Help Identifying Shells

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Vash101

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Hi all, I did some searching on the net and looked around here to dig up some info, but I wasn't really able to find anything. Hopefully you guys will be able to help me out.

I'm new to the shotgun and want to make sure that the following ammo is safe to put through my gun and why the shells have some of the features that they have.

A friend recently gave me a box of mixed shotgun ammunition that he's had sitting in his basement for about 5 years. I know that the shells are 2-3/4" and that they are meant for the 12g so I believe they "should" work in my Mossy 500 Cruiser.

Here are the pics. I was wondering if anyone is able to identify the blue shell as I could not find a brand on it. I've also been told that color on the shells is not always standard and that different manufacturers may use different colors. Is this correct? I had been under the impression that a red shell meant that it was a 12g round. I was also wondering why the purple shells have so much more brass on them than other 2-3/4" rounds? Are they higher powered rounds?

shell1.JPG

shell2.JPG
 
The Purple ones on the left are 12g Imperial #4 shot. Made in Canada by CIL years ago. As far as I know they are no longer made.
I remember shooting those out of a Cooey 12 single-shot when I was a kid. Those Imperials really packed a punch.
They are lead so no waterfowl hunting with them, but they would work good for rabbits maybe. Personally, i would just hold on to them as you probably won't find anymore of them.
 
yes it is correct the colors mean absolutly nothing winchester ammunition is usually red except the high end shells which as soemtimes black, remington is green etc.....


the #4 imperial i believe is an older waterfowl load i am not 100% certain that it is steel tho so it might not be legal to hunt with anymore for waterfowl dont count on me for this

the shells wth the higher brass are called "high brass" shells which supposedly makes the shell handle higher presures although it seems some people believe it some dont....there may be other reasons for the high brass but i dont kno for sure.

the light blue shell with no brand or anything i have no clue to what it could be:confused:

anyway im sure some people on here will kno exactly what those shells are so dont count on my post;)
 
12 gal shotgun shells

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The light blue one looks like one of the private brand loadings made for companies by IVI (CIL). I have some Canadian Tire 12 guage shells that have a similar headstamp and colour. The boxes say "Canadian Tire" on them, but some small print identifies them as CIL.

Most of these loadings were 1 1/8 ounces of shot.
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Buffdog is right on the money. Economy loaded shells for Canadian Tire or other Canadian hardware store. I remember buying them for about 2.00 a box in the late '70's.

cheers Darryl
 
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The headstamp says "12" and the length is OK. They are lead shot, not steel. Those shells do not have any significant collector value, and will shoot OK in your Mossberg, so go make some noise!
 
Win/64 said:
I still have a lot of those loads. They are very heavy... 1 1/8 oz. 3 1/4 Drams Eqv. May be a little heavy for Sharptail.
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Heck no, I shoot them all the time.:D

Out here, we often get sharptail grouse flushing out around 50 yards. 1 1/8th or even 1 1/4 oz. loads are not out of the question. None of my favourite grouse guns will pattern #4's very well, but the old Imperial heavy loads of #5 shot work wonders on the long range birds. I buy them whenever I can find them, and keep about a flat of them "in stock"

Sharptail
 
The "high brass" could either be Imperial "Special Long Range" or Imperial Magnum. I couldn't tell you if there is a difference in the height of the brass in the two. My old Dad only ever used Imperial Special Long Range in his old Tobin double for "Prairie Chicken" or "bush partridge". The did kick like a mule. I loved the smell of the empty hulls.... mmmmmm!:p:p
 
Sharptail said:
Heck no, I shoot them all the time.:D

Out here, we often get sharptail grouse flushing out around 50 yards. 1 1/8th or even 1 1/4 oz. loads are not out of the question. None of my favourite grouse guns will pattern #4's very well, but the old Imperial heavy loads of #5 shot work wonders on the long range birds. I buy them whenever I can find them, and keep about a flat of them "in stock"

Sharptail
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Where do you find Imperials for sale? I thought they quit making them in the 80's. I'd love to pick up a few boxes just for old times sake. I'm sure those purple bastards would easily crumple a grouse at 60 yds +.
 
huntandhook said:
Where do you find Imperials for sale? I thought they quit making them in the 80's. I'd love to pick up a few boxes just for old times sake. I'm sure those purple bastards would easily crumple a grouse at 60 yds +.
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Gun Shows...
 
Win/64 said:
I've never had an Imperial split on me.... What were you shooting them out of ?
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A shotgun :D

I have had the brass split on them before, but this time it was a little less than 20rds through a dlask, and they all split, usually 2 splits at that.
 
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