I recently bought a handloaders entire collection of presses and components, and he showed me some old metal shotshells that he had inherited.

They are made by a company named "Alcan". I'm guessing they are from the 50's, but I'd never even heard of them before last week.

I took a magnet to them, but it didn't stick, so I'm assuming that they are aluminum.

Any information would be helpful.

Thanks in advance!

I have some pictures of them, but didn't see a way to add them to this topic. If you can, please give this "tech-challenged" newbie a hand

renegade243:

The ALCAN Shotshell Reloader's Manual No. X is bound into the First Annual Edition of the Handloader's Digest, LC 62-15069. That ALCAN manual contains a fair amount of information about the various metal shotshell cases that ALCAN once marketed. Please note that none of the loading data in that 1961 or 1962 manual can be considered current (2008) laboratory tested data!

Thank you for posting those pictures!

TwentyTwo:

Thanks for your reply, and great advice about the 1961 loading data I really have no plans to reload them, but I never knew metal shotshells even existed.

I was wondering if they have any value to collectors. I also have about 3 boxes of clear plastic shotshells (I'd never seen those either).

Are either of these very "collectable"?

renegade243:

I believe that your transparent shotshells were made by the Wanda Cartridge Company in Houston Texas between 1965 and 1972. Use Google's Advanced Search function with these three words as mandatory terms: wanda, plastic, shotshell. Enjoy the wealth of information that springs to availability!

Yes, those Wanda shotshells and those ALCAN metal shotshells are collectible. I don't know current prices, but www.oldammo.com and some of the other sites that your Google search discovers may help with price information too.

If my memory is any good, I think Alcan was in operation from 1951 to 1971 when it was bought out by Smith & Wesson. I have a few collectible Alcan shotgun shell boxes, they go for about $25.00 a box, full in good condition. They also made reloading powder like the the ones below. I think the aluminum shotshell cases are more highly collectible and more valuable.

Nice finds! Good way to start a collection.

Thanks for the info, Romac!

I'm planning on selling them (to offset the cost of the lead shot that I really wanted in the collection).

Where is the best place to sell some of the Alcan metal shotshells, or the Wanda clear shells? I would try eBay, simply because I don't know where else to try.

Any suggestions?

Thanks again,
Renegade243

If you are familiar w/ ebay that might be the best bet as long as it is empty. (No live shells or powder)

Auction Arms has 2 empty shells for sale for $6.00 plus shipping, I copied part of for you. (See below)

Yours which appear to be virgin with the box should get someone's attention.

Seller's Description:
Marked on case head: 12 ALCAN INCORPORATED 12 MADE IN USA. The main part of the case is Aluminum, the base is either brass or copper. Stumbled across them at a gun show. Nice condition, just a little tarnish to the base. I'm not sure if they've ever been loaded, they are currently empty, no primer.

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=8418483

Postage for the two cases will be $2.75. Thanks for your bid and be sure to check out my other auctions.

ROMAC,

I got the chance to put these on eBay last night, so I thought I would send the link, in case you are curious to see what they get for a price, or in case you (or anyone you know) might be interested in them as well.

Thanks for your help!

I forgot to mention that I have three full boxes in a "bulk pack" of Wanda clear plastic 12 gauge shotshells as well. I plan to put those on eBay as well.

I'll have to verify that this is correct. I got 11 boxes of reloading stuff from this guy getting out of reloading, and I only went through it briefly.

I'll let you know what I find if you are interested.

Some of the stuff is so old, I'm not even sure what it is for.

Fun stuff!

My eBay listing was cancelled. Seems you can't have any reloading components. I guess that explains why I don't see lead bullets, like I once used to.

Any suggestions as to where the best place to sell these would be?

Thanks in advance.

Try AuctionArms.com or GunsAmerica.com