I still have garbage bags full of old compression formed AA 12 and 28 gauge hulls that I'm jealously hoarding, but I have loaded probably every permutation of hull that has come down the pike and my experiences mirror those above comments. The only thing I would add is that even though some of the more pedestrian types of hulls can be successfully reloaded, my biggest gripe (aside from hull life) is the steel bases on them (often plated to look like brass) which make for more effort to resize and undoubtedly increase wear on the sizing die. Not a big deal if a box or two now and then is the norm, but it is a real factor when setting out to reload a couple flats of shells.
Even though I'm still enamored of the old compression formed AA, and balked at using the HS ones when they first came out, I have since learned to accept them and honestly find no difference in hull life. I do especially like the old style AA 28 gauge hulls mainly because I still have a boat load of old style AA wads for them. Out of ignorance or sloth (take your pick) I have frequently committed the cardinal sin of loading 28 ga. HS hulls with the old style wads with no noticeable ill effect, although I do cut back the 13 grain Unique powder charge a bit for good measure when doing so.
I too routinely use W-W 209 primers for both AA and STS hulls. I never noticed extra force needed to seat them in STS's, but that could be due to the leverage in my machines, I don't know.
