2.75" Winchester Longbeard

[bluetick78]

I have a specific need for some Winchester Longbeard shells in 2 3/4". It's for an old shotgun that is probably not suitable for TSS ( nor do I want to spend $80-$100 for 5 shells). The gun only takes 2 3/4". Winchester's website shows it as an active item, but finding any of them locally or online has proved fruitless.
Do any of you know where to find a box or 2 of these? Or have some you'd be willing to part with?

 

[eamyrick]

I looked and haven’t seen any either.

 

[LongWayAround]

Scheels has a few options for 2.75" 12ga turkey loads, but no longbeard xr.

https://www.scheels.com/c/shotgun-ammunition/?r=gauge%3A12%3BshellLength%3A2-3%252F4%2520in.%3BshotType%3ALead%3BhuntingSeason%3ATurkey

 

[Jack321]

Granted its not "Long Beard" but its 2.75, lead turkey loads:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1161048857

 

[slatebuilder]

I have always wanted to try long beard xr 2.75”. If you can’t find that, Winchester superx 5 or 6 is great. The old Remington 2.75” nitro mags work pretty well too.

 

[Macintosh]

I used the longbeard xr stuff for years, but I havent seen it in a shop in forever. It does pattern noticeably tighter than any lead shells I tried. I dont know if its bismuth or some alloy, but it acts like its harder than lead. If you have access to try some, could be worth trying a bismuth waterfowl load in 6’s. Might be easier to find, and its not quite as pricey as tss. Being harder than lead it should pattern a bit tighter. Winchester offered some of the earliest bismuth shotshells I know of around the same time they introduced this…Id bet the xr is just bismuth shot.

 

[DuckDawg22]

I checked ammoseek and there is plenty of 3" but nothing in 2.75. If it ain't there, it probably aint anywhere

 

[bcv]

gunbroker

 

[eamyrick]

gunbroker

I’m sure you are a nice guy but I hope you get stung in the ear by a hornet because I just spent the last 5 minutes looking for it on gunbroker and there ain’t any there.

 

[bcv]

Fair enough.
You didn't put gauge so I had a 50/50 chance.
Turkey season is in or will be in for everyone soon. Most shells are sold out now but if you create a saved search... they'll pop up there...... eventually.

 

[huntineveryday]

Fiocchi Golden Pheasant Extreme would be a 2 3/4" load of nickel plated lead at 1485fps. I know it's not you you asked for, but my kids have dropped quite a few turkeys at 25 yards with golden pheasant 20 guage loads that are slower than those. Might be worth a look if you can't find the longbeards you're looking for.

https://www.scheels.com/p/76234470386?queryID=1ac1caf4df2275cd

 

[bluetick78]

Sorry, I didn't specify 12 gauge. It's for my father's Ithaca 37 12 ga. Beautiful gun, shoots great patterns with most 2.75 turkey loads. It does pretty decent with Federal Grand Slams in #5, but isn't a 40 yd turkey slayer. I really think the Longbeards could stretch it to 40-45 pretty easy. We hunt really open country, and it's a long ways between gobblers. Most stop and strut at 40 to 50 yds if you are really lucky, and it would be tough to take a gun that would cause him to have to pass most birds that we call in. Newer 12's with 3 or 3.5 inch lead loads work fine, but he's always wanted to hang a tag on one with that old gun.
I can't get him to hunt some other places I like, with tighter cover and higher turkey density. He's 74, and the thick stuff is tough for him to walk through.
I was excited to see a Longbeard XR 2.75" load on Winchester's website, but it seems like it's unobtainable currently. I've even tried to get him to shoot 2.75" TSS, but he's sure it'll mess up his gun.

 

[treydfoster]

Honestly, just go get a box of pheasant loads in the shot size of your choosing, I like number 5's. They'll be deadly as sin.

 

[dtrkyman]

TSS is loaded in a heavy duty wad, he is likely shooting a fixed full choke, the shot will never touch the barrel, unfortunately the economical Herters TSS is no longer made in 2 3/4 either.

Winchester double x in 2 3/4 were viable at 40 but with a turkey choke!

Grab a DSD decoy set and shoot anything, a bird will be right on the decoy at some point!