# Winchester Longbeard XR Magnum



## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I know Winchester is excited most likely about the success longbeard had last year. And via a friend who has talked with Winchesters engineers that the loading process for longbeard is unlike any other process and requires a very expensive machine specifically for the shells.. 

But this new load is kinda stupid.. Upping the payload from 1 3/4 to 1 7/8 in 3 inch and from 2 to 2 1/8 in the 3.5 while sacrificing velocity.. If they are priced the same it is stupid on Winchesters part because the extra shot costs more money and the patterns they had with meager payloads was outstanding. They will sell a pile however because it will be the box stamped Magnum.. 

Approximate gain in pellets

6 = 27
5 = 21
4 = 16

Due to the specific nature of the machine they cannot load 20 or 10 gauge shells with the particular machine they are using so that is out for now.

But I think they would have been better served with maybe a 2 3/4 1.5 oz load... 

Or another alternative that would be great and as great as this stuff patterns a 2 3/4 1 1/4 oz low recoil load for youth and women.. 

That or to keep the machine busy a buckshot load I am sure deer hunters that use buckshot and coyote hunters who do would see great benefit from a tighter patterning load.

If the velocity is what I heard on the Magnum I will not be buying any because it is pretty low for a lead shell.. For you guys that shot Longbeard XR last year stick with the original version for killing turkeys.


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks for the heads up, otherwise I might have grabbed the wrong box and never knew it. Much appreciated!


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Mr. Botek said:


> Thanks for the heads up, otherwise I might have grabbed the wrong box and never knew it. Much appreciated!


Yup no problem just not too excited about a lead shotshell doing 1050.. In reality its probably doing a good bit faster due to the Venturi effect, but with their long range advertising for this shell that is probably the dumbest thing they could have done.


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## ezcaller (Feb 21, 2009)

So what will be there marketing angle. More pellets in the kill zone.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

When you buy a box of 10 of the latest shells. You shoot a couple or so to pattern them. If you have 7 shells left and only shoot one every year to kill your spring tom. 

How many years until you need to buy another box???? 

Lots so they have to come out with a new load to get you to buy some more shells. I have more than enough of the shells that I have been using for years to last way longer than I will probably last.


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

I bought one box of XR last year, tested two choke tubes at two different ranges and shot one turkey, leaving me with 5.
If I got to Indiana to hunt with my friend every other year starting this year, and shoot one turkey here in Michigan, I'll run out in 3 years. 
I'm planning on buying 2 boxes of XR regular before this season, then I might have enough for a while.


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## SWMbruiser (Jan 25, 2012)

Be interesting to see how different the boxes look. I have gotten burned by that before!


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Mr. Botek said:


> I bought one box of XR last year, tested two choke tubes at two different ranges and shot one turkey, leaving me with 5.
> If I got to Indiana to hunt with my friend every other year starting this year, and shoot one turkey here in Michigan, I'll run out in 3 years.
> I'm planning on buying 2 boxes of XR regular before this season, then I might have enough for a while.


I burn up shells with different chokes even when satisfied because I enjoy it.. But... 

The Win LB is some truly amazing stuff.. Really with the 20+- tag its stupid not to buy enough for a few years.. Hevi is notorious for changing components at the drop of hat for the worse.. But everyone in the industry changes components from time to time altering patterns.. I would advise everyone to stock up as you never know when even out of the manufactures control things can change leaving you high and dry. 

Really with the performance/price matrix there may not be anything better coming down the pipe than the original LB in a long long time..


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

Ded,

I know you have said before but for us jerks who didn't pay attention, what brand shooty gun and choke do you use for Turkey? 3 inch or 3.5? 5 shot?

I am going to buy some of the Winchester XR's (non-mag, if I can find 'em) and if I don't start killin' 'em at a hunnert yards I'm going to be really peaved off!:lol:

Saw 10 walk across the road going to the store today! And a whole flock of maybe 40 up by the store. Is it Season yet!

Old Fred


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Fabner1 said:


> Ded,
> 
> I know you have said before but for us jerks who didn't pay attention, what brand shooty gun and choke do you use for Turkey? 3 inch or 3.5? 5 shot?
> 
> ...


I doubt your gonna get 100 yards out of them.. :lol: Longbeards are kinda scary because they are about the only shell to come down the pipe whereas the pattern density in some cases will hold up further than the pellet has ample penetration.. :yikes: If folks ignore the long range marketing and shoot them at moderate distances they are a great shell. 

For hunting I switched to a 20 in 98 or so.. First shot H 13 6s than Nitro 7s, than H 13 7s and for the last handful of year Fed HW 7s.. 

If I were to go back to a 12 I would most likely shoot 3 inch Longbeard 6s..


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

Ded,

You've been killin' biguns' wif a 20 gauge since '98?
I am dammed impressed! I thought you were just a 
run of the mill hero. You Sir, are true hero.

You must be a really great caller? Favorite call?

I've been retired since '98, when I was still a kid.

Oldun


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

DEDGOOSE said:


> If I were to go back to a 12 I would most likely shoot 3 inch Longbeard 6s..


...through a Nova sporting a Lohman choke tube! 

Finished it for you&#128521;


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Mr. Botek said:


> ...through a Nova sporting a Lohman choke tube!
> 
> Finished it for you&#128521;


You have one of them old Lohman Long Shot tubes? Supposedly they are one of the things that work well with the Fed HW 7s but they are pretty rare nowadays.. 

Last year I played with a choke in that same family with the Longbeards I had both a 655 original Mad Max and a 665.. Flambeau owned both Lohman and Mad.. They did really well.. The 665 was a nice even pattern in the 160s in a 10 inch circle and the 655 upped it over 200 at 40 yards..


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

I do. Posted the results in here somewhere last year. Had pretty good numbers and pellet spacing.


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