What were shotgun shell exteriors made out of before they used plastic?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What were shotgun shell exteriors made out of before they used plastic?

Posted: 4/4/2006 10:59:02 AM EDT

Before plastic became common, what were shotgun shells made out of?

Posted: 4/4/2006 10:59:17 AM EDT

[#1]

Paper I think

Posted: 4/4/2006 10:59:52 AM EDT

[#2]

Paper

Posted: 4/4/2006 10:59:57 AM EDT

[#3]

brass and/or paper

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:00:24 AM EDT

[#4]

Kevlar

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:01:06 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
brass and/or paper

Winner!

Welcome back TRH.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:01:33 AM EDT

[#6]

As others above have stated, paper. I have several made of paper which I can post a .jpg of should you wish to view such.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:02:14 AM EDT

[#7]

Some were brass, most were paper. We've got some unfired brass AND paper shells for my great-grandfather's 9mm rimfire shotgun.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:03:06 AM EDT

[#8]

how does paper hold up? i'd imagine plastic would be more weatherproof, but other than that, how much of an advantage is plastic?

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:04:18 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
how does paper hold up? i'd imagine plastic would be more weatherproof, but other than that, how much of an advantage is plastic?

Paper shell would swell up in wet conditions, making loading and extraction very difficult. Plastic was a godsend, especially to waterfowlers.

ETA: If kept dry, paper shells hold up fine. I have fired some that were over 50 years old. Not too terribly long ago, lots of trap shooters shot and reloaded paper shells. My BIL still has some of his paper reloads.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:05:11 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
how does paper hold up? i'd imagine plastic would be more weatherproof, but other than that, how much of an advantage is plastic?

Quite an advantage-waxed paper swells in the chamber under high humidity, hence the use of brass shotgun shells by the military back in WWII.
Waxed paper works ok though. Some folks still reload Federal paper target hulls. I've seen data for them,but have never worked with them myself.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:06:19 AM EDT

[#11]

I miss the edible "cracker" shells that were made of some wheat type product....after a good shoot you could fill the shot shells with Easy Cheese and pig out. YUMMY!!!!

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:08:21 AM EDT

[#12]

Lots of old movies and tv shows show the drawback in using paper hulls.
Watch an old a-team episode where they get a guy with a double barrel hidden in his fake leg. He falls in water and click.

The unforgiven when he is soaking wet and walks into the bar. The first one goes boom, the second click.

Mad Max, beyond thunder dome. He finds some shells, and crumbles quite a few before he finds good ones.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:08:42 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
brass and/or paper

+1. For 100 years, at least.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:12:35 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
I miss the edible "cracker" shells that were made of some wheat type product....after a good shoot you could fill the shot shells with Easy Cheese and pig out. YUMMY!!!!

if not, that's a sure fire case for Pb poisioning

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:14:46 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I miss the edible "cracker" shells that were made of some wheat type product....after a good shoot you could fill the shot shells with Easy Cheese and pig out. YUMMY!!!!

if not, that's a sure fire case for Pb poisioning

I cant believe that they allowed you into ROTC

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:16:23 AM EDT

[#16]

Oh, my. Either you are very young or I am very old!

I can't be old!

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:19:29 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Oh, my. Either you are very young or I am very old!

I can't be old!

+1

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:31:50 AM EDT

[#18]

i still have about 2 boxes of brass shells for my 10 gauge. also got a box of papershells for the 16. im only 21 these are all shells my grandfather told me to go shoot.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:37:58 AM EDT

[#19]

I've shot paper shells and I'm only 35. (it was thick enough...I'd call it more like cardboard).

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:52:16 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I miss the edible "cracker" shells that were made of some wheat type product....after a good shoot you could fill the shot shells with Easy Cheese and pig out. YUMMY!!!!

if not, that's a sure fire case for Pb poisioning

Nope, the shell fired flechettes made from milk choclate flash frozen in liquid nitrogen

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:56:05 AM EDT

[#21]

I've got half a box of 12 gauge remington red wax paper shotshells kicking around here somewhere.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:59:50 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
i still have about 2 boxes of brass shells for my 10 gauge. also got a box of papershells for the 16. im only 21 these are all shells my grandfather told me to go shoot.

You might want to sell those at a gunshow. I never got into it, but some people get nostalgic and collect old ammo and ammo boxes.

Posted: 4/4/2006 12:00:04 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I miss the edible "cracker" shells that were made of some wheat type product....after a good shoot you could fill the shot shells with Easy Cheese and pig out. YUMMY!!!!

if not, that's a sure fire case for Pb poisioning

I cant believe that they allowed you into ROTC

So glad to have you back TRH.

As others have said, paper hulls mostly.
I belive the military started using brass shells during WW1 due to the weather conditions.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What were shotgun shell exteriors made out of before they used plastic?

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