BULLET BULLETIN: ON TARGET, AND ON THE PODIUM, FOR A CENTURY

BULLET BULLETIN

Federal has a long and successful history of producing some of the world’s finest shotshells.

ON TARGET, AND ON THE PODIUM, FOR A CENTURY

On Federal’s 100th anniversary, a look at the company’s many fine sporting clay, competition shotshell loads.

STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY FEDERAL PREMIUM

Iam not, by any means, a trap or skeet shooter worthy of mention; however, I do enjoy a day at the range or the sporting clays course. Undoubtedly, I am far more comfortable with a rifle in hand, but when the opportunity to break clays arises, I will dust o the scattergun and give it my best.

Knowing I am already the weak link in the chain, I still want the best gear I can get my hands on, and that includes the ammunition. I’ve shot Federal target shells for years, in addition to their game loads, and as this spring happens to be the 100th anniversary of Federal, I feel it’s worth taking a look at the company’s shotshells over the last century. THE FEDERAL CARTRIDGE Corporation began in Anoka, Minnesota, in 1922, with Charles Horn at the helm, and shotshells were their main product. The Second World War put all the sporting ammunition on hold, but in the peacetime that followed the conclusion of the European and Pacific theaters, Federal ramped up the product lines, including their target shotshells. Federal’s Monark, Reliable and Dixie

An early photo of the Federal Cartridge Corporation plant in Anoka, Minnesota.

Early cardboard boxes for Federal’s Monark Trap Shells.

An early advert demonstrating the unique features and systematic performance of the Champion Target Load. Charles Horn, longtime Federal president.

lines were favorites among shooters.

As early as 1940, Federal showed its innovation by introducing features like the “wadless crimp,” using the nowcommon eight-point folded crimp. In 1951, Federal would once again o er the centerfire primers that shotshell reloaders would need to feed their scatterguns. It was Federal that – in the mid-1960s – started the practice of color-coding shotshells, with red for 12-gauge, purple for 16-gauge and yellow for 20-gauge.

The mid-’60s also saw the release of Federal’s famed Champion Target Load with its air-cushioned polymer “Pellet Protector” shot cup and wad column. Using an actual cup that enclosed the entire shot column was a new idea and the result was drastically tightened patterns. Federal’s highspeed photography would demonstrate the shot cup in flight at various stages, and was included in their 1965 catalog to convince the masses of the benefits of this design.

With a new wad and an improved shot formula that benefited from increasing the antimony levels to produce a harder pellet that resisted deformation to keep patterns tighter, Federal had a winner on their hands. Using the harder shot in both hunting and target loads, a cutaway of their Champion shotshell in the 1968 catalog

The 10MM cartridge is more than 30 years old, but its popularity has not waned. It’s one of the top three self-defense cartridges in America, as well as hunting. But most 10MM loads are designed for personal protection using bullets weighing between 100 and 220 grains. ey work well, with a very deep wound and penetration channels. Underwood Ammunition is well-known for innovative ammunition offerings, and for 2022 they are featuring a lightweight, high-velocity option for the 10MM, for hunting. is Xtreme Hunter load features a 150-grain solid-copper bullet that will penetrate to around 23.5-25 inches in ordnance gelatin with two layers of denim. e Xtreme Hunter is designed with wider flutes than the Xtreme Penetrator to slow down faster and to perform a massive energy dump faster, close to 700 pounds of energy while hunting.

The paper-hull variant of the Federal Champion Target Load.

The 1989 release of the Top Gun shotshell series offered an affordable option to clay shooters on a budget.

Top Gun remains Top Gun remains a solid seller a solid seller in the Federal in the Federal Target lineup; this Target lineup; this is the modern is the modern 20-gauge load. 20-gauge load. saw Federal indicating the primary features of that product, including the drawn plastic hull, hardened shot and proprietary Pellet Protector wad. The performance was so impressive that the majority of champion shooters in the late 1960s were standing on the podium as a result of choosing the Federal shotshells.

The early 1970s saw additional engineering improvements to the target shells, including the Triple-Plus wad column, using a two-piece design featuring a polyethylene shot cup and a wad with a plastic pillar. Once the powder was ignited, the plastic pillar would compress to provide a cushion for the shot column as it went through the rigors of its journey down the barrel. This system also helped to maximize the e ciency of the powder charge, resulting in a more consistent velocity and more consistent pattern.

IN 1974, THE Federal “Special” Target Load was introduced; it was a paperhulled shell, available in 12-gauge only, using a fiber wad column without any shot sleeve. This simple design – seemingly the opposite of the more intricate designs Federal was embracing – was used in both the Individual and Team divisions at the 1974 National Skeet Shooting Association’s International Championship. In 1976, Federal expanded the Champion line to o er both the original Champion design – using paper hulls – and the new Champion II line, based around their one-piece drawn plastic hulls.

