Abstract: A shotgun cartridge includes a cartridge case having a primer, a propelling charge contained in the cartridge case disposed proximate to the primer and shot. A first wad shot grouping element has a travel direction side surface in contact with the shot and extending rearwardly therefrom. The travel direction side surface acts on a first shot mass of the shot positioned in front of the first wad shot grouping element for at least some distance after exiting a barrel of a gun to define a first shot mass pattern. A second wad grouping element has a surface with a travel direction side surface and a side surface extending rearwardly from the travel direction side surface. An exterior surface with an annular edge extends forwardly of said travel direction side surface. The second wad surface acts on a second shot mass of the shot for at least some distance after exiting the barrel of the gun. The exterior surface and the travel direction side surface cooperate to form a cup shaped portion.

Abstract: A shot cup 20 for a shotgun cartridge 10 is disclosed which is made of paper or other biodegradable fibrous material. The shot cup 20 serves to contain shot 26, particularly non-lead shot which may be abrasive, during firing, and to prevent such shot contacting the gun barrel.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for suppressing muzzle blast, muzzle crack and/or over penetration in a weapon. A frangible shotshell payload comprising a cup having a portion divided into petals, a payload having a mass disposed in the cup and a cap disposed at, and melted into, tips of the petals. The frangible shotshell may include a cup or wad formed from high density polyethylene. The cap may be formed from a disc of low density polyethylene having a diameter of 0.625″.

Abstract: A relatively high carbon, water-atomized, steel shot is softened via annealing to render it suitable for ballistic use. The annealing preferably includes decarburization from a surface layer or throughout and preferably provides the shot with a surface Knoop hardness of less than 250.

Abstract: The present invention is a multidisk shell and wad for use in a multidisk shell. The wad consists of a wad base, a cushioning section attached at a first end to a top section of the wad base, and at least three alignment arms attached to a second end of the cushioning section. The cushioning section is interposed between the projectile mass and the wad base. The preferred cushioning section comprises a hollow outer cylinder and at least one inner cylinder of polymeric plastic material. Thus, there are at least two concentric cylinders providing the cushioning between the disks and the expanding propellant charge. These at least two concentric cylinders and are attached at first ends to the top side of the wad base. The wad has at least three spatially separated alignment arms having proximal ends and distal ends for maintaining the alignment of projectiles as they travel through the gun barrel.

Abstract: A sabot pressure wad has a unitary sabot portion and an integrally formed pressure wad portion. The sabot portion has a payload receiving compartment which may receive a payload, such as a cylindrical slug, with an interference fit. The pressure wad portion has a gas seal and a shock absorbing device, such as a plurality of chevrons. A separating disc may be positioned between the gas seal and the sabot portion. The gas seal, the separating disc, and the sabot portion all have substantially the same outer diameter. The sabot pressure wad may be a single piece injection-molded part, and may be received within a shell casing along with the payload. The sabot pressure wad remains attached to the payload upon discharge from a firearm until impact with a target.

Abstract: A shotshell wad for use in a shotgun shell is provided. Three discs are disposed within a generally cylindrical tubular wail, and define a gas seal section, a middle section, a shot cup extension section, and a shot cup section. The third disc, which separates the shot cup extension section and the shot cup section, is detachably connected to the tubular wall such that when the shotshell is fired, the third disc breaks away and travels rearward relative to the rest of the shotshell wad to a position adjacent to the second disc. A plurality of fingers are defined by a plurality of lateral cuts through the tubular wall in the shot cup section extending from a point in the shot cup section to the forward end of the tubular wall. The tubular wall also includes a plurality of circumferential cuts passing therethrough substantially at the point where the plurality of lateral cuts terminate. The plurality of circumferential cuts extending through a section of each of the plurality of fingers.

Abstract: The combination of a shot sleeve and a shot cup base form a universal shot wad that precisely fixes an adjustable volume for the shot column of a wide range of shot shell loads. The shot sleeve is a generally tubular member with an open end and a closed end. The inside of the shot sleeve is substantially smooth adjacent to both the open end and the closed end and has a plurality of substantially parallel, inwardly projecting, first ribs circumscribing the inside between the smooth portions.The shot cup base is a second tubular member and also has an open end and a closed end. A plurality of substantially parallel, outwardly protruding, second ribs circumscribe an outside of the shot cup base. The volume of a shot receiving portion is controlled by inserting the shot cup base a desired distance into the shot sleeve such that the two sets of ribs interengage.

