Shot shell system and method

Abstract

A shot shell includes a cartridge (also referred herein as a hull), a primer, gunpowder, a tungsten propulsion system wadding, shot pellets having a first size, and shot pellets having a second size that is larger than the first size, and a 5-8 star crimp on an upper portion of the plastic cartridge. It has been found that there are advantages to loading smaller shot (preferably 3 shot or 4 shot) first, and then loading larger shot (preferably 1 shot or 2 shot) so that the larger shot leaves the cartridge first when the shot shell is fired. In a preferred embodiment, the cartridge contains 40% to 60% large shot, and the remainder of shot pellets in the cartridge is smaller shot. In an alternate embodiment, the large shot may be loaded first, and the smaller shot loaded last, so that the smaller shot leaves the shot shell first.

Claims

1. A shot shell comprising: a hull having a first end and a second end; a primer disposed at said first end of said hull; ball propulsion powder disposed within said hull adjacent said primer; wadding disposed adjacent said powder within said hull; shot having a first size disposed adjacent said wadding; shot having a second size disposed adjacent said shot having said first size, wherein said shot having a second size is adjacent said second end of said hull; and wherein said shot having said second size comprises between 40% and 60% of a total amount of shot disposed within said hull.

2. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said first size is smaller than said second size.

3. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said wadding is a tungsten propulsion system wadding.

4. The shot shell set forth in claim 3, wherein said tungsten propulsion system wadding includes a cupper configuration.

5. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said shot having said second size comprises between 45% and 55% of a total amount of shot disposed within said hull.

6. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said shot having said second size comprises 50% of a total amount of shot disposed within said hull, and said shot having said first size comprises 50% of said total amount of shot disposed within said hull.

7. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said shot is made from material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and steel.

8. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said second end of said hull is crimped.

9. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said first size is larger than said second size.

10. The shot shell set forth in claim 1, wherein said shot having said first size is selected from the group consisting of #3 shot and #4 shot.

11. The shot shell set forth in claim 10, wherein said shot having said second size is selected from the group consisting of #1 shot and #2 shot.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a shot shell in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1, wherein the shot shell includes a hull, a primer, gunpowder, a wad, smaller shot pellets positioned adjacent the wad, and larger shot pellets adjacent the smaller shot pellets, wherein the larger shot pellets exit the hull before the smaller shot pellets when the shot shell is fired;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1, wherein the shot shell includes a hull, a primer, gunpowder, a wad, smaller shot pellets positioned adjacent the wad, a spacer, and larger shot pellets adjacent the spacer, wherein the larger shot pellets exit the hull before the smaller shot pellets when the shot shell is fired; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1, wherein the shot shell includes a hull, a primer, gunpowder, a wad, larger shot pellets positioned adjacent the wad, and smaller shot pellets adjacent the larger shot pellets, wherein the smaller shot pellets exit the hull before the larger shot pellets when the shot shell is fired.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The present invention includes, in a first embodiment, a shot shell 10 having a cartridge or hull 12 having a primer 16, and loaded with the following components, preferably in this order: ball propulsion powder 14 (also known as gunpowder), a TPS (tungsten propulsion system) wad 18, smaller shot 20 and finally larger shot 22. The open end of the hull 12 is then preferably crimped, preferably with a 5-8 star crimp to close the shell 10, although other known methods for capping the open end of the hull 12 may be employed.

(7) In a preferred embodiment, the hull 12 is made by a company called Cheddite, in Italy, although any suitable hull 12 may be used. In a preferred embodiment, the shell sizes may be in the range of 2 to 3inch standard shells, although it should be understood that other suitable sizes may be utilized, as well. The ball propulsion powder 14 is preferably St. Marks 525 powder, and each shell should contain between 37 and 37.5 grams of the powder, although more or less powder may be used for different purposes, if necessary. It should be understood that other suitable types of ball propulsion powder may be used, as well.

(8) TPS wads 18 are commonly available from manufacturers such as Ballistic Products, Inc. Shotshell wads 18 fill extra space in the hull 12 to make sure the cartridge components are packed tightly within the hull 12 so that there is no room for the shot 20, 22 and powder 14 to move around. Wads 18 also act as a barrier between the powder 14 and shot charges to ensure proper powder ignition, protect the shot 20, 22 from hot gasses and seal gasses behind the shot 20, 22 so that it can be propelled down a weapon barrel. The wad 18 also acts as a dual barrier to protect the barrel from becoming damaged by hard shot 20, 22 and to protect soft shot 20, 22 from becoming deformed by contact with hard barrel steel. In a preferred embodiment, a cupped wad 18 design is used, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, because the cupped design enhances uniformity, accuracy and velocity of the shot pellets 20, 22 at longer distances.

(9) The terms smaller shot 20 or small shot 20 herein may mean #3 size shot or #4 size shot pellets, and larger shot 22 or large shot 22 may mean #1 size shot or #2 size shot pellets. It should be understood, however, that other sizes of shot may be used, so long as 40% to 60% of the shot has a larger size than the remainder of the shot packed into the hull 12, and the specific meaning of small shot or smaller shot simply means that the shot pellets are smaller than large shot or larger shot. In a preferred range, the larger shot 22 comprises 45% to 55% of the total shot 20, 22 in the hull 12, with the smaller shot 20 comprising the remaining total shot in the hull. Even more preferably is a 50% mix of smaller shot 20 and larger shot 22, as shown in FIGS. 2-4. Various types of shot 20, 22 may be used, including lead, tungsten, steel, bismuth and any other type of shot that is suitable for a shot shell 10, although steel shot is preferred. Generally round shot 20, 22 is preferred, although shot pellets 20, 22 having other shapes may be employed, including shot having a ridge around an equatorial line of the otherwise round shot, as is commonly known in the art.

(10) As shown in FIG. 24, the shot shell 10 includes a hull 12 or cartridge having a first end, which includes the primer 16, and a second end, which is open during loading, and then is crimped or otherwise closed or capped off after loading the components into the hull 12 in order to maintain the payload (shot pellets 20, 22) and other components within the hull 12. In one embodiment, the smaller shot 20 is loaded first through the second end, and then the larger shot 22 is loaded after the smaller shot, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this way, the payload is stratified between smaller shot 20 and larger shot 22. This arrangement provides for the larger shot 22 to exit the hull 12 first, when the shot shell 10 is fired, followed by the smaller shot 20. Optionally, a spacer 24 may be placed between the smaller shot 20 and the larger shot 22 within the hull 12, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to maintain separation between shot 20, 22 of different sizes (and/or shapes).

(11) In another embodiment, the larger shot 22 may be added to the hull 12 first, followed by the smaller shot 20, as shown in FIG. 4. If necessary or desired, a spacer 24 may be used in this configuration, as well, in order to maintain separation between shot 20, 22 of different sizes.

(12) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.