure I mark the boxes with the choke and gun that was used to sight the optic in. I hunt with those matched shells. If I have to use another box with a different lot number, I'll confirm my POI before I take them into the field. I have yet to find an inconsistency from box to box. I think Longbeards are a solid load for the turkey woods for sure. This is my findings from many hours of testing. I do realize there can be a "rotten apple" in every bushel, but so far I haven't found one.

[Bowguy]

Thanks Tom. The older ones were rough. Even had the resin come through broken in new boxes. Glad they fixed it. I may try them again

[Tom007]

No problem Mike. There is no doubt from my patterning results that FOR THE PRICE PER SHELL, you can't beat how they perform. The only thing I would watch out for using these with a tight choke is at close range, the pattern is like a baseball. At 20 yards, I've had the Wad blow through the target, dead center actually. They are tight shooting shells for sure......

[Bowguy]

Yea I know they were tight. Almost too tight sometimes. Appreciate it

[Gman]

I agree 100% about shooting off of a bench & with a solid rest. I go to my local club and use my "original" Bald Eagle cast iron rest with a varmint rifle front bag and shoot off of the concrete benches that we use for benchrest matches to pattern my turkey guns. But I gotta' admit, it ain't no fun shootin' 3" magnums out of my 870 12 bore. Its much more pleasant shooting the 20 gauge Benelli while patterning.

[SumToy]

If you over choke a gun it will walk all over.   If you mess with the harmonics of the barrel it will walk all over.     Then folks think it is them and they start changing what they do.   From that point you have the snow ball deal.   

[Bowguy]

Sumtoy I was using  a factory 675 out of an ulti mag when I tested longbeards. . I don't think but couldn't be sure it wasn't choked too tight. Regardless any other load in that gun shoots same place.

[MK M GOBL]

I'm not one to push the range, I still go by hunt close. I have patterned my gun out to the 40yard mark, and I have 1 bird that I killed beyond that mark as I misjudged him. But overall, all the birds I/we have killed there are way more that have been under 20yards than over. At these ranges all the "this choke" "this ammo" are not really part of the game, when ammo was short on supply I/we were killing birds with Federal Prairie Storm Pheasant Loads in 12's and 20's.

Hunt Close has been my thing for the last 25+ years and killing birds at sub-20, sub-15 and sub-10 (with the bow) is what we crave. I currently shoot Winchester Double X HV12 Gauge 3in #5 1-3/4oz, Lead Loads that's $10 for 10 Shells and 10 Dead Turkeys.


MK M GOBL

[TrackeySauresRex]

   I shoot off sand bags in a controlled environment and unfortunately, I don't pattern like I use to. Just because it's expensive. I don't have a lot of LB #6 left and what I have was on the money. The LB 6 are hard to get in our area. If I do whiff in the field (and have) 
I blame myself. I'm still shooting  fed HW #7's out of my 20. I check and see if it on and that's it. It's just too much for me to burn through them shells. Especially when ya can't find any.

[Bowguy]

I'm not one to push the range, I still go by hunt close. I have patterned my gun out to the 40yard mark, and I have 1 bird that I killed beyond that mark as I misjudged him. But overall, all the birds I/we have killed there are way more that have been under 20yards than over. At these ranges all the "this choke" "this ammo" are not really part of the game, when ammo was short on supply I/we were killing birds with Federal Prairie Storm Pheasant Loads in 12's and 20's.

Hunt Close has been my thing for the last 25+ years and killing birds at sub-20, sub-15 and sub-10 (with the bow) is what we crave. I currently shoot Winchester Double X HV12 Gauge 3in #5 1-3/4oz, Lead Loads that's $10 for 10 Shells and 10 Dead Turkeys.


MK M GOBL

For the most part I actually agree w you especially the close range thing. I still like my guns to shoot though. The one thing I completely disagree is with that high velocity stuff you're using ugh give me the old magnum supremes. I've still got about 100 rounds left. Funny cause the grand slams I shoot out of 1 my guns is high velocity but the load weight is less. 

[Tom007]

   I shoot off sand bags in a controlled environment and unfortunately, I don't pattern like I use to. Just because it's expensive. I don't have a lot of LB #6 left and what I have was on the money. The LB 6 are hard to get in our area. If I do whiff in the field (and have) 
I blame myself. I'm still shooting  fed HW #7's out of my 20. I check and see if it on and that's it. It's just too much for me to burn through them shells. Especially when ya can't find any.

X2 on the LB 6's. I love them. They pattern real well and knock birds off their feet. The 6's are tough to find here too. Thankfully I found some to keep me comfortable. Good luck......be safe....

[Farmboy27]

I'll play devils advocate here. In my experience, it's more often a pulled shot than an inconsistent shell!  I've seen world class rifle shooters pull shots when shooting from extremely solid benches and carefully positioned sandbags. Whether we're man enough to admit it or not, the vast majority of us pull shots just as often as we don't!  I personally am a terrible target shooter. Very few people can sit behind a hard recoiling gun, knowing what's coming, and hold rock solid when they squeeze the trigger.

[Ihuntoldschool]

Now they will definitely shoot a different poi compared to other lead shells in some guns/chokes.

In my experience they are consistent though with wherever that poi is.

They will throw some ragged looking patterns though at various distances, patterns look like they cut in half sometimes.   They hit hard.

[Bowguy]

I'll play devils advocate here. In my experience, it's more often a pulled shot than an inconsistent shell!  I've seen world class rifle shooters pull shots when shooting from extremely solid benches and carefully positioned sandbags. Whether we're man enough to admit it or not, the vast majority of us pull shots just as often as we don't!  I personally am a terrible target shooter. Very few people can sit behind a hard recoiling gun, knowing what's coming, and hold rock solid when they squeeze the trigger.

These "world class shooters" blow 40 yard shots off a bench rest? If they do that's a prob and not many world class shooters regular "pull" shots. Thats sorta crazy. It's muscle memory and straight back trigger squeeze. If we do it's a prob. They're pulling your leg. If you pull shots as much as 50/50 you'd need to practice. I bet you're not 50-50 though. If someone can't sit behind a hard recoiling gun, practice more or practice less but more frequently. The next option is shoot a less recoiling gun, action, load or utilize a lead sled type cradle. This ain't hard and part of what we should be doing  not being ok with 1/2 good shots 1/2 excuses why they aren't imo.