870 users

[J Hook Max]

 Winchester Extended range # 5 shot.

[dawgfrombama]

3in. Hevi shot mag blends. 

[SouthernStrut]

Just shot some of the new Winchester long beard XR shells today and they delivered as promised.  Shot the 3-1/2" #4 at 45-50 yards through my pure gold choke and had all the pellets within a 20" diameter.  ALL of the pellets.  These things really hold together at long ranges.  Will have to be dead friggin on at 10 steps or so when you get em in close, which is why I haven't decided if I'll drop my supreme no. 5's for these or not.  If  you're looking at taking long range shots at 40-60 yards, give the new long beard shells a try.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

Just shot some of the new Winchester long beard XR shells today and they delivered as promised.  Shot the 3-1/2" #4 at 45-50 yards through my pure gold choke and had all the pellets within a 20" diameter.  ALL of the pellets.  These things really hold together at long ranges.  Will have to be dead friggin on at 10 steps or so when you get em in close, which is why I haven't decided if I'll drop my supreme no. 5's for these or not.  If  you're looking at taking long range shots at 40-60 yards, give the new long beard shells a try.

Lead does not have the energy to kill at 50-60 yards consistently. If you are looking to kill at that range you need to be running HTL or TSS.

Anyone shooting PB at turkeys at 55 yards is going to be sorely disappointed and crippling a lot of birds.

[SouthernStrut]

Just shot some of the new Winchester long beard XR shells today and they delivered as promised.  Shot the 3-1/2" #4 at 45-50 yards through my pure gold choke and had all the pellets within a 20" diameter.  ALL of the pellets.  These things really hold together at long ranges.  Will have to be dead friggin on at 10 steps or so when you get em in close, which is why I haven't decided if I'll drop my supreme no. 5's for these or not.  If  you're looking at taking long range shots at 40-60 yards, give the new long beard shells a try.

Lead does not have the energy to kill at 50-60 yards consistently. If you are looking to kill at that range you need to be running HTL or TSS.

Anyone shooting PB at turkeys at 55 yards is going to be sorely disappointed and crippling a lot of birds.

This is not a "traditional" lead load.  It's not just powder, wading, and shot.  There's another element, similar to homemade wax shotshell loads, that holds the shot together longer once the wading releases. The manufacturer claims 10% greater penetration over standard lead loads beyond 50 yds.  That tells me they have done extensive testing and calculations to show what type of patterns these shells are capable of.  In manufacturing you can't just release a new product and claim that it does more than it really does.  Especially not an industry leader like Winchester.  They aren't some joe blow making shells in his garage.  I shot several loads yesterday and these patterned best of all of them.  However, I don't plan on taking 50 yd shots.  20 is average for me because of the terrain I hunt and setups I choose, which is why I said I will probably just stick to my Winchester supremes.  They have been killing turkeys at close ranges and out to 40 yds for years so there's no reason to change.  Just giving my feedback on the performance of a new product, and the results were clear.

[davisd9]

Just shot some of the new Winchester long beard XR shells today and they delivered as promised.  Shot the 3-1/2" #4 at 45-50 yards through my pure gold choke and had all the pellets within a 20" diameter.  ALL of the pellets.  These things really hold together at long ranges.  Will have to be dead friggin on at 10 steps or so when you get em in close, which is why I haven't decided if I'll drop my supreme no. 5's for these or not.  If  you're looking at taking long range shots at 40-60 yards, give the new long beard shells a try.

Lead does not have the energy to kill at 50-60 yards consistently. If you are looking to kill at that range you need to be running HTL or TSS.

Anyone shooting PB at turkeys at 55 yards is going to be sorely disappointed and crippling a lot of birds.

This is not a "traditional" lead load.  It's not just powder, wading, and shot.  There's another element, similar to homemade wax shotshell loads, that holds the shot together longer once the wading releases. The manufacturer claims 10% greater penetration over standard lead loads beyond 50 yds.  That tells me they have done extensive testing and calculations to show what type of patterns these shells are capable of.  In manufacturing you can't just release a new product and claim that it does more than it really does.  Especially not an industry leader like Winchester.  They aren't some joe blow making shells in his garage.  I shot several loads yesterday and these patterned best of all of them.  However, I don't plan on taking 50 yd shots.  20 is average for me because of the terrain I hunt and setups I choose, which is why I said I will probably just stick to my Winchester supremes.  They have been killing turkeys at close ranges and out to 40 yds for years so there's no reason to change.  Just giving my feedback on the performance of a new product, and the results were clear.

