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Thread: Federal Top Gun new hull

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Federal Top Gun new hull

    The Federal Top Gun line has been inconsistent at best. Now I'm seeing that Rio has lost the bid, and they are now being made by Federal again. I am seeing rumors that they have gone to using a plastic based hull, made in Anoka, MN. This has me excited this could be a gold medal hull (which are all steel based now). Has anyone tried the new shells, they look to be in a blue box. I'm going to see if I can find any this weekend.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Faret's Avatar
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    Haven't seen any yet. What data are we supposed to use is another?

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy



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    I just tossed a large garbage bag of top gun hulls in the garbage not worth sorting old and new and now newer?? I hope they turn out to be something good but I doubt it.
    "Yes or no will almost always suffice as the answer"

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Old top gun were paper based hulls. For the past couple years, Rio has been making them with Rio hulls.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    I've had no problems with either the Top Gun with the fiber base wad or the hulls that look the same with a plastic base wad. Gp

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master


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    The fiber base hulls are fine. They are limited in internal capacity is all. Rio hulls are ok quality, but don't fit american primers without more work.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    The basic, reoccurring problem in a lot of posts here comes down to folks mismatching components in a way that they were never intended to work. All this in the false economy of using what they have on hand. If it's a Euro hull, use a Euro primer. Cut open a few hulls and take a good look. Is it a tapered hull or strait wall? If it has a base wad, what material is it made of? How high is the base wad if it has one? A lot of grief can be avoided by using proper components, not just what you happen to have on hand. To quote BPI, "You wouldn't put a tractor engine in an Indy racer" . Gp

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by gpidaho View Post
    The basic, reoccurring problem in a lot of posts here comes down to folks mismatching components in a way that they were never intended to work. All this in the false economy of using what they have on hand. If it's a Euro hull, use a Euro primer. Cut open a few hulls and take a good look. Is it a tapered hull or strait wall? If it has a base wad, what material is it made of? How high is the base wad if it has one? A lot of grief can be avoided by using proper components, not just what you happen to have on hand. To quote BPI, "You wouldn't put a tractor engine in an Indy racer" . Gp
    Gp
    I'm with you, the only used hulls I use now are the federal slug and buckshot hulls that were originally roll crimped. Other than that, I use the multi hulls from BPI. I can load just about anything i need with those hulls and a a few other components they sell.

    I don't load many "shot" shells these days, I can't load them for the price Walmart gets for them.
    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I don't buy from BPI if I can avoid it anymore, their advice is only worth the toilet paper it's written on. They have abandoned the american market to shove European junk down our throats.

    The question still remains, is the new Top gun hull a gold medal hull?

  10. #10
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    MSM: Sorry, I did wander off course a bit on your thread. "Is the new Top Gun hull a gold medal hull?" No idea, haven't bought a factory built shotshell in fifteen years. Gp

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    Here's a thought: Ask Federal. Most ammo suppliers are pretty responsive to customer's inquiries. On BPI, I don't like their shipping charges but their 7/8oz wad, Rex 24, works swell in my whatever vintage TopGun shells.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by weakhand luke View Post
    Here's a thought: Ask Federal. Most ammo suppliers are pretty responsive to customer's inquiries. On BPI, I don't like their shipping charges but their 7/8oz wad, Rex 24, works swell in my whatever vintage TopGun shells.
    Already did that, still waiting for a response.
    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Yep, no email response yet. They will answer eventually, I figured somebody out there has tried these recently though.

  14. #14
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    I would like to see some if anyone gets any. What color are the hulls? I will have to look for them at the range.

    I don't need them but I might want to try a few. Heck I still have over 10K 1x fired Old AA's and about 7.5K 1x fired of the Remington STS hulls. About 1.2K Fed GM hulls. 500 Federal buck shot hulls. I will be dead before I ever use them.

  15. #15
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    Yeah I relegated all my 2500 OF AA's back to trap loads and only load the strait walled hulls for slugs and buck now. The AA's are just a problem to deal because the plastic is so stiff and Roll Crimps don't come out very nice. Plus that since they were fold crimped first they fold crimp back nicely, but Roll Crimps don't look nearly as good as the crimps I get with either new strait wall hulls or OF slug hulls that were previously Rolled.

    The Blue Federal hulls go right back together easily and look just like they left the factory.

    Are these new Federal hulls only coming out as loaded ammo? Are they Fold Crimped? If so I see more of the same.

    Randy.
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
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  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomme boy View Post
    I would like to see some if anyone gets any. What color are the hulls? I will have to look for them at the range.

    I don't need them but I might want to try a few. Heck I still have over 10K 1x fired Old AA's and about 7.5K 1x fired of the Remington STS hulls. About 1.2K Fed GM hulls. 500 Federal buck shot hulls. I will be dead before I ever use them.
    I'd take the 500 Federal buck shot hulls off your trembling fingers.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    I'd take the 500 Federal buck shot hulls off your trembling fingers.
    I bet you would! LOL!!! I am keeping them in case I get back into steel shot again.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master

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    Just received email back from Federal,

    answer is ...

    David:

    They have an inserted plastic base wad.


    Thank You
    Federal Ammunition
    Tech Services
    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy Faret's Avatar
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    With my experience these new plastic baswads are neither a gold medal or a top gun - clay and field. More of a hybrid if you will.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I've got some good news on the new top gun hull. Oddly enough, I never did get a response from Federal, they are usually quick to answer.

    I located a new box of 12 gauge 2 3/4" top gun ammo today at Fleet Farm. On the outside, the hull looks identical to the old paper base top gun. It is definitely a Federal made hull. I cut open the crimp to find some nice quality shot, a two piece wad, and what do you know, a plastic basewad. The first thing I notice is that the primer is a Federal 209A. The plastic base is similar to the Rio hull, but the sides are shorter, and I believe it is set lower in the hull. It doesn't quite have the volume of the low base "buckshot" hull, but it is significantly more than the gold medal hull. Being as the sides of the base are shorter, I don't think there will be nearly as much problem with light target loads like you can get with Rio hull.

    I can't wait to try and load some of these. This is a low cost ammo, with a quality american made hull, american size primer, and a welcome boost in volume. I'm almost out of my gold medal hulls, I think I'm going to switch to these top gun hull for my 2 3/4".

    Click image for larger version. 

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check