Federal Top Gun new hull

[megasupermagnum]

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.

[Faret]

Haven't seen any yet. What data are we supposed to use is another?

[Loudy13]

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.

[megasupermagnum]

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

[gpidaho]

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

[megasupermagnum]

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.

[gpidaho]

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

[dsh1106]

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.

[megasupermagnum]

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?

[gpidaho]

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

[weakhand luke]

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.

[dsh1106]

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.

[megasupermagnum]

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

[tomme boy]

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.

[W.R.Buchanan]

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.

[Mr Peabody]

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.:smile:

[tomme boy]

I'd take the 500 Federal buck shot hulls off your trembling fingers.:smile:

I bet you would! LOL!!! I am keeping them in case I get back into steel shot again.

[dsh1106]

Just received email back from Federal,

answer is ...

David:

They have an inserted plastic base wad.


Thank You
Federal Ammunition
Tech Services

[Faret]

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.

[megasupermagnum]

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".

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[gpidaho]

MSM: Thanks for the report. Do these new hulls have wads that vary in anyway from the plastic wads in the Federal 3 Dram field loads? These 3 Dram field shells have low brass and the top edge of the wad is flush with the top of the brass. I've been able to pick up a lot of these at a local range. Gp

[megasupermagnum]

According to the box, this is a 3 dram equivalent load.

[gpidaho]

msm: Looking at the picture that you posted, the wads look identical. I like these Federal hulls. Good luck with these. I believe Federal must be moving away from the fiber wads. Gp

[megasupermagnum]

Here is an update. Last years Top gun hulls had a nickel plated head. Last week I picked up a few cases and the new ones have a brass plated head. I see no problem with either. Internally they are unchanged. More importantly I found someone had shot two cases of brand new Federal field and range (or maybe game and target?), the very cheap stuff. They too were the exact same brass plated head hull. Internally the same. So it seems all of Federals low cost hulls are the same. They load fantastic. I wish they had real brass heads like the old gold medal, but I believe these hulls are even better than the new gold medals. They have ever so slightly more volume than the gold medal.

On the right is last years Top Gun hull. On the left is the new Federal hull found in all their current low cost ammo. They are exactly the same except for a slightly taller and brass plated head.

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