New shells, longbeard and kents

[TeeBugg]

Picked up some longbeard 3" #6 and some kent ultimate diamond 3" #6 2oz. Heard great thinga about the longbeard, but not too much on the kents. Anybody have any reviews on the kent?

Sent from the woods

[phade]

I have never had good luck with Kent. Ever. Don't know why, but they just patterned like poo.

[TeeBugg]

Ive been finding mixed results on them. Figured i would try and pattern some an see

Sent from the woods

[Five Seasons]

I've heard mixed results on longbeards. I honestly don't like their ad with the Drury brothers claiming to shoot out to 60+. Those shots are not ideal for the average hunter, and an ad like that will have the weekend hunter thinking it's a good ethical shot. 40 and under and I'll stick to my hev-13

[alloutdoors]

Based on the results of many, many people Longbeards are probably the best lead shell ever developed. I've got a couple boxes of 3" 5's I plan to use in my backup gun this year. Once it warms up a bit and the wind stops blowing 20mph for a few minutes I'll get out and pattern them myself, but from what I've seen I'm confident it will be the best lead patterns I've ever had. That said, lead is lead. Keep your shots to 40 yards and you will have dead birds. Don't listen to the Doofy brothers and their 60+ yard nonsense.

[rotorooter23]

I love the magna blend from hevishot. A mix of 5,6,7,shot. I've never had better patterns and my kicks choke. Pretty pricey but IMO it is worth it.

Edited March 28, 2014 by rotorooter23

[Lawdwaz]

I've heard mixed results on longbeards. I honestly don't like their ad with the Drury brothers claiming to shoot out to 60+. Those shots are not ideal for the average hunter, and an ad like that will have the weekend hunter thinking it's a good ethical shot. 40 and under and I'll stick to my hev-13

 

Kind of like 75-100 yard bow shots?

 

 

Here we go.....................................................

[ants]

I saw the adds for the long beard and thought the same thing. "Guys will buy them, not pattern them in their gun and take 60+ yard pokes at birds" because the Drury Bros. claim its doable. 

The shells seemed to pattern great at 40 and not too bad ar 50yds. but the 60 yard mark was not impressive at all. They do claim that you have to find the right gun/choke combo. Not many guys will take the time.

I did try some Kents a while back but they didn't come close to patterning as well as Winchester double X so I tossed them in the box of forgotten ammo.

[Pygmy]

" Tossed them in the box of forgotten ammo"....<<GRIN>>..

I have one of those, too.

As much as I enjoy technical ballistic data, I have never been struck by the urge to seek out a super long range turkey load. I have always felt that as long as I have good sure kill coverage at 40-45 yards, that is all I need, at least for my style of hunting. In my guns I have always been able to achieve that with 3" 12 gauge loads of Federal or Winchester lead, buffered, copper plated loads.

I have patterned several different brands and there is ( or CAN be) a difference in different brands. Remington products, for whatever reason, have always given me poorer patterns than the Federals or Winchesters.

I never felt the need to try the $5 per shell denser than lead stuff. I just try to make sure that the bird is within the range of the standard loads that I have been killing turkeys with for 40 years or so.

Actually, I prefer a load with a somewhat bigger pattern than some of those "super loads" provide. It is a little more forgiving should a bird get in TOO close, and I can avoid trying to hit a moving turkey head at close range with a shot pattern the size of a slug.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Pygmy

[phade]

I missed a bird three seasons ago at mere feet. I never patterned my gun for feet. The pattern was the size of a ping pong ball at that distance when I did. It was also ever so slightly off to one side, explaining why that bird laughed at me.

[Five Seasons]

Kind of like 75-100 yard bow shots?

 

 

Here we go.....................................................

 

to the "expert" hunter it's possible. But most of us are not experct archers or turkey hunters. But just like the guy that buys the same driver tiger woods uses and expects to hit as far, the hunting world is full of the same type of person expecting unrealistic results and the marketers pray on it. Only difference is that in golf you just loose some balls. In the woods, you wound an animal.

[ants]

I missed a bird three seasons ago at mere feet. I never patterned my gun for feet. The pattern was the size of a ping pong ball at that distance when I did. It was also ever so slightly off to one side, explaining why that bird laughed at me.

Ouch..I have hat toms right on top of me too and ended up taking their heads clean off. Not pretty.  Because of that I have always thought about hunting turkeys with an over under. Full choke on top IC on the bottom.

[maytom]

I love the magna blend from hevishot. A mix of 5,6,7,shot. I've never had better patterns and my kicks choke. Pretty pricey but IMO it is worth it.

 

 

 

Whoa, Kick's states right on their web site NOT to use Hevi-Shot through their choke tubes!!! You may very well be ruining yours big time................just a heads up.

[Pygmy]

 

Ouch..I have hat toms right on top of me too and ended up taking their heads clean off. Not pretty.  Because of that I have always thought about hunting turkeys with an over under. Full choke on top IC on the bottom.

I did that for a number of years with my Browning Citori...3" Win XX 6s in the full tube and a reload of lead 7 1/2s in the IC tube.. I'll tell you, a big gobbler will absolutely WILT under a load of 7 1/2s at 25 yards, and with the IC tube it was hard to miss.

I got tired of having to tape/camo the Browning...Didn't want to reduce the resale value by installing sling swivels, so I used a slip on sling, which was somewhat of a PITA..

I finally gave up on it and went back to a straight full choke 3" mag..

I now reserve the Citori for ducks and pheasants...Using it for a turkey gun was a good idea, but more complicated than necessary.

A buddy of mine uses a matte finish Win 101 as his turkey gun...He had camo taped it and it rusted under the tape..So he just had it bead blasted and blued, installed the sling swivels, etc. and hunts turkeys with it..Works great for him. He has rib mounted adjustable fiber optic sights on it...

