(If you can add other headstamps please send via email and I will cite you for photo credit. Thanks)

GENERAL INFORMATION

(USA Headstamps follow)

Exact shotshell manufacturers Identification can be a very difficult process. It often requires far more than just the headstamp. Often the identification of both the headstamp, primer, the shell case and often the topwad is needed. Sometimes the only sure way is to have the actual box itself, especially for dating. Many companies such as Winchester may only place a "Winchester" wording on the headstamp but used for various models of shotshells which are very different from each other. For example, the "Winchester" only headstamp is used on "Winchester Standard" loads, "Winchester Magnum" loads, "Winchester Duck and Pheasant" loads etc. These were also used on various other shells loaded by different companies who purchased just the hulls and made their own by inserting their own type of primer, powder and shot. Today companies such as Cheddite and Fiocchi have their headstamps (full cases) sent to 100's of other companies who use to load their own brand of shotshells. Headstamp Identification on modern shells unless you have the box is vague science to say the least. Small companies often buy hulls from the larger manufacturers to re-load and sell themselves and have done so for over 125 years. It is therefore important to note what is written on the shell casing itself (either on the top wad or written on the casing) to aid in the identification and aging of the shell. The color of the plastic or paper hull as well as the case size and the size of the brass rim must also be taken in to consideration for identification purposes. The color, size and type of primer used may also be an indicator of manufacturer or if re-loaded. Primer size, color, type and size have changed over the years and can sometimes also give an idea to the age of a shell. Keep in mind though, that many companies keep the exact same headstamp for many many years, so dating a headstamp just on it's own is not usually a reliable method. Even when they have changed their headstamps, there are usually still many hulls around that have been sold to other companies or re-loaded years afterwards.

    The contents of the shell is also of great importance to proper identification. Sometimes the contents are marked, other times not. If you look at the topwad of the loaded shell, most older paper shells there should be a paper cap that displays the powder, powder company and shot type. This may require further inspection and research by the collector to determine just what you have. Shells may be made with black powder or smokeless powder before 1930's.

Shell casing were commonly made of paper, plastic, foil or metal that was usually brass, steel or aluminum. The shell may be loaded with a slug or shot (size 0000 all the way up to #12 or dust shot) with the shot being made of either lead, steel, copper, bismuth, antimony or tungsten and more. Traditionally shotshells were made with lead shot, but most areas are banning lead so steel and other materials are being used. Newer shells there are many different types of slugs made for various aerodynamic or proprietary reasons. Defense and Police shotshells may have plastic or rubber slugs/buckshot, bean bags, rubber balls, tear gas, pepper capsules and many other various materials for specific uses. Shotshells have been used for tank starters, Kiln cleaners, Cable cutters and many other commercial uses. So you get the story. Shotshells have many variables and many many uses other than for conventional shooting. 

Back to headstamps. On some older headstamps (especially brass) there may also be an A or a B after the gauge. This is mainly used to represents the shell type or lot by some manufactures, for others it indicates the ability of the shell to be reloaded. For other manufactures, the A or B has represented the powder, whether it is smokeless or not. Also keep in mind, that in some cases, the letter can actually represent an alternate gauge. An example is a 20A UMC shell has been found to actually be the rarer 18 Gauge shell. The 20A marked hulls exists in greater quantities than in the 18 Gauge. The guess is that UMC used surplus 20 gauge shells to make the experimental 18 gauge shells. Another consideration is that many gauges also have various lengths. 12 gauge shells exist is 1 3/4", 2", 2 1/4",  2 1/2", 2 3/4", 3" and 3 1/2" sizes. Most smaller ones were made for poppers, bird scare or salute cannon and blanks. 2 3/4", 3" & 3 1/2" are the common conventional sizes encountered.  There are a lot of variable to shotshells and often the box is the only sure-fire way to date and truly ID the shell.

Metal detectorists often find shell heads and I am often asked for values on these shells. Unfortunately to cartridge collectors the heads of these shells generally have no value at all. Shells that are collected need to be shells with the full paper or plastic casing and in good shape. Full shells are even more desirable than empty shells. But non the less, finding a piece of history is interesting in itself.

Finally I wanted to make a brief mention of a gauge system from Germany that is very different than what was found elsewhere, including within Europe. The shells were largely considered a horizontal Pinfire priming system. They had their own sizing system of gauges which ranged from 1-7 "Collath" gauge and then 16,20 and 24 gauge which were in the standard gauges but still a horizontal pinfire.