Federal Cartridge is 100 years old in 2022

[jrm53]

In the September issue of the American Rifleman is the story of Federal and the man who drove it into the fine company it is today. It is a great read. In the mid-50's when I was in school and did not have much money I used to buy American Eagle 12 gauge shells by the piece I could get a dollars worth and get 7 or 8 shells and if I was lucky and the box just had a few I would get the box, I wish I had saved the box. Federal had advanced shells to the American Cartridge company in Kansas City Mo. they went broke and and Federal absorbed the company and thats how American Eagle shot shells came about. Great management can make or break a company. Check it out it on page 41. Jeff

 

[DWalt]

While the AR article was OK, it read more like advertising for Federal than history. For a long time, Federal made only shotshells and .22 RF ammo, most of which was distributed through local businesses such as small grocery stores, gas stations, barber shops, etc., and also making house branded ammunition for Sears, Montgomery Wards, Western Auto and a few other national chain stores. When and where I grew up, there were no supermarkets, just lots if small neighborhood and country mom and pop grocery/general stores, and most of them had some Federal ammunition on their shelves. I don't remember any of them selling other brands. And if you wanted to buy only two or three shotshells, they would sell them by the piece for maybe a nickel each. Most of my shooting was done using Federal .22 Short at around a quarter per box.

 

[505Gibbs]

While the AR article was OK, it read more like advertising for Federal than history. For a long time, Federal made only shotshells and .22 RF ammo, most of which was distributed through local businesses such as small grocery stores, gas stations, barber shops, etc., and also making house branded ammunition for Sears, Montgomery Wards, Western Auto and a few other national chain stores. When and where I grew up, there were no supermarkets, just lots if small neighborhood and country mom and pop grocery/general stores, and most of them had some Federal ammunition on their shelves. I don't remember any of them selling other brands. And if you wanted to buy only two or three shotshells, they would sell them by the piece for maybe a nickel each. Most of my shooting was done using Federal .22 Short at around a quarter per box.

Agreed - not an especially great article.

 

[Skeet 028]

I remember when Mom and Dad had the small grocery store. They sold Federal shotgun shells. Most small mom and pop stores did. They didn't sell 22s(I woulda shot all of them). I bought my 22 ammo at Western Auto most of the time. They were much cheaper than the local hardware stores

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

When I was pre-teen. I would shoot squirrels and trade "em" to my barber for a couple of $$. Then I would go to Davis hdwe. and buy 20 ga Federals for I think $0.12 a piece. Thanks for the memory.
Back then only places that sold ammo was the Western Auto(Revelation Brand) and the hardware store.

 

[DWalt]

Being from a somewhat primitive rural area, almost all of the mom & pop stores sold Federal .22s and at least 12 gauge shells and maybe sometimes 16s and 20s. But little or no choice of shot size and weight. Seems like #6 shot was typical, which was OK for squirrels and rabbits, which was about the only game anyone hunted. Lots of bare subsistence families had not much more than rabbit and squirrel to eat for meat. Ohio did not even have a deer season until the 1940s.