We're not at the grocery store, but "Paper or Plastic"

[Mako]

No boxes to check??   I can't see that because I am the creator.  I hope I didn't mess it all up.

SO, change your hull vote to the category in your honor.

Let me know if it still isn't allowing you to change.

[Coffinmaker]

Nope.  No Presto Changeo.  Boo Hissssssssss.

[Abilene]

Okay, I changed my votes, since I use both plastic and brass.  But on wads, I checked both plastic and nitro, etc cards because that's what I use in all brass.  Plastic hulls get plastic wad only.

Now for the question, I've never heard of reifenhauser hulls.  What common hulls would be an example? 

[DeaconKC]

Yo Coffinmaker, will this work?

[Coffinmaker]

DEACON 

You Betcha Red Ryder!!  Most KOOL indeede     My Kinda Shotgun it are 

[Mako]

Okay, I changed my votes, since I use both plastic and brass.  But on wads, I checked both plastic and nitro, etc cards because that's what I use in all brass.  Plastic hulls get plastic wad only.

Now for the question, I've never heard of reifenhauser hulls.  What common hulls would be an example?

Abilene,
Your primary preference for a plastic Hull is not a Reifenhauser style shell, you use a one piece compression formed or unibody Hull..  Those include the Rem STS and Nitro Hulls, the Peters Blue Magics (i still have a large bag of those from over 30 years ago), Win AA hulls, not the newer AA-HS and the Federal HOA shells.  There may be a few others and the Federal Gold Medal used to be but it has changed.  People are now hoarding the One Piece Win AAs like I do the Peters Blue Magics.

In the second photo below the old Federal Gold Medal Compression hull is flanked on either side by two different kinds of Reifenhauser two piece hulls.

 


A Reifenhauser style is named after the company that developed the extrusion process maybe 70 years ago to make extruded tubes strong enough and heat resistant enough to make shell bodies out of.  Almost every shell I didn't list above is a Reifenhauser style and that arguably includes the newer Win AA-HS hulls (but Winchester wants to act like they are a "one piece" equivalent).  If you look down into the shell if there is a separate base wad whether compressed paper or plastic then it is a Reifenhauser style.  Those shells are described as "two piece" which is confusing because they are actually three piece if you count the metal base.  Technically the unibody shells are "two piece" because they have a metal base.



Most but not all Unibody hulls have a tapered interior, they get thicker towards the base, so they require a wad that gets a bit smaller at the base.  You can use the red WAA12 wads in your Rem Nitros as well as the Win AAs.  Actually  Winchester made the Win AA-HS mimic the tapered shape so you can use that wad in the AA-HS even though it is a two piece plastic hull.

These are the new AA-HS hulls:  Note the "taper" type of bases.

Paper Hulls are actually very strong and they resist the heat, but they wear out faster than a unibody shell.  The Win AA, the Rem STS/Nitro and the Blue Magic hulls all have a tapered compression formed base and will last until you literally melt them.  As you know Real Powder burns a lot hotter than the smokiless powders.

Reifenhauser hulls with flat base wads normally have more room for powder and they will accept a larger variety of wads and often work better with fiber wads.  Your Nitro Card will fit deeper if you are using a load like 40-60gr of BP.  If you use a full 3 Dram equivalent (80gr BP) then you will probably be above the tapered area in a Compression Formed Hull enough that the Nitro Card will fit well.

Does that help?

~Mako

[Abilene]

Thanks for the explanation, Mako, and I knew some of that stuff but not that name.  However, the pictures did not show up for me.  And when I tell one to open in a new tab, I get a message from https://live.staticflickr.com... that says "These aren't the droids you're looking for."

[Hair Trigger Jim]

Thanks Mako; that was informative.

FYI I can see the pictures on both my Android and my PC.

[Abilene]

Hmm, so I checked again this morning, and the pictures did not show up here nor on my Android phone.  Then one minute later, they show up on both.  Weird.  But now I see them!

[Coffinmaker]

The Photos are still just boxes (outlined) with a question mark inna middle.  Same Same on my iPhone as on my MAC.   

I must also say thank you for the information, as I am/was ignorant of all of that shotgun hull information.  Of course, that is because I have never had the equipment nor the inclination (off center) to reload Paper or Plastic hulls.  Strictly All Brass hulls, which, near as I can tell, never wear out (unless some ham hock steps on one).

[Mako]

OKAY cowboys and Coffinmakers (one wurd),

Look at the post above (with the pictures) now, I'm trying a different image hosting site and thy also allow a a larger image.

Tell if it works for everyone.

~Mako

[Abilene]

...Strictly All Brass hulls, which, near as I can tell, never wear out (unless some ham hock steps on one).

