Interesting Shotgun Shell (possibly still has part of the paper shell)

[SnailRacer99]

First hunt of February (really loving winter hunting). Four-hour hunt yielded two more Winchester Repeater No. 12, both within 2 feet of each other, and both found within the first ten minutes of hunting. What's interesting is I think one of them might still have part of the paper hull still attached.

At first I thought it was a plastic hull because it was frozen in an ice-block and all I saw was yellow. By the time I got home it had dried in my pocket ans sure enough it's an old shell. I'm hoping Turtle Foot can confirm my suspicions that it is, in fact, the original paper hull.

My records show a date of 1896-1927 (after 1927 they started putting "Made in USA on the head) so if it really is the paper hull, at its youngest this shell is 85 years old and somehow the paper didn't completely dissolve. I think that's pretty cool

[turtlefoot]

I can tighten your dates a little. It will date from 1904-1927. It is a nice find, and yes, that is some of the original paper from the shell. The brass sometimes does a nice job in protecting it. Great find.

Doug

[Charlives]

Interesting dating those things. Ground was frozen here last week but nice and soft this week. How deep were they?

[SnailRacer99]

Originally Posted by Charlives

Interesting dating those things. Ground was frozen here last week but nice and soft this week. How deep were they?

All of the shells I have found were no deeper than 2 inches, most of them within 1 inch and ironically my oldest (1860-1870) was sitting right on top of the ground without any digging required.