A shotgun shell has a polymer wad with a forward shot cup portion and a rearward propellant cup, the wad in a casing, shot in the shot cup, propellant in the propellant cup, and a primer in a head of the casing. The propellant cup having a plurality of fins extending rearwardly that open to a deployed position upon firing and the shot cup having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially aligned linear slit segments that permit air to circulate and permit expansion of the shot cup.

A shotgun shell has a polymer wad with a forward shot cup portion and a rearward propellant cup, the wad in a casing, shot in the shot cup, propellant in the propellant cup, and a primer in a head of the casing. The propellant cup having a plurality of fins extending rearwardly that open to a deployed position upon firing and the shot cup having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially aligned linear slit segments that permit air to circulate and permit expansion of the shot cup.

A shotshell including a hull with a metal head, a base wad, a primer and an outer tubular element, a powder housed inside the hull, and a wad housed inside the outer tubular element and above the powder. The wad includes an inner tubular element adapted to contain a plurality of pellets and having a first and a second end, and a side wall, and a sealing element. A side wall of the inner tubular element contacts an inner side wall of the outer tubular element. The sealing element is inside the outer tubular element of the shotshell between the powder and the first end of the inner tubular element and an outer side wall of the sealing element being in contact with the inner side wall of the outer tubular element, and outside the inner tubular element and in contact with the first end of the inner tubular element.

A shotshell including a hull with a metal head, a base wad, a primer and an outer tubular element, a powder housed inside the hull, and a wad housed inside the outer tubular element and above the powder. The wad includes an inner tubular element adapted to contain a plurality of pellets and having a first and a second end, and a side wall, and a sealing element. A side wall of the inner tubular element contacts an inner side wall of the outer tubular element. The sealing element is inside the outer tubular element of the shotshell between the powder and the first end of the inner tubular element and an outer side wall of the sealing element being in contact with the inner side wall of the outer tubular element, and outside the inner tubular element and in contact with the first end of the inner tubular element.

This invention relates to plated bismuth shot for shotgun shells and methods of making.

Shot projectiles are disclosed that are not completely spherical. The shot has an equatorial ring, top and bottom poles, and one or more sections extending between the ring and the respective poles. The ring defines a vertical height relative to an overall diameter of the projectile. The one or more sections provide flat, concave, or convex surfaces.

A wad or shot cup having a forward cylinder portion receiving a payload and a rear cylinder portion receiving a charge of propellant. One or more latent deceleration features can be formed in a surface of the sidewall extending along the rear cylinder portion. The latent deceleration features can be spaced apart from a rearward end of the shot cup and can be deployed to form deceleration petals after the shot cup is fired from a firearm. A series of longitudinal slits can be formed in the forward cylinder portion so that a portion of the sidewall expands radially adjacent the longitudinal slits after the shot cup is fired from a firearm for urging at least a portion of the payload to exit the forward cylinder portion.

A wad or shot cup having a forward cylinder portion receiving a payload and a rear cylinder portion receiving a charge of propellant. One or more latent deceleration features can be formed in a surface of the sidewall extending along the rear cylinder portion. The latent deceleration features can be spaced apart from a rearward end of the shot cup and can be deployed to form deceleration petals after the shot cup is fired from a firearm. A series of longitudinal slits can be formed in the forward cylinder portion so that a portion of the sidewall expands radially adjacent the longitudinal slits after the shot cup is fired from a firearm for urging at least a portion of the payload to exit the forward cylinder portion.

A shotgun cartridge having a weighted wad for controlling the separation point between the wad and the shot load. The wad having a tail portion and a nose portion with the nose portion shifting the center of gravity of the wad axially forward away from the center of pressure compared to where the center of gravity would be if the nose portion was not weighted thereby controlling the shot load separation and enhancing the shot pattern.

A shotgun cartridge having a weighted wad for controlling the separation point between the wad and the shot load. The wad having a tail portion and a nose portion with the nose portion shifting the center of gravity of the wad axially forward away from the center of pressure compared to where the center of gravity would be if the nose portion was not weighted thereby controlling the shot load separation and enhancing the shot pattern.