[rdf59]

I've been a STS buyer in the 12 and 20 arena and know little about my new love category, the 28. I have found from previous threads on TS that Win AA's seem to be the favorite in this gauge for reloading and that there is a measurable difference in the AA and AAHS.
My question is --- can one buy either the AA or AAHS or are all 28 targets sold only in the newer AAHS shell. I can't tell from the ads in ABLE or other suppliers on the i-net.

I want to stock up on new shells to build my hull inventory.

 

[Shooting Jack]

I haven't found any of the old shells and have been stocking up on the AAHS hulls and most go for 15 cents each but if you can get a good price on the shells that is a good way to go. Jackie B.

 

[dss8110]

STS is a better hull to reload.It last longer.AA is the older style,not made any more.It is taller,but not as wide as the newer HSAA.The HS is wider or larger opening.David

 

[skeet_man]

Up until the very end of last shooting season, I'd been loading STS hulls in all four gauges for the previous 8 or 9 years. I was getting them for about 1/2 market price from a friend of mine, so I could live with the drawbacks in the 28ga. I was getting anywhere from 20% to 30% failure rate loading once fired hulls (crimps that were less than acceptable, which had to be relegated to the practice bin). I could typically get 2 reloads out of a hull that were acceptable for competition, 3 was usually stretching it to the point where i had less confidence in the shells.

I no longer have a cheap supply of STS hulls, and AAHS can be had for a couple pennies more a hull over market price STS hulls. There were some growing pains switching over, and I'm still fine tuning a new load, but the results so far are very encouraging. I loaded a batch of hulls for tmrws league this evening for the 3rd time, and the shells were more than satisfactory, and I expect I should be able to get AT LEAST one more reload thats acceptable for competition, and maybe more (so I'm basically getting at least double the hull life, for only a small increase in hull cost). If I take my time and line up the crimp perfectly w/ the crimp starter, I'm getting a 100% success rate on crimps.

I'm sorry to say, but anyone that thinks the STS is a better hull has never tried the HS, or is delusional (and that is coming from a HARDCORE Remington fan, that generally doesn't care for Winchester products, and swore to never use them again after the problems they had w/ the CF hulls before the switchover).

I had assembled a large cache of AAHS 410 hulls as well, but I got to thinking about it, and I'm extremely satisfied with my current .410 load using STS hulls, and it would be crazy to mess with success, so I sold all of them, even though I believe they are most likely a better hull than the STS 410 as well. I had nothing to loose average or confidence wise with the 28, so I knew one way or the other changes were in store my 28ga shells.

 

[3on8]

I would take the STS in 28ga over a Win AA or AAHS shell for reloading any day. I still like the older ribbed Remington 28ga the best.

my 2 cents

 

[Pull & Mark]

rdf59, The old style AA 28 gauge shells are no longer being made!!! They have not been made for 6 or more years, so the only Win. AA hulls you can get a steady supply of anymore are the newer Win. AAHS hulls. Most common line of thinking is that the STS's are the best in the 12,20ga. and the Win. AAHS are the best in the 28,410 bore. But if you use the right wad and powder (tweek your reloader) in the 12,20 Winchesters you'll see that you get more loads on them as well. Its the same plastic as the 2 smaller guages. Best of Luck shooting my favorite gauge to shoot. They break targets like a 12 gauge and kick like a 410. Break-em all. Jeff

 

[Customstox]

Ian, you are right in your assessment of anyone who thinks the STS is better than the AAHS. They have not tried them or would not be saying that. The AAHS at 5 reloads looks better than the STS at 2 and the sts at 4 or 5 is done and at 5 you are not half way through the life of the Winchester. Same with the 410.

 

[superxjeff]

Well... I shoot between 10,000 and 20,000 rounds of reloaded 28ga ammo per year.
The remington STS is the poorest prtemium hull by so far it isn't even an issue.

god forbid youy get a hold of some that somebody is selling that are the old STS that had such varibale length. It was so bad I had to batch size the hulls and keep them separate. As far as a reload in competition goes.. If you shoot them across a Crony you will find that they will hold pressure far longer then 3 or 4 reloads and give consistant velocity. Confidence in a shell based on how it looks may be another matter.

Sts hulls get a burnt on the ends rather quickly and the HS hulls will last for more loadings then most resonable people will reload them. Load one 10 times and then shoot it across the crony and you may be suprized at how well they hold velocity. I shoot a whole bunch of 28ga ammo and I try and get as many reloads as I can as long as the velocity does not drop off. HS hulls can be loaded according to my tests more then 10 times without any more varyation then they have after 2 reloads. If I wanted 1200 FPS every time I would have to load a shell that starts off faster to begin with. A consistant 1200 FPS in a 28 can be tough on the first reload. Heck.. Velocity consiatacy is any shell can be tough. Shotguns are not rifles. Really good handloads will can 20FPS. Jeff

 

[12ShotTwo]

Can you reloading wizards tell me where I can buy AAHS hulls in both 28 and 410? Also I have a small supply of 410 Federal target hulls, are these any good for reloading? They look like they have only been shot once. Joe

 

[skeeljc]

Joe,

Gunbroker usually has hulls for sale.

I have been loading old style AA 28 gauge. I can get 4 or 5 reloads out of that hull. I loader a box of AA HS 28's twelve times!! I lost a few along the way but the majority were still good reloads on the 12th loading. i plan on switching to the HS hull in 28 and .410.

Jim Skeel

 

[Joe Woods]

i have shot a 500 rounds of Winchester 28 Ga. HS this week, found 3 or 4 already split. New Hulls. New Caesar Guerini & new shells.
Know i need to get a loader.Suggestions !!!

Joe Woods/Ontario

 

[Hatshooter]

joe, you may have gotten hold of a bad run of shells..or I have seen these hulls split down the sides in cold weather. I still believe these are the best reloadable hulls on the market..