HS Strut also claimed the squealing hen was a turkey call. Hevi states you can have a killing load with mag blends to 70 yards, that is more believable than this claim of Winchester's. It does not matter how good they pattern if they do not hold energy. This is a lead load, not even copper plated. I have a feeling there will be a lot of missed birds at close ranges and a lot of crippled birds at longer than one should shoot ranges because of this shell and Winchester' s pathetic marketing of it. It will kill all day at 40, but it is sad that people believe this is a new kind of lead or something.

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[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

Just shot some of the new Winchester long beard XR shells today and they delivered as promised.  Shot the 3-1/2" #4 at 45-50 yards through my pure gold choke and had all the pellets within a 20" diameter.  ALL of the pellets.  These things really hold together at long ranges.  Will have to be dead friggin on at 10 steps or so when you get em in close, which is why I haven't decided if I'll drop my supreme no. 5's for these or not.  If  you're looking at taking long range shots at 40-60 yards, give the new long beard shells a try.

Lead does not have the energy to kill at 50-60 yards consistently. If you are looking to kill at that range you need to be running HTL or TSS.

Anyone shooting PB at turkeys at 55 yards is going to be sorely disappointed and crippling a lot of birds.

This is not a "traditional" lead load.  It's not just powder, wading, and shot.  There's another element, similar to homemade wax shotshell loads, that holds the shot together longer once the wading releases. The manufacturer claims 10% greater penetration over standard lead loads beyond 50 yds.  That tells me they have done extensive testing and calculations to show what type of patterns these shells are capable of.  In manufacturing you can't just release a new product and claim that it does more than it really does.  Especially not an industry leader like Winchester.  They aren't some joe blow making shells in his garage.  I shot several loads yesterday and these patterned best of all of them.  However, I don't plan on taking 50 yd shots.  20 is average for me because of the terrain I hunt and setups I choose, which is why I said I will probably just stick to my Winchester supremes.  They have been killing turkeys at close ranges and out to 40 yds for years so there's no reason to change.  Just giving my feedback on the performance of a new product, and the results were clear.

It's still lead, man.  Some of the components may have changed but the antimony has not and therefore the physics and subsequent KE resulting from it has not.

Hevi-13 claims that Mag Blend will kill turkeys at 75 yards and that it will put 297 pellets in a 10" circle at 40. Neither of those claims are true.  False advertising is rampant in this industry to get guys just like you to buy product. 

Ask anyone who truly knows the ballistics of lead and they will tell you the same thing.  All these newbies who are susceptible to the false prophecies in the advertising and are jumping on the Longbeard bandwagon in search of a cheaper substitute for HTL.  News flash: it doesn't exist.

Longbeard is a reliable, consistent and impressive 40-45 yard load..... Nothing more

[SouthernStrut]

That's right.  It's a good reliable shell that is a great improvement from Winchester supremes or Double X.  Whatever the case I know I put more pellets in a 10" circle at 45yds w/ long beard than with any other shell I shot, and they all are carrying the same amount of energy at that distance so I would say the more pellets the better.  There were more pellets in the circle because of the resin holding the shot together once it releases from the wading.  It's really simple when you think about it and makes perfect sense if you understand basic physics.  And the resin actually is a real thing.....it's not some marketing b.s. like the squealing hen call.  Cut the shell open if you want to and see.  And regarding close shot misses.....if you have a close encounter and need to make a shot at 10 steps they are all gonna shoot the same because the wading will take the birds face off if your aim is true.  The few times I've shot hevi shot I didn't even put a pellet on the paper at 30 yds because it shot low or high or somewhere not where I put the bead.  I gave all that junk away.  Either way I'd hate to know I might have to make a 70 yard shot on a turkey.  I might have to rethink my strategy, setup, calling, and basic knowledge of turkey hunting if that were the case.

[davisd9]

That's right.  It's a good reliable shell that is a great improvement from Winchester supremes or Double X.  Whatever the case I know I put more pellets in a 10" circle at 45yds w/ long beard than with any other shell I shot, and they all are carrying the same amount of energy at that distance so I would say the more pellets the better.  There were more pellets in the circle because of the resin holding the shot together once it releases from the wading.  It's really simple when you think about it and makes perfect sense if you understand basic physics.  And the resin actually is a real thing.....it's not some marketing b.s. like the squealing hen call.  Cut the shell open if you want to and see.  And regarding close shot misses.....if you have a close encounter and need to make a shot at 10 steps they are all gonna shoot the same because the wading will take the birds face off if your aim is true.  The few times I've shot hevi shot I didn't even put a pellet on the paper at 30 yds because it shot low or high or somewhere not where I put the bead.  I gave all that junk away.  Either way I'd hate to know I might have to make a 70 yard shot on a turkey.  I might have to rethink my strategy, setup, calling, and basic knowledge of turkey hunting if that were the case.