[ants]

I still might go the o/u route one of these days. I can't find a gun that I like. Like you said, Its either too nice to tape up and drill into or its too cheesy. I had my eye on one a few years ago that would have been perfect, It was matt finished had factory sling studs and was fairly light. I dont recall the name of it but it was made in Italy. Not a beretta.??? it was about $700 used. I waited too long and it was gone. Im still half a$$ looking.

[alloutdoors]

Shooting at turkeys past 40 yards with lead has nothing to do with being an "expert" hunter, being an expert doesn't change the laws of physics. The Winchester ad with the Doofies boasting about a 66 yard shot makes no mention of which Longbeard loading they were using. The shells come in 6 flavors, 4, 5, and 6 shot, in either 3" or 3 1/2". Size 6 lead runs out of gas pretty quick after 40 yards and you can forget about making a clean 66 yard kill with it. Size 5 fairs a little better but it's going to take a lucky shot. The 4's will do it energy wise, but good luck getting a reliable pattern. The 66 yard shot was almost certainly with 3 1/2" 4's, and it was a lucky shot no matter what anyone says. That's if it even happened, wouldn't be the first time the truth got stretched to push a product.

 

Winchester has developed arguably the greatest lead turkey load of all time, and paired it with one of the most deplorable advertising campaigns ever seen. Guys that buy into the advertising, especially the ones who have never even bothered to pattern a turkey gun in their life, are going to wound a lot of birds with these by trying to be turkey snipers instead of turkey hunters. They are an amazing shell though for people who recognize their limitations.

 

That brings up another point, expert turkey hunters call their birds in close for a clean kill. They don't take pot shots at turkeys from the next county over, and they are willing to acknowledge the days when the bird has won the game and will walk away with a smile on their face just the same.

Edited March 28, 2014 by alloutdoors

[pistolp71]

Well said Alloutoors.

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[ants]

A lot of good points. They went all out to show that this, above all other things, was a long range turkey load. The main point of the whole add was range. How much energy will the pellets have left at 60+ yards? Enough to punch paper but how much more? I don't know.

[Doewhacker]

Ants I ran an o/u with Winchesters last year, love it and plan on using this year again. I don't camo tape it though I'd rather risk getting busted than cover up a pretty gun.

[Five Seasons]

Shooting at turkeys past 40 yards with lead has nothing to do with being an "expert" hunter, being an expert doesn't change the laws of physics. The Winchester ad with the Doofies boasting about a 66 yard shot makes no mention of which Longbeard loading they were using. The shells come in 6 flavors, 4, 5, and 6 shot, in either 3" or 3 1/2". Size 6 lead runs out of gas pretty quick after 40 yards and you can forget about making a clean 66 yard kill with it. Size 5 fairs a little better but it's going to take a lucky shot. The 4's will do it energy wise, but good luck getting a reliable pattern. The 66 yard shot was almost certainly with 3 1/2" 4's, and it was a lucky shot no matter what anyone says. That's if it even happened, wouldn't be the first time the truth got stretched to push a product.

Winchester has developed arguably the greatest lead turkey load of all time, and paired it with one of the most deplorable advertising campaigns ever seen. Guys that buy into the advertising, especially the ones who have never even bothered to pattern a turkey gun in their life, are going to wound a lot of birds with these by trying to be turkey snipers instead of turkey hunters. They are an amazing shell though for people who recognize their limitations.

That brings up another point, expert turkey hunters call their birds in close for a clean kill. They don't take pot shots at turkeys from the next county over, and they are willing to acknowledge the days when the bird has won the game and will walk away with a smile on their face just the same.

In regards to my term "expert hunter" I was referring more to the 70 yard bow shot. And I agree with the rest if what you said. Although I do believe veteran hunters can afford longer shots. Just not 66 yards.

[Five Seasons]

Whoa, Kick's states right on their web site NOT to use Hevi-Shot through their choke tubes!!! You may very well be ruining yours big time................just a heads up.

Good point. A lot if chokes don't like hevi, including most factory chokes. Make sure you research before you buy.

[TeeBugg]

I like getting them close, just like deer hunting. I dont see the need for any turkeys shot past 35/40 yards. If you cant get them closer than maybe its time to work on your calling or setup. Thats just my opinion. Back to the topic at hand....im going to try the kents and longbeards today and see what happens.

Sent from the woods

[rotorooter23]

Whoa, Kick's states right on their web site NOT to use Hevi-Shot through their choke tubes!!! You may very well be ruining yours big time................just a heads up.

 

I am well aware, many people have used it multiple times and not had a single problem and neither have I. I have never gotten a better pattern and the issue I believe was through a certain choke Comp N choke that sheered. Kicks is made from the same 17-4 ph (pre-hardened) stainless steel that Indian Creek and all those other top chokes make. Just saying is all. 

[Dr. Honk]

Most of my shots are inside 30 yards. I have shot the Kent's with out an issue #5 shot. Heavy shot 5 or 6, Winchester XX #5. I buy turkey loads that I feel are a good bargain.

I like the challenge of getting the gobblers in close. When I see their eyelashes, I shoot 'em in the beak

[Pygmy]

Most of my shots are inside 30 yards. I have shot the Kent's with out an issue #5 shot. Heavy shot 5 or 6, Winchester XX #5. I buy turkey loads that I feel are a good bargain.

I like the challenge of getting the gobblers in close. When I see their eyelashes, I shoot 'em in the beak

 

Just wait until you can smell grasshoppers on thier breath.

 

Then you can kill 'em with skeet loads...<<grin>>....