Invented in the 1860s, shotgun cartridges were fashioned from brass.
A rapid change in manufacturing soon took place. And over the next 30 years, the metal casings were being replaced with hulls made of paper.
The paper cartridges were quickly improved upon by being impregnated with wax. It would be over a decade until Remington introduced shotgun hulls constructed of plastic. While the hulls were being improved upon, internal changes were also taking place.
Early shot shells used black powder. The charge produced plenty of white smoke and low pressures. However that changed in the 1890s. In 1930, shot shell cartridges were loaded with smokeless powders which has remained to this day.
Until the 1950s, shotshell manufacturers consisted of Western, Peters, Remington and Federal. Today those numbers have grown and so has the quality of shot shell ammunition.
Low brass and high brass shotgun shells were produced. The distinction was low brass were recommended for small game. High brass cartridges were loaded with larger shot for hunting waterfowl and turkeys.
In 1960, Remington became the first manufacturer to produce a shot shell constructed with plastic. That same year Federal introduced color-coded shells to distinguish one gauge from another, a safety feature that was quickly adopted industry wide.
Within this same time period two powder suppliers, Olin and DuPont, produced shotshell powder. This led to a reduction of manufacturers. While there were a few smaller manufacturers, Remington, Federal and Winchester were the major players.
Non-toxic shotshells were on the horizon, and in the ’60s, Federal began developing non-toxic loads. Then in 1973, Federal introduced the first steel shot loads. Today the availability of non-toxic loads have grown not only in availability but with different metals as well.
While the exterior of the shotshell hull has been improved along with propellants that provide excellent ignition characteristics, other changes have taken place as well.
The wad that holds the shot serves as a shock absorber and separates the burning powder and the shot. Like each component within the cartridge, they also continue to improve.
In many cases the shot column includes a buffering material of granulated plastic. The buffer helps to keep the individual BB’s from deforming as they are propelled out of the barrel.
The choke of the shotgun provides constriction of varying degrees. A full choke shotgun delivers a tight pattern at longer distances. The modified choke allows the pellets to be distributed in a wider pattern.
And the open choke provides even greater spread of the exiting pellets.
The ’70s and ’80s provided a reversal that would turn the shotgun world upside down. In a word, it was turkeys.
The trap and transfer of wild turkeys was serving game managers well. The PA Game Commission, under the guidance of biologists Arnie Hayden and Gerry Wentz and with the support of the PA Chapter, N.W.T.F., were capturing turkeys and transporting them and expanding their range. The effort worked, and it was a wildlife success story in itself.
At the same time additional states followed suit. As a result the interest in hunting turkeys blossomed across the nation as well.
Hunters enjoyed hunting turkeys and at the same time were looking to make improvements in the manner in which they hunted. The shotgun took center stage.
A number of gunsmiths took up the challenge developing shotgun chokes. Chokes that would deliver shotgun pellets to the target with denser patterns over longer distances. Hunters were taking their shotguns to gunsmiths to be altered to take advantage of this improvement. At the same time arms and ammunition companies were taking note. It would take time, but a change was on its way.
Shotguns were the first to make changes. More than ever shotguns with interchangeable chokes hit the market. A number of aftermarket chokes were developed and were specifically designed for the turkey hunter.
By the mid to late ’80s, shotshell manufacturers really stepped up the pace. Shot shells marketed to turkey hunters were being produced with extra antimony to make the shot harder and included a buffered component of plastic in an effort to provide tighter patterns. Loads with two sizes of BB’s hit the market. But it didn’t stop there.
Shotgun wads were constantly being improved. Heavier than lead BBs were being marketed. Yes, the rounds were more expensive to shoot, but their performance for diehard turkey hunters outweighed the cost. The reason why? Because they worked.
With all the strides forward one might wonder, “What more does the gobbler getter want when it comes to shotgun performance?”
Several years back Winchester developed a shotgun round that encapsulated the shot in a resin call Long Beard XR. Do they work? From firsthand experience, better than I would have ever imagined.
Today’s premium shotgun shells available to turkey hunters are as good as it gets. For the time being that is. However there are drawbacks.
First, the expense. However for the average turkey hunters, a box of the high performance turkey rounds are well worth the extra cost, especially if you have a trophy tom coming into your call.
Like all ammunition, when changing from one shot size to another, the rounds should be tested on the range. The same advice is given when changing from one manufacturer to another. Yes, when doing so it takes time and there is a cost involved. No sense in taking chances.
The next and very important consideration is your shotgun’s choke.
A tight choke may seem like the logical choice, but when using today’s high performance rounds, that’s not always the case.
Case in point. My brother and I have identical shotguns that accept a variety of chokes. When proofing rounds, his was producing better patterns using identical shells. We were amazed at the difference. However the problem was quickly solved.
The choke in my brother’s shotgun was not full but more open. You would think the tight shooting extra full choke would outperform the other, but it didn’t. After additional research, we’ve learned that the new ammo delivers tight patterns at longer distances when using a less restrictive choke.
To prove a point, this year several ammunition companies have introduced “special” chokes to us when shooting their ammunition. Check the amount of restriction on these chokes and you’ll see they are more open.
When it comes to hunting turkeys, calling and woodsmanship is important. But remember it is equally important to start your day with the best round you can afford chambered in your shotgun.
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Charlie Burchfield is an active member and past president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, an active member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, Outdoor Writers Assoc. of America and the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers. Gateway Outdoors e-mail is GWOutdoors@comcast.net
