Older AA style 16’s
 

Been loading a few hundred 16 gauge shells using the old AA style red 16 gauge hull , Remington SP-16 wad and SR4756 and an ounce of shot . All being done on an older MEC 650 . Don’t ask me the charge weight or bushing number as I’m not taking the charge bar out anytime soon . I checked it when I acquired it and weighed several charges but I’ve forgotten what it was and I’ve not changed it . Kinda light load but it works well , this is a Jim Rice load he used in the Belgian I think it was three barrel 16 gauge he had .

nice looking shells....charlie

I have 5 MEC presses on my bench, for 28 - 10ga. The best one by far is also the oldest and a 650 for 12ga. Works smoother than any of the others. I really like the older AA hulls too.

Great hull. Been using them since they were new. UPLAND and the Dove & Quail.

Attachment 95343

What's the difference between the newer AAHS grey vs red. I saw a recipe somewhere that said "You can only use grey for this load, NOT RED..." Missing something here? I don't have the old style AA's on hand. I have done some 12's in Rio blue, then did some in Gun Club. I will shoot and toss the Rio's, green was much easier to work with.

For me, all AA's (red, grey,, old, new) load the same . My DHE and I managed an 85 on a cupcake course Sunday with 1 oz loads in those cases (12 gauge)

Craig was loading 16 ga. There are the compression formed older hulls, that are highly sought after by reloaders for their durability. There are also newer polyformed Winchester hulls, reloadable, not as durable, and different load recipies required.
That said I have a bag of 400+ Winchester hulls, no doubt a mix of both, that I need to go thru and sort as to type. I would need to go back thru old threads and find out how to tell them apart--unless someone would like to school us all on this thread--I'm sure it would be appreciated--at least by me it would.

The newer AA hulls are two piece hulls. The base wad is pressed in the bottom of the hull and the the metal is crimped on the bottom. I have measured the gray AA's after numerous reloads and the inside length grows account of the base wad compressing, thus the shells crimp differently after loaded three or four times.

The 16ga Compression formed hulls are completely smooth on the outside no ribs at all. They don't the have a separate base wad , all one piece . If you shine a light on the inside you see can the difference and they are tapered . Most not all had brass heads , some of the later ones where steel .

Thank you Mark--I got some sorting to do now.