Winchester Longbeard XRs?

[Uncle Nicky]

After a year of mourning the discontinued production of Winchester Extended Range shells, I just found out that Winchester has a new line of turkey loads called Winchester Longbeard XR.

According to the hype, the shells are supposed to carry a tight pattern out to as far as 70 yards, and hit/penetrate the same as hevi-shot. For about 1/2 the price of hevi-shot or the old Winchester XR shells.

The reviews all look good, but was hoping to hear from someone with real-life experience with these shells.

[davisd9]

Not released to the public yet and a gimmick in my opinion.

[BowBendr]

Not released to the public yet and a gimmick in my opinion.

X2....agree totally.......

[R AJ]

See 22 replies from exact topic down the list a short way.

Only reports are from those who tried these shells last year to begin writing about and any ads from Winchester.

[Uncle Nicky]

See 22 replies from exact topic down the list a short way.

Only reports are from those who tried these shells last year to begin writing about and any ads from Winchester.

I see it now.

[longbeards]

Guys,

I have emailed Winchester trying to get a box or two 3 inch to pattern. I am fortunate in that I have a range here at the house....As soon as I run a few down range,,,,I will let you know....

BUT,,,I wouldn't pass judgement about them till I try them!! I never believed hevi shot would improve shotgun patterns the way it did,,,SO I will keep my fingers crossed till I gun a few threw my turkey guns!

I get to hunt 4 to 6 states this year,,,I AM RETIRING,,,and it sure would be nice to have cheaper ammo that shoots as good as Hevi Shot!!

THINK SPRING,,,it is right around the corner!

[davisd9]

Guys,

I have emailed Winchester trying to get a box or two 3 inch to pattern. I am fortunate in that I have a range here at the house....As soon as I run a few down range,,,,I will let you know....

BUT,,,I wouldn't pass judgement about them till I try them!! I never believed hevi shot would improve shotgun patterns the way it did,,,SO I will keep my fingers crossed till I gun a few threw my turkey guns!

I get to hunt 4 to 6 states this year,,,I AM RETIRING,,,and it sure would be nice to have cheaper ammo that shoots as good as Hevi Shot!!

THINK SPRING,,,it is right around the corner!

Lead is lead and knock down is knock down.  No matter the pattern this shell will never compare to Hevi shot.  It may do what you need it to do, but you will have a larger margin of error.  Good luck!

[allaboutshooting]

They are not yet on any shelves, dealers or wholesalers, as far as I know. They may be distributed later this month but only time will tell.

They are standard lead pellets at about 1200 feet per second from the muzzle. The difference is a resin that is injected into the shot payload. The theory is that the resin will prevent distortion at set-back and also cushion the pellets as they travel down the bore and through the choke tube.

No one should be shooting at turkeys at 70 yards, regardless of the shell used. A lead pellet is a lead pellet and can only retain "X" amount of energy at a given range.

We've worked too hard over the last 40 years to encourage responsible sportsmanship and woodsmanship to now change course and tell a new crop of hunters to shoot at unacceptable ranges.

For most hunters, regardless of skill or experience, a 40 yard shot is a long shot. The kill zone of a turkey is a very small target at that distance. Wounding a turkey and letting him die days later is just not being responsible.

I sincerely hope that no future marketing or advertising from any manufacturer will do anything to encourage hunters to take longer shots.

I much prefer to shoot at 25 yards. At that distance we can actually see and hear a turkey. It is then a turkey hunt and not a turkey shoot.

Thanks,
Clark

[ericjames]

They are not yet on any shelves, dealers or wholesalers, as far as I know. They may be distributed later this month but only time will tell.

They are standard lead pellets at about 1200 feet per second from the muzzle. The difference is a resin that is injected into the shot payload. The theory is that the resin will prevent distortion at set-back and also cushion the pellets as they travel down the bore and through the choke tube.

No one should be shooting at turkeys at 70 yards, regardless of the shell used. A lead pellet is a lead pellet and can only retain "X" amount of energy at a given range.

We've worked too hard over the last 40 years to encourage responsible sportsmanship and woodsmanship to now change course and tell a new crop of hunters to shoot at unacceptable ranges.