Yep!  When I bought my Rem-UMC hulls years ago before Magtechs were around, a few at a time here and there (mostly $2 each on ebay), I have no idea how many times they had been previously reloaded.  But I have reloaded them at least 50 times each since then.  One hull had a tiny split at the top in the beginning that I ignored.  One more hull developed a tiny split at the top.  Yeah, you gets your moneys worth outa dem der shells, youbetcha! (famous Coffinmaker word).

Mako, to correct my earlier statement, the pics started showing up on my laptop, but not on the Android.  But now, they show up on both and yes they are bigger.

[Mako]

Abilene,
I aim to please my friend...

Now Coffinmaker(one wurd) is another matter, I'm not sure what would make him happy. 

The ability to embed larger photos helps in the way I commonly post.  Not only do "I wax elephant..." and tend towards the verbose, but I like pictures, they're purty.  In a former life we used coloring books a lot and the habit stays with you, I even learned not to eat them (the crayons that is).

~Mako

[Abilene]

Okay, this is slightly related I guess.  In 2022 I bought several boxes of commercial BP-sub shotshells from a shooter getting out of the game for health reasons.  It was made by Ammo Direct and used Pinnacle in paper hulls with an ounce of shot.  I expect this ammo was a dozen or more years old at the time.  I tried it out at a monthly match.  It shot okay, smoked, and took down the targets.  Seemed a little hot, compared to my BP shells.  Buy OH MY!  The shells disintegrated!  See top pic.  On the first two, the hulls stuck in the chambers and the extractor pulled out past the heads (I think they flexed).  It was a pain to get them out of the chamber.  Next two shots, the extractor pulled the heads off the hulls, and I had to put my finger inside the empty hulls to pull them out of the chamber.  It was a VERY slow stage!

In the second pic, you can see the wad they used compared to a red wad.  Looks to me like their wad was too long, which compressed the Pinnacle (made by APP) which isn't supposed to be compressed.  It was like a rock and had to be chipped out of the hull with an ice pick.  Of course just being old might have made it hard as well.

My theory is just that the chemicals in that BP sub (is ascorbic acid one?) reacted with the paper over time.  Anyway, a few months ago I wanted to try something, so I emptied out a few of the hulls and reloaded with BP and roll crimped.  I figured if this  worked I could reload them all, even though it was a bit of a hassle to disassemble.  Well, they looked okay as you can see, but they still disintegrated, so the damage had already been done to the paper. (didn't take another picture, but they split just like the first ones). I might reclaim the shot out of them, anyway.

Oh yeah, the way this is related is that Mako needs to re-do his poll again to add paper hulls. 

[Mako]

Oh yeah, the way this is related is that Mako needs to re-do his poll again to add paper hulls. 

ARRRRGH!!!!

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Our chief objects of discussion are Shotgun Shells,  there are 3 types!  Reifenhauser, Unibodies and Brass!  ARRRRRGH!!!!!

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
THERE ARE FOUR!
There are four types, Reifenhauser, Unibodies, Brass and Paper....

~Mako

[Coffinmaker]

  WELL !! 

I for one, am completely satisfied.  Spanish Inquisition not withstanding.  I am completely happy.  The pretty pictures now show up just fine.  I like the Pretty Pictures MAKO posts.  I have also been a fan of the Pretty technicolor CAD drawings MAKO posts.  Especial since I have never been able to post pictures on this site.

Seeing the hulls in actual cross section also explains what "others" have described about certain Shotgun Hulls and why they say they may not be as good as they once were.  Although again, seeing the actual hulls in stunning technicolor, cross sectioned explains a bunch.  And to me, would indicate some of those who whine about the newer hulls, really have nothing to complain about.  After all, the rounds still go BANG, the poppers go down (or the clays bust) and the hull can be reloaded numerous times, unless loading with Black.  Brass Hulls, of course go "To Infinity And Beyond" (stolen famous movie line).

I do admit however, I have acquired an amount of once fired AA hulls for a project, and as soon as I can figure an efficient way to cut 'em down to Two and a Half inches, I'm gonna begin that project.  It's just for Funzies, not a long term replacement for my favor'd Brass Hulls to be understood.  Diet Coke SUX

[Griff]

In my long and not-so-illustrious CAS career, I have used two types of hulls, Federal paper & plastic wads (Winchester 12R) until there was more holes around the base of the paper next to the rim, than there was paper, and I could no longer buy the hulls.  For the last nearly 30 years I've used Winchester AA hulls and the same red wad.  I recently, in deference to my bursitis, went from a #43 Mec bushing to a #35.5.  Still enjoy the same percentage of downed targets... as in "Hey, I shot at it, of course it's DOWN!"