Best turkey load IMO

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Weaver.b
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Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby Weaver.b » Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:48 pm

With turkey season around the corner I figured I would share a game changing load. I have been shooting the winchester long beard xr's for a couple years now and let me tell you they are impressive. It seemed like any other load I would shoot out of my gun I would be very very hesitant past 45 yards. With these shells I would not be one bit worried to shoot within 70 yards and I am not one to take pot shots they just really shoot that well. I killed my biggest gobbler 2 years ago at 60 and he was hammered. Give em a look you wont regret it


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brancher147
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby brancher147 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:23 am

I switched to the same load after trying many others. It is a superior load in my gun for sure. Killed 2 last year past 50 yards. Actually I probably wouldn't have shot if I knew the true distance, but measuring it off after the shot they were both over 50. Very impressed. The guy hunting with me was just bragging about his setup and new gun and load. I knocked those two down over 50 yds with my beat up old Mossberg 500 short barrel and he was speechless. I think he switched loads after that...
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby Weaver.b » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:39 am

brancher147 wrote:I switched to the same load after trying many others. It is a superior load in my gun for sure. Killed 2 last year past 50 yards. Actually I probably wouldn't have shot if I knew the true distance, but measuring it off after the shot they were both over 50. Very impressed. The guy hunting with me was just bragging about his setup and new gun and load. I knocked those two down over 50 yds with my beat up old Mossberg 500 short barrel and he was speechless. I think he switched loads after that...


Hahaha awesome! I shoot mine through a Mossberg 835
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Grasshopper
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby Grasshopper » Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:18 am

The beauty of Winchester xr is that it does what more expensive tungsten loads do cheaper. The process of making tungsten shot is more costly than copper plated lead. The benefit of tungsten is it's hardness prevents shape distortion during the violent ride from shell to target. When the shot looses it's shape it looses aerodynamics. The epoxy surrounding xrs shot protects it from dents during take off, yet it's much cheaper to manufacture.
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Weaver.b
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby Weaver.b » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:10 am

Grasshopper wrote:The beauty of Winchester xr is that it does what more expensive tungsten loads do cheaper. The process of making tungsten shot is more costly than copper plated lead. The benefit of tungsten is it's hardness prevents shape distortion during the violent ride from shell to target. When the shot looses it's shape it looses aerodynamics. The epoxy surrounding xrs shot protects it from dents during take off, yet it's much cheaper to manufacture.


Yes sir. Someone was on their A game when they thought of the xr
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby Mathewshooter » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:41 pm

Im gonna have to give them a look. Are you guys using turkey chokes or just the full chokes that came with your gun?
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby RidgeGhost » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:16 pm

I have to agree. This will be my third year shooting them. They are rediculous. My pattern at 60 is better than any 40 yard pattern I ever had.

I misjudged the yardage on one badly two years ago. I though he was 55 or so but I stepped it off and it was actually 68. The hill between us tricked me. I wouldnt shoot at one that far on purpose but it whacked him anyway.

With these, pattern density is no concern. I limit my distance based on KE/penetration now.

Up close, better make sure you're beaded down good. I missed a chip shot on one within 15 yards with it.
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby Weaver.b » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:55 pm

Mathewshooter wrote:Im gonna have to give them a look. Are you guys using turkey chokes or just the full chokes that came with your gun?


I have a primos jellyhead in mine
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby Weaver.b » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:56 pm

RidgeGhost wrote:I have to agree. This will be my third year shooting them. They are rediculous. My pattern at 60 is better than any 40 yard pattern I ever had.

I misjudged the yardage on one badly two years ago. I though he was 55 or so but I stepped it off and it was actually 68. The hill between us tricked me. I wouldnt shoot at one that far on purpose but it whacked him anyway.

With these, pattern density is no concern. I limit my distance based on KE/penetration now.

Up close, better make sure you're beaded down good. I missed a chip shot on one within 15 yards with it.


I agree they shoot so tight you would almost rather have them out about 30 yards
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kurt
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby kurt » Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:41 pm

Probably the best I've shot as well
mipubbucks24
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby mipubbucks24 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:48 pm

My brother swears by the Winchester’s, but I must have had some bad ammo because I missed 3 birds in 1 day, and all 3 were monster birds. Could have been user error but I doubt it because I’ve never had any other problem. After that experience I went back to heavy shot and have not had any issues. The only thing I can think of is I just had a bad box.

Just read Ridgeghosts post, maybe the pattern was just holding too tight as a couple of the birds were pretty close. Anyways not trying to say anything bad about the ammo just had a rough day with it, not sure what the problem was.
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nor' easter
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby nor' easter » Sat Feb 10, 2018 6:34 pm

I have been shooting the old winchester supreme black box for years through an undertaker choke. I have had no problem taking several birds at over 50 yards, and flattened a nice tom this past spring at 65. It looks like winchester has stopped producing it so I'm going to give the longbeard xr a try.
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby brancher147 » Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:43 am

Mathewshooter wrote:Im gonna have to give them a look. Are you guys using turkey chokes or just the full chokes that came with your gun?


Extra full turkey choke
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby mauser06 » Sun Feb 18, 2018 11:21 am

Problem is the pattern might be terrific...but the energy and penetration properties of lead or plated lead is the down fall. Within reasonable range, that's not a problem. Start extending that range beyond where the energy is no longer sufficient and you will start seeing crippled and "missed" birds.

And there will be tons of guys that disagree....and many with a shot at X# of yards and he was clobbered stone cold dead etc...that's great. But I wouldn't push them or any lead load much beyond 40yds.

That's really where tungsten shot shines. Smaller, heavier harder pellets will penetrate better and the weight of them gives them more energy.


My thoughts on it. Inside that reasonable range, they are fantastic and a heck of a lot cheaper.
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WV Bowhunter
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Re: Best turkey load IMO

Unread postby WV Bowhunter » Sun Feb 18, 2018 11:31 am

mauser06 wrote:Problem is the pattern might be terrific...but the energy and penetration properties of lead or plated lead is the down fall. Within reasonable range, that's not a problem. Start extending that range beyond where the energy is no longer sufficient and you will start seeing crippled and "missed" birds.

And there will be tons of guys that disagree....and many with a shot at X# of yards and he was clobbered stone cold dead etc...that's great. But I wouldn't push them or any lead load much beyond 40yds.

That's really where tungsten shot shines. Smaller, heavier harder pellets will penetrate better and the weight of them gives them more energy.


My thoughts on it. Inside that reasonable range, they are fantastic and a heck of a lot cheaper.


I completely agree!! Winchester touting the lead loads at extreme distances is completely unethical. I made the switch to handloading my own tss a few years ago and absolutely love carrying a 20 ga and shooting 9 1/2 shot tss. Inside of 50 yards it is a bad day for a gobbler.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!!


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