The Winchester Supreme vs. Double X Issue

[Swather]

Winchester introduced the Longbeard and ceased using the Supreme name, and offers a conventional lead load under the Double X label.  A lot of people, including me, were puzzled whether the Double X was the exact substitute for the Supreme (and were perplexed why they dropped a good seller like the Supreme). 

Did anyone ever get to the bottom of that and determine whether the Double X is the same as the Supreme but with a different name?

[forcercon1]

If I'm not mistaken "DoubleX" prior was a straight lead load and the "Supreme" was a copper-plated load. 

[stinkpickle]

SuperX, DoubleX, and HV (Supreme) were all copperplated.  The differences were mostly in the shot weight.  For instance, for 12ga, 3" shells...

SuperX - 1 7/8oz
DoubleX - 2oz
HV - 1 3/4oz

The stated velocities reflected the differences in the playloads.  The "Supreme" label showed up on multiple versions, so it was not a good indicator of model.  The product numbers remained the same, though.  Hull colors helped identify them, too.  For instance, SuperX and DoubleX usually had red hulls, while HV used black ones.

[surehuntsalot]

spot on exactly what Stinkpickle said

[Longshanks]

Yup, that's what I have found. Great explanation. What's interesting is the least expensive of those shells, super X-1 7/8 shoots the best patterns out of several of my guns. Bought a whole bunch of boxes for 9.99.

[BandedSpur]

Yup, that's what I have found. Great explanation. What's interesting is the least expensive of those shells, super X-1 7/8 shoots the best patterns out of several of my guns. Bought a whole bunch of boxes for 9.99.

Ditto in my 1187

[Swather]

Olin/Winchester is still producing loads under the Super X and Double X label this year, in addition the "higher end" loads.

http://www.winchester.com/Products/shotshell-ammunition/Pages/default.aspx

[Izzyjoe]

I found that the HV supreme 6's shot great in my 870, so I bought 5 boxes! The very next year they come out with the LB's, and I purchased a good supply of them. I should have a supply of shell to last me well into my 70's!   

[Swather]

Coincidentally, I found a couple of old Supreme boxes last weekend from a few years back.  I wrote the product number down and compared them to the numbers on the Double X at Wally mart, and the numbers match.  STH 1235 for 3 inch 5's and 1236 for 3 inch 6's.