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Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1973 Location: Maine

The old Federal Monark paper shells - what kind of primer did they use? I have a bunch of old bright yellow 20 ga Monark papers and they look like they used a 209-size primer. I figure I can use them once and, if they only give one bang each, it'll still be good.

Also, I'm looking for a good 2 1/2 inch light load I can put into these old papers, so I can run them through my Trojan with the 2 1/2 inch chambers.

Dave
I have had good results loading Federal paper hulls in 20 to 12ga using the data for their plastic hulls with paper base wads. I have noticed that one piece wads can be hard on the interior of paper hulls tearing at the layers of paper, pulling at the crimps.One use hulls make that a non issue. I also load some card wad loads from old Lyman data for the plastic Fed hulls/ paper base in the paper Fed Hulls. No problem.

The old Monarks used the no-longer available F209 (pre F209A) or perhaps some version of it. As per Byrdog's reply, in the old days, the data was interchangeable between Federal paper and plastic Monark cases.

To quote the 44th Ed'n. of the Lyman Reloading Handbook, "Use with cases listed Below: All Federal Monark and Champion paper cases. Also all Federal Hi Power paper cases. All Federal Monark plastic cases."

However, there is a caveat: Curiously, the 44th listed loads with Federal cases in 12 ga. only. NO loads of any kind were listed for Federal shells of 16 or 20 ga. persuasion. Not that that ever stopped me from using the 20 ga. Federal paper and plastic hulls interchangeably. I came to the 16 ga. late in life and have never had Federal paper hulls to load for the 16.

Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1973 Location: Maine

Do the no-longer-available F209 and the currently-available F209A (of which I have a brick) fit in the same primer pocket?

That's question #1 - "does the primer properly fit the primer pocket?"

Question #2 is "what's a good load for this hull and the primer?"

the primers you list both fit any 209 primer pocket. Are you loading cards and felt or plastic wadding? if its the later Look up loads in Hodgdon's website for federal 16ga hulls and load what you like in the monarch paper.I have other data for card loadings but wont have access to them untill I return home Sat.
Two things I have noticed, 209A is hotter than the old 209 and putting a load for plastic tube in a paper tube results in less pressure in the paper tube