High brass and low brass shotgun shells

[Eric H]

Alright guys,

I just inherited some older 12 Gauge shotgun shells, I'd say about 30-40 years old. I've noticed that some of the shells have the regular "high" brass but some of them have "low" brass. Are there any difference other than cosmetics?

Thanks!

 

[swampy]

The brass height doesn't matter for much. The brass mostly serves as a place for the extractors to grab to get the shells out of the shotgun.

The wad height in shotshells vary which needs to be noted if you reload. I've seen most every combination of low brass-high wad, high brass-low wad, high brass-high wad, low brass-low wad, and in the case of some shells, no brass at all on the outside. Also it should be noted that the brass on most shotshells isn't brass at all. Some are brass plated steel and some are aluminum.

In your older shells the wad is more than likely a wound paper or fiber where newer shells could be wound paper or plastic.

 

[mac1911]

from the oldest shotgunner I know
" high brass vs low brass" For ID purposes. High brass shells where often # 5 shot or larger and slugs
low brass was # 6 or smaller.
Al;though no standard was ever developed much like the colors for different Guages ?

 

[Eric H]

Thanks for the load of information guys! Greatly appreciated!
@Mac1911

The low brass shotshell's were primarily #7 1/2 and #6 shot and the #4's and slugs had the high brass, so that quote is somewhat feasible. Thanks again!

 

[Romeosierra616]

Isn't high brass usually more recoil intensive? and shorter less? thats how its been in my experience at least

due to more powder in them from what I thought

 

[Gehrhard]

That is supposedly the implication, yes. For the cartridge to obturate under high pressure (seal the breach from leaking gas) and not burst past the paper, now plastic, hull the case needed more brass. Well, that probably ISN'T the case these days but they use high brass on more potent (full dram equivalent) cartridges... People expect it. We REFER to powerful cartridges as "high brass." It is probably as much marketing at this point as belted magnum rifle cartridges were from the start. Yes, belted magnums were a marketing ploy!
Gehr

 

[MisterHappy]

To further complicate historical stufff - shotshells are the length that they now are because of the quantitiy of black powder that had to be used. Since smokless powder came out, probably 25% of most sporting /target loads is "wasted" space. But no manufacturer would shorten their shells, as "bigger is better" (mini shells for tactical use not considered here).

There's a lot of "useless" tradition WRT shotshells - that's why there's still a "Dram Equivalent" noted on most boxes....it's been a LONG time since dippers were used to load powder! I suppose that back in the day, using a higher piece of brass would have helped to contain the initial combustion ( In fact I have an antique shell that has brass that's almost 1/2 the length of the unfired case!) , but now, with modern materials, it's all marketing. That and psycology - if you know that the round will hammer the target, then it will....kind of like visualizing your hits...

 

[Eric H]

Thanks a bunch MisterHappy and Gehrhard, much appreciate!