Question for shotgun gurus

[Tenntrapper]

Growing up, if going dove hunting, you grabbed some "low brass" shells. Squirrel, you grabbed the high brass.

Searching for ammo, I've noticed something. You can get the same weight load, at same(sometimes faster) speeds, with low brass shells.
So, what dictates the brass height?

 

[rukiddin]

Can't really answer your question but I know for a fact that the Rem STS target loads are one the best hulls there is for reloading magnum 2-3/4" shells. I've got a few boxes of 1-3/8 oz lead 4's and 5's I loaded for varmint. They're not very "recoil friendly" though.........haha

 

[DaveB]

The high brass allows for a larger powder charge. Generally speaking you would have more pellets and get the same speed as a low brass lighter pellet weight shell. Lots of fellas here load for shotties, they will have a more accurate answer.

For example, if memory serves, for pheasant we used high brass 6's in 2 3/4 shells.
Quail were 8 or 9 low brass same as dove.
Geese I liked a 22 LR but everyone frowned on me.

 

[Safari Hunt]

The old shells were paper and needed the extra strength for the higher pressures from the bigger powder charges. One piece plastic shells eliminated the need for high brass. The brass is for the extractor to grip. One manufacturer made plastic shells with a washer molded into the base for nothing more than something for the extractor to grip. I have loaded AA hulls to about 3-1/4 dram equivalent with 1-1/8 oz of #5 or #6 for small game. Haven't used the "high brass" shells in years. Never felt the need.

 

[mike243]

Had more than 1 of those plastic rim shells give a fit getting unstuck, hated them, CL sez Winchester is the cheese whiz, I hope to test that next season, missed a lot of hunting this year

 

[Safari Hunt]

Had more than 1 of those plastic rim shells give a fit getting unstuck, hated them, CL sez Winchester is the cheese whiz, I hope to test that next season, missed a lot of hunting this year

Maybe that's why they quit making them. Shotgun shells are a matter of choice. I shot competitive trap and used up a lot of old leftover AA hulls which had the ends split after a while due to old age. If you went to some of the big $$$$ shoots at that time, the top shooters were using Federal shells. Rio and Estate are supposed to be good. I reload and have about 500-600 Remington STS hulls.

 

[rukiddin]

Had more than 1 of those plastic rim shells give a fit getting unstuck, hated them, CL sez Winchester is the cheese whiz, I hope to test that next season, missed a lot of hunting this year

Those old ACTIV hulls have a cult like following among some magnum reloaders. The hull is cavernous and makes for excellent heavy payload/high velocity reloads. I have about 500 old ACTIV hulls and every once in a while, I'll break out the old Lyman 4th edition and load a few shoulder bruisers. Haha

 

[infoman jr.]

A lot of it was to satisfy consumer perception. High brass = more powerful.

 

[Safari Hunt]

A lot of it was to satisfy consumer perception. High brass = more powerful.

Exactly. The new one piece plastic hulls will work with the big loads in 2-3/4.

 

[trap55555]

A lot of it was to satisfy consumer perception. High brass = more powerful.

THIS

 

[Hunter 257W]

Yeah, when I started loading shotshells I thought you had to match the load to the brass height but soon learned that it had nothing to do with case strength. I bought about 2 cubic yards of empties years ago and got a little of everything and actually prefer the low brass hulls because they are a lot easier to size and usually have more capacity. My all time favorite was the old Remington RXP target hull from years ago that used a 97 size primer. Those primers could be bought cheaper than 209's when they were going out of style too. Once the primers ran out I just forced 209's in them and after one loading they worked fine with 209's. They didn't split on the mouth as soon as AA's. Not that there is anything wrong with an AA either. The RXP's more or less tend to just slowly erode away in the crimp area. Also they seemed to have the smallest rim diameter of any 12 Gauge hull and were the only hull I could count on to not get stuck in the Ithaca 37 magazine tube. It was frustrating as heck to be hot on the trail of a flock of blackbird on a cold Winter day and be stuffing shells in the tube as fast as I could then feel one suddenly stick turning the pump into a single shot. I got pretty good at taking the barrel off and using several shells loaded into the front of the tube to shove the oversize offender backward but I preferred the RXP's so the problem didn't happen in the 1st place. I have 2 model 37's and this problem was common with both of them.

 

[Safari Hunt]

FWIW, haven't shot a high brass shell in many years. Never felt the need for it- rabbits, doves, squirrels. I loaded 23 grains of Red Dot (nasty stuff to clean and glad I used it all), 1-1/8 oz of shot in 5, 6, 7-1/2; AA or Remington STS hulls. I did buy some 2-3/4 inch high brass for turkey hunting.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I have over 30 lbs of Red Dot and love the stuff. So what if it leaves a few particles in the barrel, the next shot will blow it out. 23 grains sounds pretty heavy to me though. I have always used 18 grains with 1 1/8oz loads and 16 grains with 1 oz loads. Very cheap to shoot.

 

[Safari Hunt]

I had an 8 lb. canister. I shot it in a Remington 1100 for skeet. 100 rounds took forever to clean the action, ports and magazine. 23 grains was for hunting. Skeet was 18 grains with one ounce loads of #9.

 

[Hunter 257W]

Yeah, I can see that with a semiauto. I've never loaded for any semiauto except a few rounds for 1911's. I really like Red Dot for cast bullet revolver loads. You can shoot 38 Special for practically nothing.