JC Higgins 20 ga shot shells

[Down South]

A buddy gave me these this morning because he knows I collect things "Junk". Anyway, I thought they were cool. It’s been a long time since I had a paper hull shot shell. I used my share of them as a kid. I could remember getting caught in rain more than once letting the paper shells in my pocket get wet causing them to swell to the point they would not chamber.

[Swamp Man]

Those shells have two things going for them as far as being good collectables they are paper and JC Higgins neither of which are made any longer. I fired a few old paper JC Higgins shells when I was a kid out of a 12 Ga. and those are the last paper shells I seen.

[snuffy]

Those are most likely a Federal hull, headstamped JC Higgins for a contract with Sears. They are very old, but I'd bet they'd still fire.

Federal made the gold medal paper hulls for a very long time. They were popular for skeet shooters that don't need tight patterns that the plastic wads would produce.

I still have about 100 of those paper hulls loaded for skeet. I won't shoot them, because the paper burns through just in front of the brass head after only 4-5 reloads.

I'm not sure if Federal still makes the gold medal paper hulls or not. Empties may still be around though.

One of my fondest memories was shooting my dad's 20 gauge M-12 with western paper shells. Then sniffing the shell while the wisp of smoke was curling out of the still hot hull. There's no way to describe the smell!:bigsmyl2: Circa 1958--- or so.

[thehouseproduct]

Those are most likely a Federal hull, headstamped JC Higgins for a contract with Sears. They are very old, but I'd bet they'd still fire.

Federal made the gold medal paper hulls for a very long time. They were popular for skeet shooters that don't need tight patterns that the plastic wads would produce.

I still have about 100 of those paper hulls loaded for skeet. I won't shoot them, because the paper burns through just in front of the brass head after only 4-5 reloads.

I'm not sure if Federal still makes the gold medal paper hulls or not. Empties may still be around though.

One of my fondest memories was shooting my dad's 20 gauge M-12 with western paper shells. Then sniffing the shell while the wisp of smoke was curling out of the still hot hull. There's no way to describe the smell!:bigsmyl2: Circa 1958--- or so.They do a run a year of FGMM paper hull 12 G. I have some. I have some empties to anyone interested.

[BLTsandwedge]

I shot paper-hull Ace Hardware shotgun shells as a kid....that was only 40+ years ago!

[LUBEDUDE]

Snuffy, I forgot all about THAT smell until you just brought that up! WoW! That does bring back lots of fun memories as a kid.

[beagle]

Kinda hard to find paper 20 gauge. Most are 12 guage. One of my relatives gave me a bunch some time back. Old Remington Express #4s and some Super-X #5s. I used the #5s up on pheasants years ago. Still have a few I think.

I miss the old brands and loadings. I'd love to see Remington load a batch of Peters High Velocity shells just for old times sake. I loved the big blues./beagle

[Down South]

One of my fondest memories was shooting my dad's 20 gauge M-12 with western paper shells. Then sniffing the shell while the wisp of smoke was curling out of the still hot hull. There's no way to describe the smell!:bigsmyl2: Circa 1958--- or so.

LOL, I remember doing that too. That was a great smell.

[DLCTEX]

I read an article in one of the gun rags recently about Federals paper hulls still in production and will continue. Seems some shooting preserves will no longer allow plastic hulls and wads as they take too many years to decompose and are piling up on the landscape. Seems that about three people do the entire manufacturing of the paper hulls.

[TJF1]

B p still have them listed in there 2013 catalog

[firefly1957]

I still have a few boxes of my grandfathers paper shot gun shell and a bag of assorted one that i shoot from time to time those old shell shoot quite well. I did make one mistake back in the late 1970's he had me shoot up some 12 ga. buckshot he had he said is was WWI surplus i do not know about that but did it rust my gun!

[Reg]

Snuffy, I forgot all about THAT smell until you just brought that up! WoW! That does bring back lots of fun memories as a kid.


Even the .22's back then had a neat smell. Really, was it the powder or just a younger nose from long ago !!!!

[LUBEDUDE]

Even the .22's back then had a neat smell. Really, was it the powder or just a younger nose from long ago !!!!

Could have been both.

But then, kid's minds are like Sponges!

[stubshaft]

That smell still evokes memories of hunting with my dad who departed years ago. It's funny how such a small thing can call to mind so many memories.

[Balkandom]

I actually own a 25-round original box of Winchester 16-gauge paper hull slugs. Only one I have ever seen in my life, have never fored one.

[2thepoint]

In the early 1960's I owned a JC Higgins 20 gauge pump shotgun complete with the old poly(screw down) choke. Vent rib, nothing fancy. IIRC it was made by Hi-Standard and branded though Sears - JC Higgins. It probably would have been worth a few bucks today.

[oldarkie]

i had a jc higgins 12 gauge back then and started loading my first shells,they were high brass canucks,man they made pretty shells.