Exact shotshell manufacturers Identification can be a very difficult process. It often requires far more than just the headstamp. Often the identification requires the headstamp, primer, the shell case and often the topwad. 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. Many shpotshell companies also provide their casings for other companies they load themselves and this can be worldwide. 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 shotshells over all, unless you have the box is a 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 the manufacturer or if it is a re-loaded case. 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. These pages are really to help you ID who made the casing.

RUSSIA

Blue dot = Picture by Rene Polman. Many Russian photo's by Treshin.

Russian shotshells and boxes are difficult to Identify. Many brands such as Record I have seen with both Azot and Baikal headstamps. Boxes as well, I have seen the same boxes with Baikal, Azot, Iskra and Novosibirsk headstamped shells inside. Being communist many resources were shared amongst various factories on shells. Headstamps in English were made for export.

AZOT

Plant #11 in business from 1915 to 1946 but mainly made artillery shells. Started making shotshells in 1947 under code 11 until 1953/1954.

Name started to be used in 1954 using 3ABOA A3OT marking (as in the first 5 samples). Those with Azot and English writing were shells made for Export. Record (A brand of Azot but also found on the hulls of Baikal). Record Russia and Azot Azot (2nd last headstamp below) are the only headstamps they now use on shotshells. They currently manufacture in 12, 16, 20 and 410 gauge though the 410 gauge is not headstamped.

Krasnozavodsk Chemical Plant #11. Triangle in a V headstamp.

 Headstamps that are 4 part with a star I have only seen on shells marked with 1964-1968 thus far. This Triangle in a V headstamp has been noted since about 1961 and seemed to be for the most part the main headstamp for domestic use while Azot, Record and Baikal became the export name. Have seen this headstamp up until the late 1990's. Now they only use "Record Russia" headstamps.

Blue dot = Picture by Rene Polman

Record (A brand of Azot but also found on the hulls of Baikal). Record Russia and Azot are the only headstamps they now use on shotshells (Examples are the first 4 pictures below for Record). They currently manufacture in 12, 16, 20 and 410 gauge though the 410 gauge is usually not headstamped.

KX3=Coke made by Record (Azot)

Baikal (Izhevsk Mechanical Plant): Brand appears to have been mainly made by Azot and Iskra and for Export sales.

ISKRA, (Novosibirsk Low Voltage Equipment Works).

Headstamps of 188, 606 and now LVE on centerfire cartridges.

(Four below are for Export)

NCKPA is cyrillic for Iskra and appears to be operating as their own company now. LVE does not have shotshells listed on their site.

Klimovsk Cartridge Plant (modern for shotshells)

Pozis (modern company)

Fetter (2001+)

Cartoucherie Russo-Belge (1899 to the revolution)

Russian Cartridge Factory, Moscow. Pre 1917

Barnaul

(shotshells since the 1960's) Brands include Barnaul, Golden Bear, Silver Bear, Centaur

Tula Cartridge Works, Now called Tulammo

System Gordon, Italy. Made for Russia for Tula

Glavpatron (2003+)

(mainly uses foreign cases such as Cheddite, B&P as B&P, Italy helped set up this factory)

Ulyanovsk Machinery Plant
(State Factory #3), USSR. (all brass shotshells from 1944 to the 1960's)

Moscow Shot Foundry, Pre 1917

Above:(3ABOA No 5. 16 16 stars MOCKBA)

Blue dot = Picture by Rene Polman

E Torbek Factory. Pre 1917. Cases by Moscow Shot Foundry.

Changed name to All Union, Patrubvvzryu then to Plant Number 5 (some have both Moscow Foundry and No 5 for plant number 5 on them). Various changes and names.

1926-1930

1930-1934 (changed after to plant 58)

K.E. Voroshilov Works, No.58 - Moscow

POLYEX (modern)

Other Russian/Soviet.

Russo Belge Liege

by CRB

Located under Belgium

BULGARIA

CZECHOSLOVAKIA (Now Czechia)

HUNGARY

LATVIA

 Sellier & Bellot, Riga, Latvia.

POLAND

Blue dot = Picture by Rene Polman

ROMANIA

UKRAINE

Sokol, Kiev Ukraine

Kiev Workshop

Blue dot = Picture by Rene Polman

American Shop, Kiev

Lugansk Cartridge Works

Kharkov

Blue dot = Picture by Rene Polman

Unknown

YUGOSLAVIA

(organized by the present nations that once formed Yugoslavia)

Unknown in former Yugoslavia area

Bosnia & Herz.

Croatia

Kosovo

Serbia

Red dot: Photo by Coleccion de Cartuchos de Espana

SLOVENIA

Curtis Steinhauer