As an aging gunner; I, too, love the smell of just fired Federal Paper shells.
I have asked friends and myself: What IS that smell that is so damn good?
Partly 4th of July firecrackers when a kid. Partly, is almost like...well, call me a real flake, but to me perhaps it is the following smell of sex in a close room. I know I am a dirty old man, but there is SOMETHING from way back in memories about the wonderful smells those shells emit.
Ah, well...whatever it is, it is wonderful, and even if I am in shoot-off; if I am shooting Paper, I just have to stop and smell that wonderous whatever.
Sam Ogle, Lincoln, NE

Sam Ogle