Federal Cartridge Company Headstamps - Aussie Metal Detecting & Fishing

This page contains Federal Cartridge Company shotshell headstamp photos and production date ranges. The date ranges below are not exact but an estimation of production dates based on available information. If you are aware of evidence that proves a date range on a brand of shell is incorrect then please email me with a photo of said evidence so I can change the date.

The Federal Cartridge Company was originally founded in 1916 in Minnesota. It was purchased in 1922 by Charles Horn who began producing shotshells. It continues to this day as Federal Premium Ammunition.

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Headstamps
Federal Cartridge
Federal Gold Medal
Federal Hi-Power
Federal Monark
Duck Symbol – Made in USA
Duck Symbol – Gold Medal

Federal Cartridge	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 12	Head and primer appear to be the same metal with the primer cup looks like it is rusting (magnetic). Brass height - medium high with two lines around the outside. This date range is partially from the factory, but mostly from "Google searches". Federal was reformed in the early 1920's and the reason for the 1950's closing date is because shotshells went from paper to plastic hulls in the very early 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1920's - 1950's

Federal Gold Medal	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 12	Head appears to be brass with the primer cup and primer being steel. Head is strongly magnetic. Brass height - medium high with no design on the outside. This date range is partially from the factory, but mostly from "Google searches". Federal was reformed in the early 1920's and the reason for the 1950's closing date is because shotshells went from paper to plastic hulls in the very early 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1920's - 1950's

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 12	Head, primer cup and primer appear to be the same metal (non-magnetic). Brass height is high with three lines going around the outside. This date range is partially from the factory, but mostly from "Google searches". Federal was reformed in the early 1920's and the reason for the 1950's closing date is because shotshells went from paper to plastic hulls in the very early 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1920's - 1950's
No 16	Head, primer cup and primer appear to be made of the same metal (non-magnetic). Brass height is high with three lines around the outside. This date range is partially from the factory, but mostly from "Google searches". Federal was reformed in the early 1920's and the reason for the 1950's closing date is because shotshells went from paper to plastic hulls in the very early 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1920's - 1950's
No 20	Head and primer appear to be the same metal with the primer cup being different (magnetic). Brass height is high with three lines going around the outside. This date range is partially from the factory, but mostly from "Google searches". Federal was reformed in the early 1920's and the reason for the 1950's closing date is because shotshells went from paper to plastic hulls in the very early 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1920's - 1950's

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 12	Head, primer and primer cup appear to be same metal (non-magnetic). Brass height is low with no design on the outside of the cup. I can only find national advertisements for this line from the 1950's. One collector's guide shows a box from the 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1950's - early 1960's
No 16	Head, primer cup and primer appear to be the same metal (non-magnetic). Brass height is medium with two lines around the outside. I can only find national advertisements for this line from the 1950's. One collector's guide shows a box from the 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1950's - early 1960's
No 20	Head, primer cup and primer appear to be the same metal (non-magnetic). Brass height is high with two lines going around the outside. I can only find national advertisements for this line from the 1950's. One collector's guide shows a box from the 1960's. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1950's - early 1960's

Gauge	Comments	Date Range
No 12	Head and primer appear to be the same metal with the primer cup being magnetic. There is too much damage to determine anything else. I have no solid information for the date range at this time. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1950's
No 16	Head and primer appear to be the same metal with the primer cup being magnetic. Brass height appears to be low with no designs but I am not 100% sure. I have no solid information for the date range at this time. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1950's
No 20	Head and primer appear to be the same metal with the primer cup being different as it is rusting (magnetic). Brass height is high with two light lines going around the outside. I have no solid information for the date range at this time. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1950's

Duck Symbol - Gold Medal	Gauge	Comments	Date Range
	No 12	Head and primer appear to be the same metal with the primer cup being different (magnetic). Brass height is medium-high with no design around the outside. I have no solid information for the date range at this time. Although I have only seen one of this style, I believe that it is not really a truly rare headstamp. Photo and comments courtesy of Doug 'Turtlefoot' Budd.	1950's

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