At that time, the Federal Champion shells had been used to win more trap and skeet competitions than any other brand on the market, and that continued throughout the 1970s. Federal also realized the importance and popularity of reloading their shotshells, and would include a case of their “Pushin’-Cushion” wads with every case of target loads purchased.

In preparation for the 1980 Olympic Games – held in Moscow, Russia, and ultimately boycotted by

Federal’s Gold Medal Grand remains a premium choice for the discriminating shooter.

And they say paper hulls are dead? Nonsense! Federal still offers paper hulls in their Gold Medal target line.

Another clay bird’s life cut short, by way of a Federal target load. Gold Medal Grand was released in 2016, and has resulted in many championships.

the United States – Federal introduced the Gold Medal target load. Its durable plastic hull would stand up well to multiple reloads, and the new Super-Plus wad used a center section designed to mitigate felt recoil. The Gold Medal line’s shot would retain the higher antimony levels to resist deformation and deliver uniform patterns, and this line would quickly earn an excellent reputation among trap and skeet shooters alike. By 1985, Federal would o er the Extra-Lite variant, providing a perfect solution for the recoil-sensitive shooter.

In 1989, Federal came out with their Top Gun Target Load, giving an

The High Over All line is new to the market, but has already made quite the impression.

Meet the Podium wad, an important part of the magic of the Federal High Over All target shells.

The plastic hull of the High Over All shotshells; note the thickening wall toward the head, making it perfect for multiple reloads.

Happiness is a day at the range with a few boxes of High Over All! The High Over All shown in section. 1) Brass head, which makes resizing easier. 2) Target shotshell primer. 3) Integral base wad and tapered hull design that allows for more reloads with a wide selection of wads. 4) Onepiece Podium wad, which provides uniform compression to protect the shot and produce the most consistent patterns. 5) Hard, highantimony lead shot that resists deformation and delivers more energy downrange. 6) Eightsegment crimp.

economic choice to those shooters on a tight budget who still wanted the Federal experience. With the huge increase in interest in sporting clays during the 1980s, Federal met demand by rebranding their Special Target line, renaming it “Sporting Clays.” Still using the paper hulls and fiber wads, these shells o ered a larger pattern, perfect for the shorter distances. In 1996, Federal introduced their Gold Medal International Paper loads, which satisfied the requirements for international trap and skeet competitions.

BRINGING THINGS INTO the new century, we saw Federal-sponsored shooters on the podium of competitions more often than not. The year 2016 was a banner one for the company, with Federal introducing their Premium Gold Medal Grand line of shotshells, produced in both white plastic and white paper hulls. Federal equipped these shells with their “SoftCell” recoil-absorbing two-piece wad.

New for 2022, Federal proudly introduced their High Over All shotshell, which they claim is their best target load they’ve ever released. It was an immediate winner, and has already earned some impressive matches.

Federal themselves put it best, so I will quote: “At the ATA 2017 Grand American World Trapshooting Championships, Team Federal shooter

Federal’s Top Gun in pink; Federal donates a portion of the proceeds to help find a cure for breast cancer. Sean Hawley hit 2,538 out of 2,600 targets to claim the coveted ATA 2600 High Over All Champion Title. In the summer of 2021, Federal congratulated the USA Shooting shotgun team members who won Olympic medals in Tokyo. Federal-sponsored shooters Vincent Hancock, Kayle Browning and Brian Burrows captured medals in their events against the world’s best on the

To celebrate the company centennial, Federal has some anniversary cartridge boxes; shown here is the Hi-Power Special Trap Load.

biggest stage.”

The new High Over All shells might just be the pinnacle of target shotshell designs. Using a brass head allows the hulls to be resized numerous times, and the entire package is sparked by Federal’s target shotshell primer. Within the hull, you’ll see the base tapering to help extend hull life, and the integral base wad works with the Podium wad to cushion and cradle the shot column. Once again, the highantimony lead shot has been employed, and things are held in place with the eight-segment crimp that Federal has relied upon since the 1940s.

There are currently seven di erent loads – all in 12-gauge, and all at 2¾ inches. There is a 24-gram load for international competition, using No. 7½ or No. 9 shot, at 1,335 feet per second; three 1-ounce loads, using No. 7½, No. 8 or No. 8½ shot, at 2¾, 3, or 3¼ dram loads; and there are three 11/8-ounce loads, featuring No 7½, No. 8 or No. 9 shot, at 2¾ or 3 dram loads.

Where will target shells go next? What new technology will show its face to improve the way we take flying targets out of the air? I cannot say with any certainty, but I’d be willing to bet that Federal will be on the cusp of that technology, and will continue to lead the way, as they have for the last century. Here’s to another 100 years of success.

For more information, visit federalpremium.com. 