Abstract: The invention provides a universal shotgun shell wad that may be used by manufacturers to assemble a variety of shotgun shells with a wide variety of shot and powder loadings. Shotgun shells of the invention use casings of the type known in the art including a base forming a cavity for a powder primer and an outer wall forming the exterior of the shotgun shell and carrying shotgun shell wad. Such shotgun shells are provided with a shotgun shell wad comprising an outer plug and an inner plug. The outer plug has a bottom shaped to form a powder chamber within the casing of the shotgun shell and a shot-carrying sleeve extending upwardly from the bottom surface and has an inner surface portion with a plurality of engagement surfaces spaced along its length. The inner plug has a closed bottom with at least one engagement surface on its outer periphery shaped for mating with the plurality of engagement surfaces on the inner portion of the outer plug.

Abstract: A pellet orienting member has a groove extending along a diameters of a disc for receiving a plurality of shot pellets of a first layer. The pellet orienting member may include at least one support surface adjacent to the first groove adapted to contact at least one shot pellet from a second layer. The pellet orienting member may have an additional, or second, groove on a second side extending along a second diameter. Either or both grooves may contain a separator in the groove. The groove may be of differing sizes and shapes, or may even be two depressions.

Abstract: A 12-gauge emergency radar rescue signal cartridge comprises bundles of high density chaff tuned to I-Band frequencies of 8-10 GH.sub.z and packaged in a projectile housed within a 12-gauge 3.0-3.5 inch magnum shot shell. The projectile is deployed to a desired altitude by a propellant charge contained within the base of the shell. The base propellant ignites a pyrotechnic delay train carried by the projectile which allows the projectile to reach apogee geometry before the chaff material is expelled to form a radar reflecting cloud. The cartridge may also be employed to facilitate radar observation of low altitude wind conditions.

Abstract: A pellet orienting member has a groove extending along a diameters of a disc for receiving a plurality of shot pellets of a first layer. The pellet orienting member may include at least one support surface adjacent to the first groove adapted to contact at least one shot pellet from a second layer. The pellet orienting member may have an additional, or second, groove on a second side extending along a second diameter. Either or both grooves may contain a separator in the groove. The groove may be of differing sizes and shapes, or may even be two depressions.

Abstract: A shotgun shell includes a sabot with a tubular portion extending from a e, a chamber disposed within the tubular portion in communication with an opening in the base, a load of shot disposed within the tubular portion around the chamber, and a valve disposed between the chamber and the opening to control the flow of propellant gases into and out of the chamber. The valve can be a choke with a flow constricting orifice that delays pressurization and depressurization of the chamber. Alternatively, or in addition to a choke valve, a movable valve member can be disposed between the chamber and the opening to seal with a valve seat in order to capture high pressure propellant gases which, upon emergence of the sabot from the gun barrel, will assist in creating a highly dispersed shot pattern at close range. Also disclosed are a number of ways in which the sabot can be modified to control the stiffness of the tubular portion in order to change the shape of the shot pattern to suit specific applications.

Abstract: A multiple projectile cartridge for a muzzle loading firearm which comprises a plurality of projectiles, a plastic cup sized to fit into a bore of the muzzle loading firearm containing the projectiles and a top wad inserted into and retained in the open end of the cup by a retaining means in the tubular portion of the cup. The tubular portion of the cup includes several spaced longitudinal slots extending from the open end toward the base of the cup defining petals therebetween. The retaining means preferably includes a radial peripheral groove adjacent the open end of each of the petals of the tubular portion of the cup. The periphery of the top wad engages this groove to retain the top wad in place and in turn retain the shot load in the shot cup when the cartridge is inserted into the bore of the muzzle loading firearm.

Abstract: A water resistant shotshell has an internal moisture seal to preclude moisture intrusion into the propellant charge. The seal is at least one flexible tapered lip on the plastic shot wad which is compressed against the inside surface of the shotshell tube over the powder charge. The preferred embodiment is a two piece shot wad having a shot cup portion and a wad portion. The wad portion has a central disk portion and a tubular rim terminating in a pair of opposing flexible lips which provide a dual moisture seal.

Abstract: A pattern controller has a disc-like adjuster which can be snugly fitted in a case and a plurality of stays which integrally project in the axial direction from the adjuster. The adjuster is provided with a tapered surface adjacent to the stays to define a guide surface for shot and a center hole through which shot passes. The stays are inserted in the shot charged in the case, so that the adjuster surrounds the shot. The case is crimped to complete a shotshell. The pattern controller provides a concentrated-type shotshell or a scatter-type shotshell. When the shotshell is fired from a skeet choked barrel or an improved cylinder barrel, a remarkably concentrated or scattered pattern can be obtained. A ultra scattering type of pattern controller which has no center hole is also disclosed.

