Winchester Unveils Long Beard XR Turkey Load

by
posted on September 19, 2013
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Winchester Ammunition has announced the arrival of a potentially revolutionary new turkey load, with the unveiling of Long Beard XR.

Designed to provide increased lethality at longer ranges than other turkey loads, Long Beard XR is driven by the company's new Shot-Lok Technology. An innovative new design, Shot-Lok produces twice the pellets in a 10" circle out to 60 yards compared to traditional lead loads—giving Long Beard XR the knockdown power of popular heavier-than-lead loads at a fraction of the cost.

A hardened resin that completely encapsulates the lead pellets, Shot-Lok eliminates air space around the pellet load, preventing movement and nearly eliminating pellet deformation. As the shot is charged, the resin fractures, forming a micro-buffer as the shot pattern leaves the gun barrel. The end result is pellets that remain round and fly straighter and tighter, providing for a more consistent payload and plenty of knockdown power—at longer ranges than most turkey hunters will be used to.

"Long Beard XR is the most innovative turkey load ever developed in the history of Winchester and our engineers continue to raise the bar every year with new products across many categories,” said Brett Flaugher, vice president of sales, marketing and strategy for Winchester Ammunition. “We are very excited to get this product in the hands of the millions of turkey hunters across North America … they will immediately recognize a difference in performance.”

Advantages of New Shot-Lok Technology:
• Protects shot during in-bore acceleration
• Shot launches from barrel near perfectly round for extremely tight long-range patterns
• Twice the number of pellets in a 10” circle out to 60 yards
• 10 percent greater penetration over standard lead loads beyond 50 yards
• Devastating terminal on-target performances

Long Beard XR will be available in the following specifications:

For more information Long Beard XR, or any other Winchester product, go to Winchester.com.

Latest

Weatherby Capra Right Lightest Bolt Action Rifle
Weatherby Capra Right Lightest Bolt Action Rifle

New For 2026: Weatherby Capra

This latest Mark V bolt-action rifle from Weatherby is poised to be the company's lightest ever, with a starting weight of just 4 pounds.

First Look: Remington We The People Ammunition for US 250th

Remington recently announced its "We The People" limited-edition ammunition line commemorating America's sesquicentennial.

#SundayGunday: Savage Arms B Series Timber Tactical

On this week's #SundayGunday, NRA Media's Jay Grazio checks out the B Series Timber Tactical from Savage. A nifty little rimfire with an 18-inch heavy-profile, deep spiral fluted barrel, the Timber Tactical comes available in .22 LR, .22 WMR and 17 HMR, perfect chamberings for plinkers and small-game hunters alike. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

New for 2026: Browning BAR MK 4 Hunter

One of America's favorite semi-automatic hunting rifles is back, in the Browning BAR MK 4. In this video, American Hunter Editor in Chief Scott Olmsted checks out the Hunter model, with a beautiful walnut stock, and aluminum alloy receiver.

New for 2026: Remington 7mm Backcountry Offerings

The 7mm BackCountry came to light last year this time, utilizing a Peak Alloy steel case to raise the pressure limits from the traditional 65,000 psi all the way up to 80,000 psi. For 2026, Remington has joined the party with three offerings for the 7BC: Core-Lokt, Core-Lokt Tipped, and Speer Impact.

Landmark Cougar Reproduction Confirmed in Michigan

Late last month, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) verified a Dec. 6 photo of an adult cougar being followed by two kittens down a snowy trail in central Ontonagon County. The last time the kittens were documented—in early March 2025—they were only about two months old and alone, raising concerns about their survival.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.