Question on Winchester longbeard xr shells

[Crow Hunter]

I am going to pick up a box to pattern against what I am shooting now. Here is my question. They are available in both 1 3/4 oz. shot and 1 7/8 oz. shot in 12 gauge. In a 3" 12 gauge #5 shot shell, that comes out to a 21 pellet difference. The velocity for 1 3/4 is 1200 fps, for 1 7/8 is 1080. At 20 yards it would make very little difference, but say at 45 yards would you rather have the extra 21 pellets or the added velocity? I suppose the answer is to buy both and pattern them, but I am curious as to the thoughts of the folks on this board. Thanks

[trolloni]

Yes you want the extra ,after 3 weeks hunting a gobbler that give me fits, I was finally able to tag him at 62 paces with  xr  3inch no. 5 shot , I like 5s  a nice happy medium,  not to heavy and not to light ,4s are long range power but you really l have to aim at short range with em ,6s are great out to  45  after that, not so much. no matter how far you shoot  em get a scope!

[Crow Hunter]

You mean the extra pellets, or the extra powder? I put a Vortex red dot sight on my turkey gun, like it a lot.

[monstermoose78]

Power for longer range 

[rkhinrichs]

I like 1 3/4! 

[rundrave]

I would buy a box of both, and go pattern each. Both will kill a bird. Neither of them may pattern the same. And not every gun will shoot the same. 

 

Shoot some of each at 20, 30 40 yards etc and then shoot what your most confident with.

[Crow Hunter]

Yup, that's my plan. I will pattern both against what I have been using, at different ranges and probably with a couple different choke tubes.

[Hoyt4]

Get both shells it will cost a little but you will know which patterns better out of your gun. I use 3.5 #4's they pattern the best out of Mossberg but 3 #5's are way better out of my remington then #4's . 3.5 #4 still pattern a lot better out of my Mossberg. All Winchester LB

 

 

This year I started to use my 20guage and loved it.

[Wallydog]

I prefer and shoot 1 3/4 oz of 6's which will whack anything out to 50-60 yards

[Crow Hunter]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to get a box of 1 3/4 #5's and a box of 1 3/4 #6's and pattern them against what I have been shooting, Hope to get that done when I go up to mow my trails this fall, whenever I can free up some time to go. I will post some results.