doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Trivia question....................

I began shooting in 1967 with federal paper 20s, and they were yellow then. But you could still see some 20s, I seem to recall Remington/Peters, that were not, so I suspect the 1966 date for at least the beginning of the change was spot on. I recall an experienced shooter explaining the change was because 20s were being dropped into 12s, and then another shell could be loaded behind it and fired. He explained that the 16s would not drop through a 12 chamber, and so they didn't have the same problem. FWIW.

On a different but similar question, How old are black AA 12 gauge hulls? I have a few of these around as well.

I remember paper shells of all gauges in the late fifties and early sixties pretty much running the gamut of colors but went to uniform colors especially with the advent of plastic shells.

I can't recall Fed 16's ever being anything other than purple either, at least not in plastic hulls.

The black AA Handicap shells were introduced in Winchester's 1972 catalogue. According to their 1971 catalogue the 28-gauge AA shell would be available in May 1971.

Of course Winchester Repeaters were yellow in color 85 years ago!