Hevi shot to Long Beard XR?

[Cutt]

Have any Hevi shot users made the switch to Long Beards XR?

The cost difference has me wanting to make the change, but for those who have changed, was the performance worth it, as compared to Hevi? Don't really want to give up the good performance of the Hevi, just for the cost difference though.

The cost got me wondering as I shoot 3.5 hevis, and have a 50.00 gift card for Cabela's. I realize cabela's is not the best for Hevi prices, but do not want anything else there. Anyways, with my 50.00's, I can't even get 10 Hevi shells for the 50.00's I have? Will cost more like 80.00 for 10 shells with shipping, rediculous!

But with 20 total 3.5 shells in the Long Beard, I can basically cover that with the 50.00. Just hate to make the switch because of cost, and eat the difference in performance?

[Tennessee Lead]

I made the switch after shooting one. The cost was a factor in my decision simply because I could double my money and would still have an extremely lethal pattern.
I always have shot 3.5" loads but when I switched I dropped to a 3" #6 shot Longbeard. Great pattern, less recoil and killed every turkey I shot at.  I don't see me changing for awhile unless I try my hand at rolling my own.


Sent from the barrel of a model 70 at 3300 fps

[dirt road ninja]

In my opinion you will only be giving up performance at either end of extreme ranges. I'd rather take a 12 yard shot with Hevi's 7's than LB's and I rather Hevi 7's if shooting a bit past what we are allowed to talk about here. In the middle I doubt you will see a difference in the level of dead.

[Dr Juice]

I have been seriously considering doing the same thing. I guess the best thing to do is to make the switch for this year and take the risk ... Ugh. I'm addicted to my HS. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dtrkyman]

The longbeards seem very unforgiving for close work, If you are limiting shots to 40 or less a standard lead load is more than sufficient  if your looking to save a few bucks.

I always preferred the hevi shot rounds, but most of my birds are shot close enough that a dove load would work, unless you just like seeing a ton of holes in paper you wont need to worry about performance on birds with any modern load with the correct choke!

I started primarily bowhunting birds and gave up chasing the ultimate pattern years ago when I first became a serious turkey slayer, the hevi loads were un real when they first came out, though I had killed plenty of birds around the 40 yard mark with standard lead, my Benelli is very forgiving of turkey loads and throws a solid pattern with anything I send through it, so I just shoot whatever I have left over from my patterning days, I am running out of hevi and do not relly care.

[sixbird]

As others have said, close in shooting is tight (meaning pattern is tight). With my gun (Benelli SBE II) the pattern is about tennis ball size at 15 yds. Maybe a little bigger than softball size at 20...

[Cutt]

As others have said, close in shooting is tight (meaning pattern is tight). With my gun (Benelli SBE II) the pattern is about tennis ball size at 15 yds. Maybe a little bigger than softball size at 20...

I shoot 3.5 Hevi 6's and know they are tight at 15-20 also, but never shot the Long Beard to compare?

[Go G.W.]

I gave up hevi for longbeard xr last year.
I killed three turkeys with longbeard last year and I have no regrets about my decision to switch. I can't say it was only price that made me switch as I still have some hevi that I will use up one day. I switched mostly due to the pattern the longbeard threw from my gun, best pattern I have ever gotten.

[taylorjones20]

I switched to LongBeards and then switched back to Hevi shot. Now I'm loading my own...

[yella yelper]

I switched last year and 3 turkeys didn't know the difference. That said, the farthest shot was 17 yards. Two were killed with one shot at 11 yards. I was shooting Longbeard 4's

[BowBendr]

The LB's put up great patterns, but they are too tight for me. I have also had poi shifts while shooting the LB's. For my style of hunting I don't need 250-300 in a 10 to get it done. I need a full, even, un-gappy pattern inside a 20" circle. I'll stick with the hevis.


2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions

[owlhoot]

The LB's put up great patterns, but they are too tight for me. I have also had poi shifts while shooting the LB's. For my style of hunting I don't need 250-300 in a 10 to get it done. I need a full, even, un-gappy pattern inside a 20" circle. I'll stick with the hevis.


2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions

This right here ^^^^

[kcrebel]

My only recommendation is if you do switch to the Longbeard XR loads make sure you pattern your gun and plan on changing choke tubes.   
I just finished pattern testing my newest turkey killer (Winchester SX3 Longbeard XR).  It patterned best with a Kick's choke and Longbeard XR 3.5 #6.  I had a couple of Hevi13 3.5 #6 so I shot one and the pattern was terrible.  Actually worse than any other load I shot with that choke.  In total I shot 7 choke tubes with WLB 3.5 #5, #6 and HeviShot MagBlend 3.5".  LeadSled paid for itself pretty quickly.   

[tha bugman]

Dead is dead the turkey won't care...you will be happy with the Longbeards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gooserbat]

Both will kill farther than we should talk about and a 3.5" is not needed with either.