20 gauge long beard xr #6

[Berry93]

Hey everyone, new to this forum but not to turkey hunting. Does anyone know if winchester is making Long Beard Xr in 20 gauge #6? They advertise it on their website, but I have never been able to find it in store or online. I'm going to try the #5s, but my gun has always like #6 more.

[Kylongspur88]

They make it but good luck finding it.

[owlhoot]

They make it but good luck finding it.

this right here and I look for ammo a lot.

[sswv]

I have just recently left several messages with Winchester Ammo and if/when they return the call I'm gonna ask what's the deal with the LB 20ga 3" #6's.  I have spoke with Donnie there with other questions in the past and he's always honest and up front so when I know something....y'all will know what I know.

[Mossyguy]

The store I shop at in the town next to me had some as recently as a week ago. I can check and see if they still have any.

[Sungrazer]

20ga. LBXR #6 has been hard for me to find, last year and this year. Seen quite a bit of 3.5"and 3" 12ga.
But 20ga.Turkey loads are rarely seen around me, and I've checked a lot of different cities. Now if you want TSS the shelves are full...

[Greg Massey]

Thank goodness i bought several boxes of them in 6's back last year...

[Dtrkyman]

Not that I have looked for it but anytime I am at a store with ammo I check out the turkey loads or lack there of, I have never seen 20ga longbeard 6s.  Have seen 5s a few places.

One of the reasons I went to loading my own.

[Greg Massey]

Not that I have looked for it but anytime I am at a store with ammo I check out the turkey loads or lack there of, I have never seen 20ga longbeard 6s.  Have seen 5s a few places.

One of the reasons I went to loading my own.

They do make them .... i'm looking at a box of them now ... but i agree it's hard to find... i bought several boxes from the Bass Pro Shop....

[sswv]

just got off the phone with "the guy" at Winchester Ammo and he said that Longbeard XR's wouldn't be produced again until October 2023. so in short, there's no more coming until the fall. I am convinced the industry is forcing folks to go TSS. the end result in loading them compared to copper plated lead is close in money per round but the end result of the price on the shelf is making the manufactures rich. 

[357MAGNOLE]

If only someone would start their own brand of TSS shells to bring competitive pricing to the market.

[Marc]

just got off the phone with "the guy" at Winchester Ammo and he said that Longbeard XR's wouldn't be produced again until October 2023. so in short, there's no more coming until the fall. I am convinced the industry is forcing folks to go TSS. the end result in loading them compared to copper plated lead is close in money per round but the end result of the price on the shelf is making the manufactures rich.

For tungston products, the cost of materials is high. 

As far as lead, it should be cheap, but to my understanding, there is no more lead smelting in the U.S.

Speaking as a business owner, staffing issues are still a concern...  I would and will outsource everything I can...  Employees have extremely unrealistic attitudes of pay grade for work being done, and finding quality employees is difficult...

Largest contact lens distributor in the US had 11 bases in the US, and cut it to 4...  According to someone in the business, not due to lack of business, but due to lack of hiring qualified employees.

Best US opometry billing company in the US has a 2 year waiting list, cause they simply cannot hire and keep employees.


So with ammunition we have a material issue, cause nothing is obtained or produced in the U.S., and we have manufacturing issues due to staffing...  And we have shipping issues (cause nothing is from the US)...  Throw in inflation, and an administration that does not want to see the cost of firearms or ammunition come down in cost...  And we get absurd pricing for ammunition.

[Marc]

I would actually switch to my 20 ga. as a turkey gun in a heartbeat...  But even a couple years ago, 20 ga. ammunition was more difficult to find, and more costly to purchase than 12 ga.

Currently, finding good 20 ga. ammunition in California, is like finding a striped unicorn.  Now I have one kid hunting, and another getting ready to...  Any 20 ga. ammo I find goes into their stash.

[Dtrkyman]

Precisely why I got into had loading...wanted a light gun and a legit turkey pattern in a sun gauge.

Starting loading my own prior to long beard's being available but would have likely went TSS anyway!

Seemed every time I found a load I liked they changed or discontinued it, that was in 12ga too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sswv]

you're pretty spot on Marc.   my son hires about one every week or so and more often than not they're gone the next week. one actually told him that sitting home paid better.  wonder why? LOL

there's actually offerings for 3" 20ga ammo around here with the exception of LB XR's.