Shotgun Shells

[Augusta]

Just wondering if anyone can help me out. After a 20 year absence, I am taking up hunting again. When I go to look at shotgun shells, I see alot of short base shells, can anyone tell me what the difference is between long base and short base shells? Thanks

[CodyDawg]

low base shells have less zip in layman's terms. Typically you would use these for clay targets, doves, possibly even grouse. Target shooting is typically low brass, hunting (generally) is high brass.

[Augusta]

Thanks for the answer, sorry for the foolish question.

[harvey lee]

Not foolish at all if one doesnt know the answer. In todays world everything changes so fast that if you are not in the game all the time you can be left in the dark sometimes.

[Ufatz]

August: Don't worry about foolish questions; worry about foolish answers.

He be right...things change so fast in today's world it IS hard to keep up.

[UMDSportsman]

I agree if you are shooting factory rounds, which i am sure you are. My grandfather reloads lots of different shells shotguns, rifles, pistols, for just about every gun he owns. He is known to load hot loads and loads them to the max within the safety limits. so if shooting reloads, ask the person who reloaded them.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Just to add, low brass work fine on most small game including grouse. I wouldnt use them on pheasant. Another problem I have encountered is the shorts dont always cycle through an auto-loader. Not enough umph. Case in point my Rem 20 1100. Just last season I was forced to buy some low power in a pinch. First time I used them I hung a hull. This had happened before so it was not a suprise. I gave the rest to my buddy with a pump.

[charliepete2]

Low and high brass don't mean anything. The brass has no functional purpose other than marketing. A low brass shell from one manufacturer could be hotter than than high brass from another. Sometimes the highbrass shells don't even have more powder, they might just have a heavier payload than average. Say 1 3/8's oz instead of 1 1/4.

When buying shotgun shells look for the velocity and payload. That is what you should be concerned with. Sometimes you'll see a dram equivilant instead of velocity. All that does is equate black powder to smokeless powder. The higher the dram count, the faster the shell.

[BobT]

Is it possible that the problem with autoloaders is due to added expansion of the plastic in the chamber and not caused by the lower powder charge?

Bob

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Not sure about expansion but I am sure that every low brass shell I have seen does have less powder so its not really an innacurate way of describing output. Of course you can reload them any way you want...