ACTIVE brand 20 Gauge Red Hornet shotshell question????

As far as I know the cartridge collectors never really picked up the Activ shells. I really don't know why. All of the elements are there to make these shells collectible. The company had a unique product, had a dedicated user base and is now basically defunct. Kent Cartridge company bought Activ in the 90's and discontinued the name, and the all plastic shells.

The shells actually have no brass in them at all. The thicker section at the base is just that, a thicker bit of plastic. There is a thin steel disk in the base that holds the primer and reinforces the shell against the bolt face.

Activ put together some of the best waterfowl and turkey loads that I had ever used, and folks that shot finiky autos loved them. Reloaders also loved the hulls because of the huge internal capacity and the lack of need for resizing.

I think the main reason that they are not really collected much now is because of their limited availability when they were made. You didn't really see many of them around, even when the company was in full swing. If you ask around, a lot of folks have never seen one or heard of them.

Activ shells were very good products.... and one of the best reloading hull I've ever loaded.... shot tons of them and still have over a 1000... the ends of the hull will start splitting ... even so I load them until they no longer hold a crimp....

Activ put together some of the best waterfowl and turkey loads that I had ever used, and folks that shot finiky autos loved them. Reloaders also loved the hulls because of the huge internal capacity and the lack of need for resizing.

Click to expand...

All of this ^^^^

For the folks who chose to use expanded magazines, the shorter shells were also useful.

I had a chance to use some of these out of my dads stock one summer when I was young.... Also #8's. Got 3 quail that day- good shells.

I'd use 'em sparingly, and treasure the hulls.

2 1/2 in or 2 1/2 dram???? If they are 2 1/2 in, then good luck with trying to reload them. If they are the 2 3/4 in, then Shoot em, great shell, and then get some longshot and use the Federal Data for them. They have a 1400+ fps load for them in 20 gauge. I picked up a bunch and plan to load them up as such for quail and pigeon. I like shooting the same speed for all the game I hunt, and since I hunt waterfowl mostly, that speed is around 1400 fps.

If they are 2 1/2 in, then good luck with trying to reload them.

Click to expand...

'splain plz.

They load just fine even in the cheapest of tools, the lee load all.

i don't shoot to many shotgun rounds these days but I do have some of their reloader starter packs. 25 new hulls with 25 wads in a box with load data. I have several in 20 and 12 gauge.

I also have an old footlocker full of Eclipse brand (or something like that) 12 gauge green and reddish brown hulls.

jim