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When were all brass shotgun shells made?

When were all brass shotgun shells made?

Remington subcontracted the manufacture of metallic cartridges during the Civil War, but in 1871 began to manufacture its own and made brass shotshells as early as 1874.

What were old shotgun shells made of?

Most early shotgun cartridges had a brass case, just like rifle and pistol cartridges. A few manufacturers during 1870-1900 offered shotshells with paper cases, but the early paper cases swelled when wet and paper cases could not be reloaded as many times as brass cases.

When did they stop using brass shotgun shells?

Starting in about 1877, paper hulls started to replace brass shotgun shells. Paper hulls remained popular for nearly a century, until the late 1960s.

When did shotgun shells stop being paper?

1960s
These water-resistant, wax-impregnated paper shotgun shells were introduced in the 1870s as a lower-cost and lighter alternative to brass shells. Paper shotgun shells remained popular until the 1960s when plastic hulls took over the market.

Are high brass shotgun shells better?

People assume high-brass shells are more powerful and better. Ammunition makers know this, so they charge more for this high-brass ammo. But here’s the truth: not all high-brass shells are different from their low-brass counterparts. Some makers use the extra brass to get you to pay more money for less shell.

When did Winchester make brass shotgun shells?

Winchester first sold brass shotshells in 1877. Loaded brass shotshells were not sold until 1934, and then only as special orders. Brass shells could be reloaded almost indefinitely.

What year did shotgun shells become plastic?

First introduced in the late 1870s as a lower-cost and lighter alternative to brass, paper shells, coated with wax for water resistance, remained widespread until the introduction of plastic in the early 1960s. But the old shells never died out completely.

Are brass shotgun shells still made?

Modern shotgun shells typically consist of a plastic case, with the base covered in a thin brass plated steel covering. As noted previously, paper shells used to be common, and are still made, as are solid brass shells.

Why are brass shotgun shells high?

“High-brass” shells are something to watch for. “Low-brass” and “high-brass” refers to the height of the metal base at the bottom of the shell. People assume high-brass shells are more powerful and better. Ammunition makers know this, so they charge more for this high-brass ammo.

What is meant by high brass?

1 : brass containing at least 33 percent zinc — compare low brass. 2 : high-ranking officers or officials the living honorees weren’t always political or military or railroad high brass— B. A. Botkin & A. F. Harlow doesn’t know enlisted men and their opinion of high brass— G. W. Johnson.

When did they start making brass shotgun shells?

Manufacturing Begins. Brass shotgun shells began appearing around 1865, when ammunition companies started manufacturing shotshell. By the end of this decade, paper hulls were on the market as well. In 1885, the history of the shotgun shell was changed forever. Frank Chamberlin created a machine that loaded 1,200-1,500 shotgun shells an hour,…

What kind of shot shells did the US military use?

The US military then decided to go back to the old style, brass cased, shot shells for field combat use. After switching back to brass, they never experienced problems again.

What kind of primer was used on shotgun shells?

The primers on these paper hull shotgun shells also changed from the pistol primers used on the early brass shotgun shells to a primer containing both the priming charge and an anvil, unlike rifle and pistol ammunition, making the shotgun shell primer taller.

When did they start using plastic shotgun hulls?

Starting in the early 1960s, plastic hulls started replacing paper hulls for the majority of shotgun shells and by the 1980s, plastic hulls had become universally adopted.

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Ruth Doyle