Even at 45 yards you will watch birds run away with lead 6s. You may get lucky here and there with 4s and 5s. I never said I shot 70 yards but that it was a claim by hevi shot, you must not have actually read my post. It is just as false as Winchester's claims, but if one is going to kill half way effective past 40 yards then it would be the heavier shot.

If you miss up close with the longbeards you better consider yourself a lottery winner for the wad to hit him let alone kill him.

Do what you want with taking longer than 40 yard shots but you will more than likely be highly disappointed. I hope every bird you shoot comes in, stands straight up and still at 40 yards for you.

I have seen the fcw hit birds and go in their skin but anyone with knowledge on turkey loads know that is a wad is a whole different beast.

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[SouthernStrut]

That's right.  It's a good reliable shell that is a great improvement from Winchester supremes or Double X.  Whatever the case I know I put more pellets in a 10" circle at 45yds w/ long beard than with any other shell I shot, and they all are carrying the same amount of energy at that distance so I would say the more pellets the better.  There were more pellets in the circle because of the resin holding the shot together once it releases from the wading.  It's really simple when you think about it and makes perfect sense if you understand basic physics.  And the resin actually is a real thing.....it's not some marketing b.s. like the squealing hen call.  Cut the shell open if you want to and see.  And regarding close shot misses.....if you have a close encounter and need to make a shot at 10 steps they are all gonna shoot the same because the wading will take the birds face off if your aim is true.  The few times I've shot hevi shot I didn't even put a pellet on the paper at 30 yds because it shot low or high or somewhere not where I put the bead.  I gave all that junk away.  Either way I'd hate to know I might have to make a 70 yard shot on a turkey.  I might have to rethink my strategy, setup, calling, and basic knowledge of turkey hunting if that were the case.

Even at 45 yards you will watch birds run away with lead 6s. You may get lucky here and there with 4s and 5s. I never said I shot 70 yards but that it was a claim by hevi shot, you must not have actually read my post. It is just as false as Winchester's claims, but if one is going to kill half way effective past 40 yards then it would be the heavier shot.

If you miss up close with the longbeards you better consider yourself a lottery winner for the wad to hit him let alone kill him.

Do what you want with taking longer than 40 yard shots but you will more than likely be highly disappointed. I hope every bird you shoot comes in, stands straight up and still at 40 yards for you.

I have seen the fcw hit birds and go in their skin but anyone with knowledge on turkey loads know that is a wad is a whole different beast.

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Listen I know that not every hunt can be perfect and sometimes that bird is gonna hang up outta range.  It happens to all of us.  To have a load that can reach out and touch em at 50+ would be nice in that situation.  I'm not sure if I was clear earlier, but I'm not usually presented with a shot on a longbeard beyond 30 yards due to the terrain I hunt, unless I'm hunting a field......in which case I'm going to try my darnedest to get myself setup to where I have a close range shot between 15 and 30 yds.  I may have a long range shot opportunity for a second or two before he heads my way, but I'm gonna wait til he gets closer if I can of course.  If he hangs up outta range, it's time to improvise and get creative to try and make something happen.  To sum it up and leave it at that, I don't feel like I need a long range load because of where and how I hunt.  The large majority of my birds have been killed at about 20 yds avg.  I simply shot the new shell and gave my opinion on its pattern, which was clearly much more dense than both Winchester supremes and Federal of the same size and shot at 40 or so yds.  Whatever you shoot, you practice enough with it and pattern it through your gun and choke and know it will kill a turkey in any type of situation you expect to encounter.  I will be shooting either Winchester supremes or the new long beards this season, either one will give a turkey brain damage if I do my job right. 

[davisd9]

Agreed and good luck


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[lonnie sneed jr.]

I am old school, and don't like change. I still use Federal Premium Mag. or  Rem. Premier Mag. #5 copper shot or #6 with the #5 being my fav.  in a 3" mag. 

[gophert]

3.5 inch, Hevi Shot #7

THIS^^^^^^^^^

[Gooserbat]

Well lets see, my 3" gun shoots 3" win lead #6 of any flavor well...very well and I use a Ballistic Specialties .655.  The Golden Eye of the Black Gun (that's what I call my super mag 870) spouts 3.5 Win HV#6 very well too, and for what it's worth I've got two of the same choke (one for each) but I've got a couple of boxes of Longbeard #6 I'm going to try. 

[SCTrky10]

3" Magblends, Jelly head, has been very deadly for me!