# High Brass VS Low Brass



## Boria

What is the advantage/disadvantage between high brass and low brass shot shells?  From what I have gathered you can get the same shot/powder load in each type.  So whats the difference?

Thanks


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## Twenty five ought six

Boria said:


> What is the advantage/disadvantage between high brass and low brass shot shells?  From what I have gathered you can get the same shot/powder load in each type.  So whats the difference?
> 
> Thanks



The concept of "high brass" and "low brass" is a holdover from the days when shotgun shells were made out of paper.  Heavier loads used slower burning powders which would actually burn through the paper hull, so these shell had "high brass" to re-enforce the hull.

In modern shells it doesn't mean anything, except as a very general categorization of heavy, fast shells ("high brass") vs. lighter loads ("Low brass").

FWIW, I shoot some European target loads that have higher brass than anything you will ever see on American shells, but the loads are 12 gauge, 1 oz, loads.

You should rely on the numbers on the end of the box, which will tell you the velocity (or drams equivalent, another archaic holdover) and the shot load.  The combination of these two tells you whether a shell would be considered high or low brass.  As far as 12 ga. game shells, anything with 1 1/4 oz. of lead or more is considered "high brass."

Your observation that you can get the same load in both high and low brass is very astute, and demonstrates that the concept these days is mostly a marketing ploy.  The truth is that on any modern plastic shell, you can peel the brass off, and have a perfectly acceptable shell.

Purchasing a shotgun shell based on whether it is a high brass or low brass load is akin to buying a pickup truck because you like the color.


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## Boria

Thanks for the info.  

I noticed on the high brass shells that the FPS is slightly higher than a low brass with the same load.  Does this have to do with the rate of powder burn or the amount of powder?

Will a shell with more shot load be easier to kill or hit with?

What size of load would a trap shooter use?

Thanks in advance,


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## WTM45

Twenty five ought six said:


> The concept of "high brass" and "low brass" is a holdover from the days when shotgun shells were made out of paper.  Heavier loads used slower burning powders which would actually burn through the paper hull, so these shell had "high brass" to re-enforce the hull.
> 
> In modern shells it doesn't mean anything, except as a very general categorization of heavy, fast shells ("high brass") vs. lighter loads ("Low brass").
> 
> FWIW, I shoot some European target loads that have higher brass than anything you will ever see on American shells, but the loads are 12 gauge, 1 oz, loads.
> 
> You should rely on the numbers on the end of the box, which will tell you the velocity (or drams equivalent, another archaic holdover) and the shot load.  The combination of these two tells you whether a shell would be considered high or low brass.  As far as 12 ga. game shells, anything with 1 1/4 oz. of lead or more is considered "high brass."
> 
> Your observation that you can get the same load in both high and low brass is very astute, and demonstrates that the concept these days is mostly a marketing ploy.  The truth is that on any modern plastic shell, you can peel the brass off, and have a perfectly acceptable shell.
> 
> Purchasing a shotgun shell based on whether it is a high brass or low brass load is akin to buying a pickup truck because you like the color.





That should be a stickie!  Nice explanation tewnty-five!


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## kurzrecord99

Then why won't my remington auto loader eject low brass shells but it will shoot high brass as fast as u can pull the trigger. Just asking


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## WTM45

kurzrecord99 said:


> Then why won't my remington auto loader eject low brass shells but it will shoot high brass as fast as u can pull the trigger. Just asking



Technically it's not the brass size it is the load that makes the difference.

Model 11, I'd bet.


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## WTM45

Boria said:


> Thanks for the info.
> 
> I noticed on the high brass shells that the FPS is slightly higher than a low brass with the same load.  Does this have to do with the rate of powder burn or the amount of powder?
> Short answer....Yes.
> 
> Will a shell with more shot load be easier to kill or hit with?
> It depends on how the gun and choke pattern.
> 
> What size of load would a trap shooter use?
> Usually a light target/trap load with small shot sizes like 7 1/2 or 8 and smaller.
> 
> Thanks in advance,



Shotgunning is a blast!


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## chase870

WTM45 said:


> That should be a stickie!  Nice explanation tewnty-five!



X2 its not the brass on the hull its whats inside it


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## Twenty five ought six

kurzrecord99 said:


> Then why won't my remington auto loader eject low brass shells but it will shoot high brass as fast as u can pull the trigger. Just asking




Because most 1100's are not regulated to shoot light loads, doesn't matter what kind of brass they have on them.  Buy a Beretta and you won't have those problems.



> Does this have to do with the rate of powder burn or the amount of powder?  Both
> 
> Will a shell with more shot load be easier to kill or hit with? Not necessarily.  The one thing that you can count on is that the one with the largest shot load will have the most recoil (all other things being equal).  How much this matters to you is a matter of individual taste.  Thousands of doves are killed every year by folks shooting 20 ga. and 7/8 oz. of shot.
> 
> What size of load would a trap shooter use?  That's a good question to start a fight with.  The legal limit for trap is 1 1/8 oz., and the majority of trap shooters probably shoot that.  On the other hand a majority of trap shooters are looking for ways to cure their flinches.  More and more are shooting 1 oz. loads.  For 16 yard trap, I shoot 1 oz. loads.


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