Thanks Outdoor Life magazine

[Shellwaster]

So my lovely wife gave me a subscription to Outdoor Life magazine as a Christmas present last year and so far it hasn't been all that bad. If I'm not mistaken it is the same publisher as Field and Stream.  Well I receive the January edition yesterday and wouldn't you know it, one if the advertised articles on the cover is, "New turkey load to pound birds beyond 50 yards."

The load the teaser is referring to is the winchester long beard and the genius that wrote the article felt the need to illustrate that he was able to get 56 pellets in a 10" circle at 70 yards shooting 3" #6 and got 1-3/4" penetration into ballistics gel.

He also states in the last paragraph of the write up, "Winchester isn't advocating for every turkey hunter to start killing birds at 70 yards. Each hunter must determine his own ethical and effective killing range. With the new Long Beard round, Winchester is simply giving you the option to extend that range."

So, how many people do you think will take marginal shots at this distance because Mr. Alex Robinson said this load could do it?
I'm glad someone is writing articles about new products but does write ups like this hurt or help the sport?

[guesswho]

So, how many people do you think will take marginal shots at this distance because Mr. Alex Robinson said this load could do it?

Very few, only because most of those idiots are going to take the shot no matter what Mr. Alex Robinson say's.

[tomstopper]

So, how many people do you think will take marginal shots at this distance because Mr. Alex Robinson said this load could do it?

Very few, only because most of those idiots are going to take the shot no matter what Mr. Alex Robinson say's.

Read the article also last night and showed it to a guy at work (who also believes you don't even need to pattern your gun) and his immediate response was that hes going to buy at least six boxes. We argued for a while about ethics and preparation and even after I mentioned his miss last year when he shot at 53 yds, this idiot still believes that he can shoot that far with these rounds because ODL says so. Then he wonders why I take other coworkers out and not him....

[Gamblinman]

As ethical harvesters of game, all we can do is educate those who will listen. Those who fail to take heed will have to live with their shortcomings.

Gman

[VA_Birdhunter]

So, how many people do you think will take marginal shots at this distance because Mr. Alex Robinson said this load could do it?

Very few, only because most of those idiots are going to take the shot no matter what Mr. Alex Robinson say's.

I agree guesswho! 

[jakesdad]

Saw the same thing on the Drurys show the other day.Shot a 60 yd target then showed the results then Mark Drury pipes off "thats an 80 yd gun!".Great.How many boneheads will see that and think anything inside 75 is in the fryin pan.

I can understand 40 and maaaaayyyyybe 50 in the right hands with a tested setup,but c'mon 80?Whatever happened to callin em in close enough to see their eyelashes?

[Old Gobbler]

Those new Winchester loads are way overrated , they shoot about as tight as a standard premium turkey shells BUT they are lead .... With much less knockdown , and on top of that ....there is allegations that it shoots significantly slower than what is advertised -  until someone chronographs them we won't know the truth , but I have heard they clock in at 1125 fps not 1200 - just what I heard , not saying it's true

What is true is that for years Winchester publicized that 2.6 foot pounds of KE -is what was needed to kill a gobbler with a shot shell pellet ...... Winchester is contradicting their own research , research that indicates what everyone knows that a lead #6 at 1200 fps runs right out of gas just before 40 yards at 2.3 foot pounds - the #4 loads shoots too low in #s and would be near worthless in pellet density and distribution past 45 yards that's for darn sure - so where do they get off publicizing 66 yard shots ?

They are a perhaps a half decent 40 yard shell , but they are way off base letting some of that advertising hit the public like  that , very irresponsible

[WildSpur]

Though it's appealing hearing all the #'s I am content using htl.  It's still lead--susceptible to deformation and quicker energy loss.  I will take my oblong pellets that won't deform and will cause greater tissue damage anyday.  I am still a 40 yard shooter but I just like having a little insurance if off by a few yards.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Gooserbat]

There are people who believe the "experts" because they wright for a magazine or are on tv.  You can't change that, just like you can't change the guy who has always shot #4 lead because it's bigger even though the proof is there that the sheer numbers of HTL #6 will out range it.  In short you cant exchange  ignorance if someone is happy & stubborn.  I just go on and let them be.

[BowBendr]

In short you cant exchange  ignorance if someone is happy & stubborn.  I just go on and let them be.

Truest words i've heard spoken in a long time......

[allaboutshooting]

It's really up to us to promote ethical hunting through all we say and do. Many hunters visit this site and read what we have to say. They look at the targets that are posted and many will accept them as "gospel" because they have faith in what we do.

We must be responsible stewards of what has been provided for us and act accordingly.

Thanks,
Clark

[chatterbox]

This is a big problem.
Turkey hunting is a close contact sport. Call them in close, and dispatch them quickly and humanely.
Taking a pot shot at a bird at 50 plus yards because Winchester says this lead shell will do it is such a bad idea. All this new packaging does, is hold the pattern tighter at 40, not making lead any more lethal past 40.
Lead is still lead. 

[R AJ]

I wonder if they plan on encasing buckshot in resin for next year and claim 200 yard shogun range on deer?

I honestly believe that this will turn out to be a 35 yds.  and under nightmare from some of the patterns I have seen. It just holds too tight for me at 30 yards but I'll see if a more open choke will work on close shots.
And, if they are under 35 yards then their other shell does the trick for me. This shell will return some interesting
reports before its all said and done for sure. IMO.

Now for those really open plains states and large fields/openings it may just be the ticket if it doesn't get too close.

[jakesdad]

My sons JAKES magazine came today and the entire back cover ad was:

                                     "66 YDS"....."I shot this turkey at 66 yds with
                                      the new Winchester LONG BEARD blah,blah,blah,etc"-Mark Drury

Real nice.Now every kid and/or adult is gonna think this can be them.

[drenalinld]

MAD, ugh!