Has Winchester Always Been The Best Turkey Ammo?

[maddog3355]

Now I bet I got someone's attention!!  In my book Winchester has been pretty good turkey ammo for some time. The Extended was always great and I've killed a truck load of turkeys with the high velocity and have been shooting the long beards for a few years now. I've shot a lot of Hevi-Shot too but Winchester has always been solid. What's everyone else think?

[Happy]

I could never get the winchester to pattern for anything until the longbeards.

[Twowithone]

Thats all I shoot out of my Winnie 1300 no complaints yet.   

[ShootingABN!]

How far do you take it back?? Before TURKEY loads??? 25 shells in a box..... Winchester Double XX, white box with gold XX, 3" shells, Remington Express Magnum 3" copper platted shot...... I didn't use Federal until specific turkey loads..... Ten shells in a box. Federal Heavy weight 2 oz of shot in a 3" shell..... Little before that Remington had the duplex 2X4 shells.....

I've killed Turkeys with Winchester, Remington, and Federal.... Along with the newer Nitro custom shells. By far I've taken more birds with Winchester...... However I'm a Nitro custom shell dude. So time will tell....

Good luck everyone.

[renegade19]

I don't know but after shooting the Longbeard XRs through my Super Mag this year I'm sold on them.  Great results.

[Marc]

I think at 35 yards or under, just about any load will work, including a standard cheap 1 1/4 oz Walmart pheasant load.

I am lead-free in California, and Hevi-shot is a  no-brainer for me, although when I run out (in the next 20 years) I would likely switch to TSS or the next "magic bullet."

I have accidently used the wrong shells (i.e. I once used some old #2 steel) to kill a bird just as dead as my Hevi-shot though.  I have a buddy that accidently used a trap load to kill a 30 yard bird...  Neither of us had any idea until we retrieved our empty shells.

The premium stuff comes into play at marginal ranges or longer-distance shooting.  I have mis-judged range, and I want a load capable of consistently killing birds further than I want to shoot them.

Admittedly that "Shot-Lok" resin in the Winchester loads appears to be a game-changer by all acounts.  I do wonder if it could be a potentential handi-cap at closer ranges with overly tight patterns though?

[Happy]

Admittedly that "Shot-Lok" resin in the Winchester loads appears to be a game-changer by all acounts.  I do wonder if it could be a potentential handi-cap at closer ranges with overly tight patterns though?

I have just switched over to longbeards this season and still have a volleyball sized pattern at 20 yards.

[Yoder409]

Back in "the day"........... Federal Premiums were the preferred shell of most guys I knew who were serious about pellet counts.   The Winchester Double X was generally only a few pellets behind in most combinations.  But the Federal ruled the roost.

Remingtons never panned out to be anything more than crow shootin shells in any gun I ever tried them in............ EXCEPT the original 20 gauge Remington Hevi Shot #6's...........those things worked !!!

[bigbird]

I was a huge hevi shot guy when it first came out. The original Remington hevi shot ammo still is my favorite, 2nd would be extended range supreme elites. Winchester has always been a great turkey load maker.

[maddog3355]

Admittedly that "Shot-Lok" resin in the Winchester loads appears to be a game-changer by all acounts.  I do wonder if it could be a potentential handi-cap at closer ranges with overly tight patterns though?

I have just switched over to longbeards this season and still have a volleyball sized pattern at 20 yards.

You wondered right on the handicap at closer ranges. Way to tight a pattern at 20 yards. I would say a lot of the turkeys we kil could be shot with a heavy loaded 2 3/4 #6 shot .

[deer655]

Closer then 20 on my ol winchester shotgun is like shooting a rifle. It blows a hole in turkey targets 3 inches wide. Even with super tight patterns on close shots I love longbeards shells.

[jordanz7935]

Winchester and Federal turkey loads were always my favorite in my 12 and 20 gagues. Still what im shooting today, Federal Heavyweights and Winchester Longbeards.

[owlhoot]

Never been a big fan of Winchester loads in anything.
Always preferred Federal,especially Grand slams for lead..Also now the heavy weight 7's.
Used the 20 gauge  Federal tss 9's on 2 heavy longbeards and works great . Although one at 20 yards was no test.

[ShootingABN!]

I believe Winchester is having some quality control issues with current production. Shells coming a part in the gun before fired. Just saying I've seen a lot of people upset on social media....

Good luck everyone.

[sswv]

the green shell, red shell, purple shell was always a BIG discussion in my family growing up. One was all about the Federal (purple shell), another 'me' was all about the Winchester (red shell) and the rest only shot the Remington (green shell). after I got older (not a boy anymore) I started pattering them all and the Federal seemed to always produce the best patterns BUT, when the 10 box turkey specific loads hit the market the Federal heavy weight loads in my 12's were the real deal. trust me, I've tried them all over the years as well as every choke tube I could get my hands on. I thought my 21" 12ga with the Federal 2oz loads was the most lethal combo I would ever carry in the woods UNTIL the Winchester LongBeards hit the scene. I nearly doubled my pellet count in targets and it seems as if my effective killing range grew another 15 yards. I sure hate to hear that folks are having problems with them coming apart. I would like to hear more about this if anyone can point us to links explaining what's going on.