Paper hulls?

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briandg

New member
Friend acquired a few boxes of rem paper hull twelve gauge rounds from probably the fifties. I think that he intends to shoot them. If there isn't any visible deterioration, would it be safe, or is it possible that the powder or primer may have deteriorated in some way?

Personally, I wouldn't fire ammo shotgun that old in the first place, no matter what anyone else thinks about the subject. My question is only regarding the possibility of them failing.

In fact, some of them even had crimps that were loose.
 
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FITASC

New member
Why wouldn't you? Ammo, if stored properly, can last decades and be fine. Paper hulls can attract moisture, so try a few and see what they do. That said, if they are in good condition and the boxes are also, some collector might be willing to pay a tidy sum for them.
 
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briandg

New member
You brought up the exact point I was trying to make. Paper tubes and wads, not properly stored in a poorly climate controlled garage, and the few I put my hands on the paper felt soft in places. I'm more concerned about bloopers and hang fires, not concerned about books.

I told him to take the stuff to the next gun show he goes to and not screw around shooting it. With the price of identical field loads below five, why waste collectibles?

During Christmas, I used to line the shelves of my gun cabinet with old rem paper hulls in green and red.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Sure its possible that the powder has deteriorated.

It's also possible that it's just fine.

I've been slowly shooting up a crap load of shells of my Dad's from the 1940s and 1950s, and some that are probably older.

A loose crimp is nothing unless it interferes with feeding.

Pretty much the only thing a loose crimp will give you is a crap shot pattern and a possible fireball at the muzzle because of incomplete combustion.
 
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briandg

New member
Myself, I just cut up and destroyed a fartload of old random plastic hull shells, unknown, possible handloads, junk dragged out of drawers and empty boxes, so forth. A few pounds of lead, powder into the compost, hulls in the trash. I'd be a little less prone to do so for a full box, but seriously, what good were they to me?
 
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dahermit

New member
Factory loaded (not handloads), paper shot shells, especially in their boxes (in good condition), should not be seen as shotgun fodder, but as antiques that are, or eventually will be sought by collectors of such. Do yourself a favor and put them away until that time comes. There is no telling how much a collector will pay, but it is for sure that if you shoot them, they will pay you nothing. It is a "no brainer".
 
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FITASC

New member
WHEN you can get Federal papers, buy them and shoot them; they are great shotgun shells that have less perceived recoil and smell great! Since they take so long to make, their production is somewhat limited.
 
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Pahoo

New member
Not reliable !!!

I told him to take the stuff to the next gun show he goes to and not screw around shooting it. With the price of identical field loads below five, why waste collectibles?
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Not bad advice and speaking with some experience, you really can't count on their performance. Some will shoot then again, some will shoot "funny", like shot rolling out of your bore. These are a waist of time and not dependable. Now then, I'm talking about old stuff like you described. You may even get some hang-fires which can be unsafe ....... :eek:

Be Safe !!!
 
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briandg

New member
I couldn't see a point in popping out forty or so random primers to re use. I don't have much to spend, but I don't feel a need to hang onto stuff like that.

He also has a baggy full of unlabeled "2400". Not shooting next to him.
 
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briandg

New member
He gave me a few twenty gauge that he didn't want, just a bunch of junk singles. All were no four, it seemed.

Five or so we're roll crimped over wads. Out of the star crimped, one rattled. It was half empty.

WTH?
 
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colbad

New member
As long as they are not someone's mystery home loads why not shoot them. Factory loads will not get more powerful over time if that is your concern. If anything, you might get a popper should the powder have gotten wet. Just be sure the wad clears and shoot them up.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Just because it's an old paper hulled shotshell doesn't mean that it's collectible.

Hundreds of millions of them were manufactured over the years. Sure, you'll have the occasional headstamped shell that is collectible, from an uncommon company or an uncommon stamp, but in most cases, the only way you're really going to have collectible shells is with them in the box, and everything is in good to very good condition. And the box is preferably full.
 
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dahermit

New member
Just because it's an old paper hulled shotshell doesn't mean that it's collectible.
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Maybe not today, but I have seen some of my childhood toys in antiques stores at very high prices...all one has to do is have patience and not succumb to the desire to foolishly expend them for no good reason. Once they are fired, they will never be collectable for sure.

A good reason not to fire them: (1) They will at some point become collectable and likely, inasmuch as they are paper shotshells, sooner than later.
A good reason to fire them: (1) None.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"all one has to do is have patience and not succumb to the desire to foolishly expend them for no good reason."

Uhm... The producers for the Hoarders TV show called.

They would LOVE to speak with you. :p

Eventually everything will be "collectible."

The real question is... are you ever going to live long enough to benefit from that?

For the vast majority of crap in our every day lives, the answer is NO.

And, keep this to heart...

Just because you see something in an antique shop with a huge price tag on it does NOT mean that it's actually worth what the owner is asking.
 
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