[Anthony]

Hello Everyone,

Has anyone ever used Estate Cartridge brand shotgun shells?

If yes, did you use their "off the shelf" shells or did you have them custom load something for you?

How did their quality and performance compare to the bigger brands like Winchester and Federal?

Thanks for the help.

- Anthony

[Dave McCracken]

Some faaairtomiddlin' trapshooters I know like their target loads plenty. They use a few thousand each yearly and say they equal the high cost stuff for singles and skeet. The hull is not a prime reloading candidate in their opinions.One reloads them once, then pitches them.

Since I use reloads most of the time and have the Hull Elf bringing me STS and AA hulls at intervals, I don't buy Estate target.

I like their R/R buck, getting better 00 patterns than any other buck I've tried. YMMV.

HTH....

[3 gun]

I had a dealer in the area carry Estate. I used 20 cases of it before he moved on. He'd sell it by pre-order for $27.00 a case. I was using it when I shot 25/25 for the first time in Skeet and Five Stand. If I could find it now at those kind of prices I'd still be using it. I'd even be willing to pay a little more if I could find it local. It worked that well. I used 10 cases each of 1 1/8 oz, 7 1/2 and 8 shot, target loads. It was the equal of Remington Gun Club loads, not as good as the STS loads. A good value and performer overall.

[mikey357]

...the first time I ever saw the Estate target loads in use was when a squadmate of mine used them at the Georgia State Skeet Championships three or four years ago...IIRC, he ran a coupla' hundred-straights...won one State Championship...good enough for me!!!...I've been using 'em, off-and-on, ever since...no, they do NOT reload like the more expensive, one-piece compression-formed hulls...but then, they do NOT cost like 'em, either...and I don't have as much time to reload as I used to...I think that the Estate target loads are better-quality than the Rio's or Olympia's...probably at least as good as the Federal "Top Gun" loading, maybe better...my two cents' worth....mikey357

[HSMITH]

I have fired 10's of thousands of their 2.75" magnum OO buckshot. Never ever a problem at all, other than getting sore:what: I have seen another couple hundred thousand of it shot and no problems at all.

BTW, Uncle Sam funded ^^^^^ it, they had (have?) a contract to supply ammo to the armed forces. Good stuff.

[Dave R]

It patterns well in both my 870 and my Liberty SXS. What more can I ask for?

[blooch]

estates original claim to fame was with flyer shooters. if they were good enough for that sport, they are probably good enough for anything out there, if their new ownership hasn't affected their quality. we used to go down and have paul make custom loads for us with our name on them and i would say they were the most consistent hunting/flyer load we ever shot. i was fortuante enough to have my skeet ammo given to me by a major manufacturer so i cannot tell you how good estates target ammo is/ was.

[mattk]

Good stuff and cheap too. I have used Estate loads for IPSC 3 gun, Bowling Pin shoots, and Clays. Never had a problem with them.

[45auto]

Estates shoot nice- no problem. Don't bother with custom loads.
If you reload buy Winchester or Remington for the hull strength.
Federal owns Estate now by the way!

Good luck