I shot 2 boxes of AA Light Targets yesterday. When I collected the hulls, some of them had a hole or a crack at the base of one of the crimps. I don't know if it was one box of shells, or one barrel of an O/U.

What causes the crack or hole? These were new factory loaded shells.

M4-AK

edited to say, now that I have looked more closely by holding them up to the light, that some of them have pinholes at the base of every fold.

btt

I'll reply since no real expert has

I think I know what you are describing. I usually see that after a couple reloads when the plastic gets a little brittle. On factory fresh loads it may be a problem with the plastic used in that specific lot. AA hulls have never impressed me for reloading. I prefer the Rem. STS. Try a box of AA from a different lot and a box from another manufacturer and see if the observation is consistant. It may be a problem specific to a few individual lots. Have you e-mailed Winchester?

I didn't notice it until I got home. Discarded the boxes. However, I have more on my shelf, and we'll see if some of them do the same thing. If so I can notify Winchester and give them lot#s.

The plastic on AA shells do not seem of the same quality as STS shells. ...but since the price increase, I get what I find the best prices on.

M4-AK

I had noticed that also on the older gray hulls also.  Seems some are predestined to die early.  The ones that don't last for a long time though.  I reload the bad ones with #5 and use them for pheasant.

Shok