For most hunters, regardless of skill or experience, a 40 yard shot is a long shot. The kill zone of a turkey is a very small target at that distance. Wounding a turkey and letting him die days later is just not being responsible.

I sincerely hope that no future marketing or advertising from any manufacturer will do anything to encourage hunters to take longer shots.

I much prefer to shoot at 25 yards. At that distance we can actually see and hear a turkey. It is then a turkey hunt and not a turkey shoot.

Thanks,
Clark

I agree with everything you said..

[chatterbox]

They are not yet on any shelves, dealers or wholesalers, as far as I know. They may be distributed later this month but only time will tell.

They are standard lead pellets at about 1200 feet per second from the muzzle. The difference is a resin that is injected into the shot payload. The theory is that the resin will prevent distortion at set-back and also cushion the pellets as they travel down the bore and through the choke tube.

No one should be shooting at turkeys at 70 yards, regardless of the shell used. A lead pellet is a lead pellet and can only retain "X" amount of energy at a given range.

We've worked too hard over the last 40 years to encourage responsible sportsmanship and woodsmanship to now change course and tell a new crop of hunters to shoot at unacceptable ranges.

For most hunters, regardless of skill or experience, a 40 yard shot is a long shot. The kill zone of a turkey is a very small target at that distance. Wounding a turkey and letting him die days later is just not being responsible.

I sincerely hope that no future marketing or advertising from any manufacturer will do anything to encourage hunters to take longer shots.

I much prefer to shoot at 25 yards. At that distance we can actually see and hear a turkey. It is then a turkey hunt and not a turkey shoot.

Thanks,
Clark

Well said, Clark

[the Ward]

Well said Clark! Winchester's "70 yard kills" marketing hype aside,i think that the reasoning behind these shells is to get consistent 40 yard patterns out of a variety of choke configurations without going the flite control style, special wad route which has proven inconsistent and problematic if used in wadcatcher style chokes.My take is at least Winchester is trying to make improvements to lead shotshells,although I give there marketing department an 'F' for promoting unethical ranges! I am looking forward to testing these, I have a feeling if Winchester can keep the resin recipe consistent from batch to batch they will be very "tuneable" in regards to chokes.The one thing I see as a potential problem is temperatures and how they will affect the consistency of the resins in cold and hot conditions as it possibly expands or contracts within the shotshell as opposed to a wad and buffer.....ward

[Uvagobbler]

I agree with all of the above posts. We owe it to the animal we hunt and to ourselves to make ethical decisions. I know my shotgun and it's limitations. I keep all of my shots within 40 yards.

Here in Va,you can hunt turkeys with a rifle (another sore subject).  However, I choose to sling a shotgun over my shoulder. I want to enjoy the challenge of fooling him and calling him into my lap.  I have a few co-workers who brag about shooting turkeys with a rifle at long distances. I asked one if he had fun shooting a nice gobbler with his .22 hornet and his response was "It was the last day!"

I believe if a ammo company makes any claims on the lethality of their product, show us the evidence. As Clark said, lead will only retain energy only so far.

I'm sure some of us will try some of their shells and we can be the judge.

[blueridgegobbler]

If I have to shoot 70 yards I'm going to sell my gun and buy more calls and an instructional DVD. If you can't get them 40 and under let him go he just beat you that day try him another time. I'm glad companies continue to try and make improvements by the should be more pellets on target at reasonable ranges not crazy distances.

[Old Gobbler]

It's a business , they make claims to get sales , they are not the first company ( or person) to make wild claims about a shell , shot material or the like , for monetary gain it's all about the money

[longbeards]

Gentelman,

After several calls,,,a few emails,,,I still have not been able to get any of the New Winchester Longbeards to try! Will be on the phone with Winchester again on Monday, have left two messages with the gentelman who is in charge of the round, as of yet have not heard from him.

I have a measured range here at the house,,AND, if I get them I will put them threw the paces...with different shot sizes and chokes from 3 tricked out turkey guns on a lead sled.

As far as lead vs Hevi shot,,,,boys in 35 years of hard turkey hunting I have killed a pile of them stone dead at 40 yards with lead,copper plated lead, and Hevi Shot. So if they work as well as they say,,,I figure I will be using them!!

With Kind Regards,
Longbeards