Which Shotshell Hulls Should You Use for Reloading?

Remington STS. Winchester AA. High brass. Low brass. Paper. Plastic. Field, Magnum, Light, Handicap. The list goes on. So many different types of components available — where do you start?

Start with what you're trying to accomplish: you want hulls that reload consistently, hold up through multiple reloads, and don't create problems in your press or your gun. Everything else is secondary.

Avoid Promotional Loads from Discount Stores

Promotional loads are often great values to buy and shoot once. But the low price comes at a cost: they are usually made with a paper insert at the base of the hull. That insert will eventually detach.

Some people say only reload them once. Others say three or four times, max. The real problem is what happens if the insert detaches when the shell fires — it can lodge in the gun. You may not notice, either because you're using an autoloader and can't see down the barrel, or because you're not in the habit of checking your over-under between shots. When you fire next, you risk damaging or blowing up your gun.

The promos are fine deals for shooting once. They are not reloading hulls.

Which Hulls Last the Longest?

In 12 and 20 gauge, it's a close race between Winchester AA and Remington Premier STS. Both are top quality. When hulls go bad, they weaken and lose the ability to create consistently strong chamber pressures — due to weaker crimps and cracks in the hull walls. Ballistic research shows little decrease in pressures for these two shells at up to ten or more reloads.

Your mileage will vary. You'll get fewer reloads if you step on them, use unusually heavy powder charges, or let them get wet. But under normal conditions, either hull will give you more reload cycles than you'll likely track.

Hull Recommendations by Gauge

12 Gauge

Winchester AA and Remington STS are the standard by which everything else is measured. Either one is an excellent choice. Buy good shells new or source once-fired hulls — more on that below.

20 Gauge

Same recommendation as 12 gauge: Winchester AA and Remington STS are both excellent. The same durability and consistency applies.

28 Gauge

Here the two part ways. Winchester AA 28-gauge hulls outperform the Remington STS in 28. Winchester's hull seems thicker, the crimp stays open better after firing, and it stays closed better after crimping.

There's also a specific problem with Remington STS 28s worth knowing about: shot spills. The wad doesn't always seem to seat completely, even with everything set correctly and a complete downstroke. MEC couldn't explain it when asked. Switching to Winchester 28s made the problem disappear entirely — likely due to the thicker hull walls. You may not experience it, but it's a known issue.

In 28 gauge: Winchester AA only.

410 Bore

410 is the most finicky gauge to reload regardless of hull choice. Winchester AA is again the preferred hull. Expect fewer reload cycles than you'd get from 12 or 20 gauge — the smaller hull takes more stress per firing relative to its size.

Once-Fired Hulls

Once-fired hulls are a legitimate option, particularly for high-volume reloaders. Sporting clays clubs and shooting ranges often sell them by the bag for a few cents each. The economics are straightforward: you get quality hulls at a fraction of new-shell cost.

A few cautions. First, know what you're buying — once-fired AA and STS hulls are worth sourcing; once-fired promotional hulls are not. Second, inspect them before loading. A hull that's been on the ground gets stepped on, picked up by a lawn mower, and otherwise abused. Third, be consistent: don't mix hull types in a single reloading session without recalibrating your press for the change.

Consistency Is the Real Goal

Reload as few shell types as you can. MEC makes a valid point that shells vary in their dimensions and capacity, and you're asking for problems by running whatever the cat brought home through your reloader. Find a shell, powder, wad, and shot combination that works in your press and your gun — then stick to it. Only when you're completely comfortable with one combination should you branch out.

Keep in mind that some shells are shorter than others for what appears to be the same load. Note those shells and don't use the short ones in the future, unless you have enough of them to justify recalibrating your reloader specifically for them.

Watch Out for Wet Hulls

If you shoot an autoloader year-round and shells fall on the ground, you're going to collect wet shells. Let them dry out thoroughly before reloading — wet powder or wet primers will fail, and you won't know it until the shell doesn't fire. Keep a ceiling-high stack of boxes if you have to. Mark the date you collected them and note whether conditions were wet. Use the oldest box first, and discard any with obvious rust.

Some people recommend running shells through the washing machine before reloading them. This is excessive, stupid, and dangerous:

Save any manic washing urges for your socks.

The Short Version

Want the complete reloading system? My MEC Reloading Guide covers load data, press setup, component selection, and troubleshooting for every major MEC model — all in one place.