Nightcrawler
New member
What were shotgun shells made of way back when before they invented plastic?
Shotgun shell question
- Thread starter Nightcrawler
- Start date
Shotgun Shells
What were they made of, why paper of course.
Federal still makes paper shells for diehard Trapshooters who believe they give better patterns. they smell nice too!
BTW the paper shells did not have plastic shotcups, the shot was forced to go down the barrel without protection. The wads were felt and paper, like the wads in the cheap Winchester promo loads sold in discount stores.
Ah the good old days
with an 870 with ribless barrel with fixed choke and paper shells.
Geoff Ross
What were they made of, why paper of course.
Federal still makes paper shells for diehard Trapshooters who believe they give better patterns. they smell nice too!
BTW the paper shells did not have plastic shotcups, the shot was forced to go down the barrel without protection. The wads were felt and paper, like the wads in the cheap Winchester promo loads sold in discount stores.
Ah the good old days
with an 870 with ribless barrel with fixed choke and paper shells. Geoff Ross
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
Paper boy
I still remember the paper hulls, brass was before my time. I had not thought of the smell of paper shells in many years. Many a Saturday was spent with my Dad shooting doves.
Thanks.....
Giz
I still remember the paper hulls, brass was before my time. I had not thought of the smell of paper shells in many years. Many a Saturday was spent with my Dad shooting doves.
Thanks.....
Giz
Mike Irwin
Staff
Well, lots of things have been tried, and used...
Brass was EXTREMELY common. Alcan still made brass shells up until a few years ago, and you can still get brass (and reloading gear) from a couple of sources, including Old Western Scrounger and Dixie.
Brass could be found in a couple of different compositions, both solid brass (as in a cartridge) or in a combination of a brass foil/paper sandwich that was wrapped and with the head riveted on to either an iron or a brass base. The primer cup actually served as the rivet.
Another early material was drawn copper.
Probably the most common material used up until post WW II was waxed paper. I've still got several boxes that my father bought years and years ago.
Aluminum was tried just after WW II, but wasn't very successful, and was never really introduced commercially. The US Air Force used aluminum-hulled .410s for their survival guns.
There were also a number of experiments with celluoids, bakelite (an early plastic), phenolic resins, rubber, and even collidon, but these were less than successful.
Brass was EXTREMELY common. Alcan still made brass shells up until a few years ago, and you can still get brass (and reloading gear) from a couple of sources, including Old Western Scrounger and Dixie.
Brass could be found in a couple of different compositions, both solid brass (as in a cartridge) or in a combination of a brass foil/paper sandwich that was wrapped and with the head riveted on to either an iron or a brass base. The primer cup actually served as the rivet.
Another early material was drawn copper.
Probably the most common material used up until post WW II was waxed paper. I've still got several boxes that my father bought years and years ago.
Aluminum was tried just after WW II, but wasn't very successful, and was never really introduced commercially. The US Air Force used aluminum-hulled .410s for their survival guns.
There were also a number of experiments with celluoids, bakelite (an early plastic), phenolic resins, rubber, and even collidon, but these were less than successful.
Nightcrawler
New member
Thanks!
That's what I love about TFL. No matter what question you have, SOMEbody usually has an answer!
That's what I love about TFL. No matter what question you have, SOMEbody usually has an answer!
Mike Irwin
Staff
Nightcrawler,
I forgot one metal that was used in a limited fashion for at least a time....
Mild steel. It was tried, found to be unsatisfactory, and dumped.
I forgot one metal that was used in a limited fashion for at least a time....
Mild steel. It was tried, found to be unsatisfactory, and dumped.