Hope Winchester Improves on Longbeards

[ShootingABN!]

Not to be negative, but that would kind of defeat the purpose. LBs are long range shells, pure and simple. If you want better close in patterns, you need to use a non shot-locked lead load. And then there are the supposed all range shells like Federal Triple Beard and Third Degree.

Could you enlighten me as to what is  " long range "

Basically anything beyond 40 yds. IMO, 12 ga LBs are optimized for 40-55 or so yds, depending on shot size. Of course they will work inside 40 yds, but patterns are very snug. Non-shotlocked 12 ga lead loads are optimized from 20-45 yds, and provide much more useful patterns inside 40 yds, again IMO.

True.

[Pinhoti_hopper]

Change shells


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[bbcoach]

Winchester has improved their turkey loads.  Ten years ago, they were the top lead turkey load manufacturer.  Then came Hevi-13, tighter chokes, 3 1/2 inchers and TSS.  So a few years ago, Winchester came out with the Shot-Loc technology.  By locking the shot together in the wad, it allowed a lead load to compete (longer distances) with the new offerings.  With this technology, they knew they would have tighter patterns at closer distances.  We, as hunters, need to evaluate our hunting styles and expectations and select our equipment for those expectations, knowing there is limits for that equipment as well (one size doesn't fit ALL).  If most of your shots are inside 40 yards, I would suggest, as others have, a GOOD 3 or 3 1/2 inch load of #5 or #6 lead with a little more open choke.  My     

[Sir-diealot]

From what I have read.... The biggest improvement needs to be quality control.... I've heard of a lot of problems this spring...

If you want a 40 and in choke. Look up Sumtoy here on this site. Email or give him a call.

Good luck.

Yep they diffidently need to look into those quality issues.

Oh man this concerns me, I bought 3 boxes because it came highly recommended by several people here and I can't afford anything else now. Will see this weekend. I have a Remington extra full choke in it but think I will have to bring the standard full choke when I sight in this weekend just in case.

[Tom Foolery]

Someone post up some 20yd longboard patterns. I'd like to compare them to the old Win HV 20yd patterns I have.

[DBell]

Someone post up some 20yd longboard patterns. I'd like to compare them to the old Win HV 20yd patterns I have.

20 ga 870 .570



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[Tom Foolery]

Here is one from 835 @ 22yds

Win HV 3.5" #6
835
.676 stardot

I think I counted 14 or so pellets outside the 10" circle


http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss29/Tom_Foolery_74/20yd835Win6HV.jpg


Here is the thread with the pic in it, post #5.


http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,17779.msg196054.html#msg196054

[gaswamp]

When Winchester dropped the old extended range shells years ago, I was very dissappointed.  They hit another homerun with the longbeards.  I don't see why you would need anything else with a 12ga and they ain't too bad with a 20ga either

[limbhanger777]

There's a lot of other shell options out there that I think would pattern how you are describing with the right choke. Check out federal 3rd degrees

[briton]

Long beards definitely are a good shell but they need to work on quality/consistency. I have shot them and have great patterns and I have shot them at 25 on paper and it looked like it was shot at 60 out of the same box? I've also got a few where resin is 1/4 inch thick on top of over shot card?  But overall I say they are good shells it just worries me thinking "what if that shell was shot at a bird".

[CALLM2U]

Someone post up some 20yd longboard patterns. I'd like to compare them to the old Win HV 20yd patterns I have.

I keep coming back to Longbeards. I shot them again this week because I can't decide if I like them or not. Definitely tight, in close.

12g
665
20yrds
#6s

[Tom Foolery]

I keep hearing how they're tighter than the old Win HV loads at 20yds but none of these are tighter than the one I shot?


I keep hearing they're like shooting a slug?   My 870 with a .660 Kicks and LB 6's does look like I've shot a slug into a target at 20yds.  It actually looks like the Win HV at 20yds.

[bbcoach]

With todays loads, chokes and guns, tight is the norm as far as I'm concerned.  We have bought into more is better with our equipment.  I shoot a 835 3 1/2 Hevi 7's through a .670 pure gold choke and put over 300 pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards.  I know with this setup, my 20 yard pattern is the size of a baseball and 30 is the size of a softball.  So it is up to me to make sure I'm shooting my gun like a rifle.  If we want a more open pattern, we need to change our load and or choke.  My