Winchester Long Beard XR Hits the Benchmark

At the NWTF's annual Still Target Championship last fall, the Winchester Long Beard XR ammunition lineup sets records, wins multiple crowns.

With the start of spring turkey hunting seasons looming across portions of North America in upcoming weeks, many hunters are looking for a little extra insurance for bagging the next longbeard gobbler that struts into shotgun range.

That search is made a little easier in the aftermath of recent results from the October 2017 National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) annual Still Target Championship event at the conservation organization's headquarters in Edgefield, S.C.

Leading the charge to the awards podium was Joseph Sloan, a shotgunner who has been shooting since age five when he started hunting with his dad. Using Winchester Long Beard XR #6 shotshells shot out of a 12-gauge custom bolt Savage shotgun equipped with an Indian Creek choke, Sloan shattered the 12-gauge Open Class record of 63 by shooting an 80.

Sloan bettered the previous record set the previous summer when Chris Scott captured the 12-Gauge Open Class title at the 2016 Still Target Championship.

Speaking of Scott, he set another record at the 2017 event, beating the 20-Gauge Open Class record by shooting a 39. To achieve his new benchmark, Scott used Winchester Long Beard XR #6 shot through a 20-gauge Ithaca-Gunworks shotgun with an Indian Creek .555 choke tube.

Finally, the third new event record in 2017 was set by Cody Waters, who broke the 20-Gauge Hunter class mark of 23 by shooting a 35. Waters, who was the 2016 champion in the same event, shot Winchester Long Beard XR #6 shot through a Remington 870 with a JEBS Headhunter Choke.

If three new Still Target Championship records aren't enough bang for the buck when it comes to Winchester's Long Beard XR turkey loads, the company also notes that all six divisional winners in Edgefield were also shooting Long Beard XR shotshells.

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"We are fortunate to have Long Beard XR ammunition as the most technologically advanced turkey load in the industry," said Matt Campbell, vice president of marketing and sales for Winchester Ammunition, in a news release. "This competition truly showcases its capabilities for turkey hunters on the range and in the field.

"Winchester is proud of its long-time association with the NWTF, the leader in wild turkey conservation across North America," he added.

What does all of this mean for spring turkey hunters?

Simply this, that when faced with a lovesick gobbler thundering his way through the springtime woods, hunters can count on the hard-hitting performance of Winchester Ammunition's record setting Long Beard XR shotshells to help get the job done.

For more information on the company's turkey hunting loads — and its Pattern Board App — visit the Winchester Ammunition's website here.