Upland Goes Retro: Federal Upland Paper Shotshells

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posted on January 22, 2025
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20095256 Premium Upland Paper 12Ga 2

Plastic shotshells have been a part of my life since I began shooting; they were the norm, or so I thought. While I quickly became familiar with the green Remington hulls and the deep red of the Federal hulls for my prized .410-bore Savage-Stevens-Fox double, my grandfather showed me his assortment of paper hull shotshells for his 16- and 12-gauge shotguns. To the 14-year old me, they seemed like a glimpse of a bygone era, and I wasn't exactly wrong, as Federal had stopped making paper shells the year I was born—1971. That is about to change in 2025, with the introduction of the Upland Paper shotshell line.

Upland Paper brings the classic look, feel and performance of paper shotshells, hearkening back to Federal’s classic lineup. The waxed-paper hull houses a wad which is optimized for the best performance with the payload of extra-hard, copper-plated lead shot. A traditional six-point crimp keeps things where they should be, and Federal has chosen the appropriate primer and powder for consistent ignition. Upland Paper is a perfect choice for the pursuit of upland birds like partridge, quail, pheasant and chukar, not to mention a nostalgic choice for putting a great old double back to work on rabbits and squirrels

Upland Paper is available in 12-gauge, 2 ¾-inch hulls, with 1 ¼-ounces of No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 shot at 1,330 fps; and in 20-gauge, 2 ¾-inch hulls with 1 ounce of No. 4, No. 5, or No. 6 shot. Federal offers the Upland Paper in 25-count boxes, with 10 boxes to the case. The Upland Paper shotshells have an MSRP of $44.99/box of 25. Learn more about them at federalpremium.com.

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