New Wincester XR turkey loads

clark270

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Joined
Feb 21, 2013
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162
Location
The Dam, WI.
Does anyone use a Mossberg 935 or 835 with the Winchester XR loads and what choke do you use? I have the factory turkey choke for regular lead turkey loads, and a Truglo Extreme that I use with heavy shot.
 
If you're referring to the new long beards, I'd recommend contacting sumtoy chokes. Little pricier than your typical choke tube sitting on a dealers shelf but worth the money. Bought one last year and it'll never leave the gun. Thing to remember though is that the energy of your lead shot will dissipate before the pattern does. Try the #4's to keep the energy up.
 
That's why I like Heavy shot for farther shots retains a little more energy and I can drop down in shot size and get a little more shot. Right now the only birds I missed were at 20, 40, and 30yds. 40 and 30 was the same bird that ran broadside on his way out. Lately I dropped quite a few birds at 45-72yds. They get call/decoy shy and shot at a lot where I hunt. Public and private. It's been a long, long time since a bird came in gobbling. Now they come in silent and they do strut sometimes but not like it used to be about 15 years ago. I think it is from an increase in turkey hunting, and shooting at turkeys. I hear a lot of multiple shots out there and it doesn't sound good. Why can't people pattern their guns? What do I know I still pluck my turkeys.
 
I have a 24" Remmy 870 barrel that holds 3 1/2" shells which has also had the forcing cones lengthened. I recently purchased the TRULOCK Long Beard XR choke tube for No. 5 shot and was intended for the Win. turkey loads. It shoots the 3" Winny XR load **** good out to 45 yards. . .but I played with the Hornady 3" No. 5 loads over the weekend and even with the lighter payload, my patterns were much denser and I would say a accurate 55 yard load/combo on turkeys.

Check them out; trulockchokes.com

Good luck this season!
 
I'd agree with what wvmountainhick said about longbeards. The shot seems to stay together in a pattern longer than it has energy to do the job.
 
Videotaped a kill on Saturday with Longbeard XRs.

Benelli M1 Super 90, 12ga

JEBS Headhunter

3" Longbeard XR #4s

75 yards, Dead. Right. There.

Found no pellets in the body, several in the head/neck and one that broke wing bone at the joint, straight through. Not bad down range energy for lead.

I shoot a JEBs in my 20ga 870 but I'll have to stick with Fed Heavyweight until WIN makes those XRs in my gauge.
 
Do you have to have a special choke for these shells? I'm wanting to try them but my shotgun I use was my dad's Turkey gun he had it sent to mark bansher it has been choked and sleeved with his Turkey predator choke and it is tight. Just curious if it has on the box that you have to use certain chokes or not..
 
I myself use 3 1/2 federal premiums number 6s and absolutely smoked two birds the last two springs. Have fell in love with the 870 super mag . Put a mossy oak skin on it just because . Ive hunted the same place the last four years and the last two I have figured out where to be even if I don't hear a gobbler wait and they will sneak through its a low gap in the ridge and for what ever reason by 9 am you'll most likely see or at least hear one coming by that will be willing to talk love with ya.
 
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.
 
One of my best friends is using a jellyhead choke in his 835 with#6 3 1/2 longbeards and it almost unreal at the pattern he is getting .
Does anyone use a Mossberg 935 or 835 with the Winchester XR loads and what choke do you use? I have the factory turkey choke for regular lead turkey loads, and a Truglo Extreme that I use with heavy shot.
 
I made a full strut decoy out of a Tom I shot and it gets destroyed by birds. I now have my bow setup to shoot bullhead arrows to lop off turkey heads. Full sized mounted turkey is a pain use but well worth it. Put it where the toms will see it.
 
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