New Wincester XR turkey loads

[Rem6br]

My set up is a Remington 12ga 3.5" Supermag 24" long with Remington A/M Extra full turkey choke shooting 12ga 3.5" Winchester LB/XR either #4's or #5's the fives actually pattern better so much that they are my load of choice, but I only have a picture of a 50 yard target using #4 shot. IIRC at 50 yards the Winchester LB/XR's put about 15-20 pellets on average in the turkeys head. The #5 put again IIRC at least 25. That's why I went with the #5's.
With this level of performance I just don't see how the IMHO, outrageously expensive heavy shot turkey shells are worth it. I am of the opinion you need at least 10 pellets CONSISTANTLY in a turkeys head/neck area to ensure a quick kill, I'm getting at least 2x that at 50 yards with the#4's and over 2x that with the #5 W/LB/XR's.View attachment 97246

looks like the tightest pattern is to the right

 

[Buck Buster]

DartonJager: I was not talking about hits. Holes (places that not many shot hit) in the pattern are places that if the turkey's head was there, it would not have had as many hits and may not kill the bird. But while we are on the subject of hits, when I shoot a turkey target I only count the hits in the brain & vertebra, the other hits won't anchor them. You probably have more hits with the 5's because there are more shot in the shells, but more shot does not always result in more hits. As I said, when I used the 2&1/4 oz loads I had holes in my pattern, but I had even hits across the pattern with the 2oz loads. What happens is all the shot trying to squeeze out the restricted choke tube causes some shot to become deformed and they become flyers, resulting in holes in your pattern. If you try enough different choke tubes one may work fine with the 2&1/4 oz loads. Hope you understand what I am saying now, if not I will try to explain it better if you wish. Good luck and be safe.

 

[wildwings]

Took a huge TOM at 66 yards with the Magnum Blend
3" out of my Benelli SBE3....grave yard dead

 

[Buck Buster]

Took a huge TOM at 66 yards with the Magnum Blend
3" out of my Benelli SBE3....grave yard dead

It only takes 1 BB in the right spot to kill them. Dead is dead ! Congratulations! good shot !

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Good northern NH bird down on our second day. 3in #6 longbeard xr out of my winchester super x 3 with a carlsons long beard choke at 15 yards. Shot him beating the crap out of the Avian-x decoy

 

[Buck Buster]

Nice bird: Congratulations shooter, Carlson makes a good choke tube.

 

[grinnergetter]

26 pounds, 11+ beard...Benelli Nova using a Tru Glo choke. Winchester 3.5 #6. What's left of my Supreme Elite's. Gun is undefeated(knock on wood) for the last 15 years.

 

[wildwings]

My son took an amazing gobbler with his 20 gauge and Magnum Blend
20 gauge shells.....grave yard dead at 52 steps

 

[Buck Buster]

My son took an amazing gobbler with his 20 gauge and Magnum Blend
20 gauge shells.....grave yard dead at 52 steps

It only takes one pellet to kill a turkey, provided it has enough energy when it reaches the bird and also hits in a vital area, but 50 yards is too far for a 20 gauge to be an ethical shot ! Far less pellets is one of the biggest reasons. I don't shoot over 50 yards if I can help it with my 3 & 1/2 inch 12 gauge because the pattern starts to get spread out and it becomes more likely a bird may be crippled, when the chances of crippling a bird increases that makes the shot unethical with any gauge ! I have misjudged the distance and killed a big gobbler at 62 steps, but would never have taken the shot had I known it was that far. If I can't keep 12 pellets in the boney part of a turkeys head and neck target 100% of the time at a certain distance I will not take the shot ! I can keep them 100 % in out to near 60 yards and many times over but I am positive to 50 that I will make a killing shot provided my aim is true and I don't pull off target ! The farther the yardage the more things can go wrong with the shot resulting in a crippled bird. Hope you understand where I'm coming from, I have hunted turkeys for over 50 years and have learned the does and don'ts of hunting them. I am still learning. Good luck hunting and be safe.

 

[ljmelea]

wvmountainhick is correct. My back bored 870 with a .250 SUMTOY choke shooting Longbeard 3 1/2 inch #5s makes what appears to be a ragged slug hole @ 25 yards. I wouldn't hesitate for a second shooting a bird from 60+ yards. You better have a scope or at a minimum rifle sights on your gun because it shoots like a rifle and you will miss otherwise.

.250 constriction?

 

[wildwings]

I agree that the short shots are better but I like using the Hevishot because
often a turkey will get HUNG UP and I still have the ability to take him

 

[jimss]

As it gets closer to turkey time I need to get the cobwebs off the shotgun and research new hunting spots, etc. Here's an interesting article I found this morning. It may help those that want a starting point for shells and loads:
http://randywakeman.com/TheVerdictonWinchesterLongbeardXRTurkeyLoads.htm

 

[wildwings]

nothing but Hevishot for me
I was a believer two years ago

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I was a hevi-shot guy until I tried long beard. I shot hevi shot for about 10 years. I'll never go back to heavi-shot. I'm currently running #6 3in out of my sx3 with a carlson's long beard choke. Absolute devastating results. I tried #5s but my pattern was alittle clumpy for my liking. Hevi shot is way over priced. Longbeard is cheaper and we on average have much better patterns over hevi shot.