Well with the ammo short I went with bird in hand vs bird in bush. I shoot Stoeger 3500 with sumtoy 665 and typically XR 12 ga 3" with great results. Problem is only ammo I've found is XX so I grabbed four boxes just in case. Obviously I'll pattern it but I'm curious what thoughts are on these two on comparison?? Can I expect a big difference??
Double X is a great load. They'll typically open up a good bit faster than the Long Beards but better close up patterns by far. I really like them. Tend to pattern more evenly as well. LBs can get splotchy.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would rather use double x than long beard, they aren't as tight and have been more consistent for me.
I use the XX HV's in #5's and are killers for me!
Sometimes those XR's are just to tight when you kill'em up close... LOL he's Dead
MK M GOBL
With the sumtoy and this year added the FF3 I really think I might prefer the Xx!! Thanks fellas.
I also prefer the double x high velocity 3 1/2 2oz or the double x magnum 3 1/2 2 1/4oz loads over the longbeards. I've shot some amazing patterns with the long beards and killed several birds with them but then ran into issues with poi/poa moving around badly. Not sure if it was a bad batch or what but I'm just not willing to chance it again. I've yet to see any consistency issues with any of the "older school" winchester loads. You can load your gun with confidence every time every hunt with them. Their performance hasn't changed for me in 20 years.
Quote from: old3toe on February 21, 2021, 11:32:01 PM
I also prefer the double x high velocity 3 1/2 2oz or the double x magnum 3 1/2 2 1/4oz loads over the longbeards. I've shot some amazing patterns with the long beards and killed several birds with them but then ran into issues with poi/poa moving around badly. Not sure if it was a bad batch or what but I'm just not willing to chance it again. I've yet to see any consistency issues with any of the "older school" winchester loads. You can load your gun with confidence every time every hunt with them. Their performance hasn't changed for me in 20 years.
Thanks this is great feedback! I've loved the density of the XR but honestly with my choke setup its to my detriment at times how tight the pattern is under 30 hence adding optics this year.
XX is a better load imo. The poi def moves with the XR in my experience plus at normal ranges it's too tight.
Your welcome. The patterns are very dense with the XR's which makes drawing a fine bead at close ranges very critical. It's very easy to miss with them even if you do everything right but then the bird does something unexpected. Especially in woods hunting scenarios where shots can be so close.
Bowguy I've noticed more and more guys talking about the same issues with poi moving around with the XR's. I just hope they don't eventually phase out the double x and super x loads in place of the long beards!
Quote from: MK M GOBL on February 21, 2021, 09:10:17 PM
I use the XX HV's in #5's and are killers for me!
Sometimes those XR's are just to tight when you kill'em up close... LOL he's Dead
MK M GOBL
What gun and choke with the XX HV #5?
This morning i was fortunate to find 5 boxes of Winchester Double x 3 inch 20 ga. 1 1/4 5 shot for just over 5 dollars box. Box Qty was 10/ea. This was a great find locally. Double x and Supreme's are good shell in my opinion.
Quote from: old3toe on February 22, 2021, 06:16:37 PM
Your welcome. The patterns are very dense with the XR's which makes drawing a fine bead at close ranges very critical. It's very easy to miss with them even if you do everything right but then the bird does something unexpected. Especially in woods hunting scenarios where shots can be so close.
Bowguy I've noticed more and more guys talking about the same issues with poi moving around with the XR's. I just hope they don't eventually phase out the double x and super x loads in place of the long beards!
Well I'm aggravated they discontinued the regular xx supreme magnums for the high velocity compromise imo. Less shot in the air is not what we want. The bird doesn't get deader when we push a pellet slightly faster. The HV imo is marketing but I've got 80 or so magnum loads. Once they run out I'll be forced to try the HV.
Quote from: 10gaugemag on February 22, 2021, 06:39:53 PM
Quote from: MK M GOBL on February 21, 2021, 09:10:17 PM
I use the XX HV's in #5's and are killers for me!
Sometimes those XR's are just to tight when you kill'em up close... LOL he's Dead
MK M GOBL
What gun and choke with the XX HV #5?
Remington 11-87 12ga 3" and a Briley Super Full Turkey .665 diameter with straight rifling. (The straight rifling is claimed to stop the wad from spinning and increase pattern density)
MK M GOBL
Well I'm aggravated they discontinued the regular xx supreme magnums for the high velocity compromise imo. Less shot in the air is not what we want. The bird doesn't get deader when we push a pellet slightly faster. The HV imo is marketing but I've got 80 or so magnum loads. Once they run out I'll be forced to try the HV.
[/quote]
What I don't get is they still have double x magnums 2oz for the 3" on the Winchester website but no one carries them. Even before all the run on ammo. I was able to find one box of 5 shot a couple weeks ago. I really miss all the 2oz 3" standard lead loads.
Quote from: Missouri hunter on February 23, 2021, 10:36:41 AM
Well I'm aggravated they discontinued the regular xx supreme magnums for the high velocity compromise imo. Less shot in the air is not what we want. The bird doesn't get deader when we push a pellet slightly faster. The HV imo is marketing but I've got 80 or so magnum loads. Once they run out I'll be forced to try the HV.
What I don't get is they still have double x magnums 2oz for the 3" on the Winchester website but no one carries them. Even before all the run on ammo. I was able to find one box of 5 shot a couple weeks ago. I really miss all the 2oz 3" standard lead loads.
[/quote] The only place I've found these Winchester 2 oz loads, was one year at Bass Pro in Memphis Tenn. i got 3 boxes of them in 12 ga. hell of a shell..
Bowguy I'm not so sure they discontinued the 2 1/4oz magnums. I've bought them in the same new double x box the high velocity 3 1/2" 2oz loads come in now. New packaging but same shells. Black high velocities and red magnums. I think places just aren't carrying them anymore because of all the new loads out on the market now. Makes them harder to sell. But I talk to lots of people that want them and can't get them still. I've got a bunch of the 2 1/4oz 6's too and would get more if I found them. I do know where some 2 1/4oz magnum 4's are now and thought about grabbing some of them in case they did indeed quit making the magnums. I've never shot them though but heard in the past they are a killer patterning load too. They're in the new double X boxes too.