Abstract: A shot cartridge is made to contain a projectile system for harmlessly ensnaring a fleeing person. The projectile system employs three or four buckshot paired with an equal number of twinned fish hooks. Each buckshot and fish hook pair is joined by a thin strong line, and all said lines are joined at a single site. The fish hooks are separately housed adjacent the rear of the cartridge. The buckshot are separately housed adjacent the front of the cartridge. The line is housed within the cartridge in a compacted state. When fired, the projectile system deploys with an assured wide pattern.

Abstract: A container of shot for a shotshell includes a container body comprised of a non-slit tube and a disc integral therewith and in contact with a wad. The disc is coaxial to the non-slit tube. The disc and the non-slit tube have a diameter slightly smaller than a bore of an associated shotgun. The container has an open hollow portion defined by an inner peripheral surface of the non-slit tube and an end face of the disc, and further includes a retarder provided in the container body to retard the separation of the shot pellets from the container. The container can be advantageously used with a shotshell having steel shot pellets charged therein.

Abstract: A sabot for a shotgun shell provided with a recess in its base upon which opellant gases may act to radially expand and flatten the sabot thereby enhancing the dispersion of shot. In alternate embodiments the recess may be conoidal, parabolic, pyramidal, or an involute surface resembling a cone. The recess may also be comprised of multiple overlapping layers. Each recess provides a unique shot pattern for short-range antipersonnel engagements. In other embodiments, the foregoing recesses are provided with grooves to facilitate petalling of the recess and flattening of the sabot during and after launch. In another embodiment, the recess is filled with propellant and capped with a consumable plug to delay ignition of the propellant charge, further enhancing shot dispersion.

Abstract: A sabot for a shotgun shell provided with a recess in its base upon which opellant gases may act to radially expand and flatten the sabot thereby enhancing the dispersion of shot. In alternate embodiments the recess may be conoidal, parabolic, pyramidal, or an involute surface resembling a cone. The recess may also be comprised of multiple overlapping layers. Each recess provides a unique shot pattern for short-range antipersonnel engagements. In other embodiments, the foregoing recesses are provided with grooves to facilitate petalling of the recess and flattening of the sabot during and after launch. In another embodiment, the recess is filled with propellant and capped with a consumable plug to delay ignition of the propellant charge, further enhancing shot dispersion.

Abstract: Shortened shotshells having a reduced length that allows one or more extra rounds to be carried in the magazine of a standard shotgun, and having substantially the same ballistic properties as standard shotshells, are obtained by using a reduced length shell casing and replacing the standard wadding with a relatively long double cup-shaped wadding with a first cup that holds the powder and a second cup to at least partly hold the shot. The open end of the first cup extends close to the primer cap. By placing the powder within the wadding and having part of the wadding extend around the shot, the same powder and shot loads may be used with a longer wadding. The longer wadding avoids tilting or tumbling of the wadding and provides a continuous gas seal between the end of the shell case and the barrel entrance across the gap that exits as a result of using the shortened shell case in a gun chambered for a standard length shell.

Abstract: A shot charge and wad structure includes a thick-walled plastic shot wad cup having integrally connected base and continuous sidewall portions which together define a shot pocket with an open end for receiving and supporting a charge of shot. The structure also includes a shot pellet charge in the shot pocket composed of tungsten and having a hardness generally at least equal to that of the gun barrel in which a shotshell containing the pellets is to be fired. An insert disk is disposed in the pocket below and in supporting relation to the charge of shot pellets in the pocket. The disk is composed of a material, such as aluminum, having a hardness sufficient to prevent any of the pellets in the charge thereof from embedding therein or in the base portion. Instead, the charge cleanly separates from the pocket of the cup upon firing of a shotshell containing the charge. The shot pocket can be either generally square or circular in cross-section.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a 12-gauge 00 buckshot shotshell having a definitely improved pattern accuracy because of the manner in which the pellets are stacked within the casing prior to firing. The 00 pellets are stacked within a relatively thick-walled casing, or within a relatively thick-walled sleeve within the casing, in single pairs superimposed one upon the other, each pair nesting with its adjacent pair in a common nesting zone and none of the centers of the pellets being disposed within such a nesting zone. The casing must have an effective internal diameter of less than 2.154 times the diameter of the 00 buckshot pellets. The pellets may be stacked so that the two pellets of most of the pairs are slightly axially off-set relative to each other, and so that each pellet is arranged along one of a pair of separate varying helical paths about the axis of the casing.

Abstract: A one-piece, elongate, tubular shot shell wad structure, for use with ferrous metal and other hard shot, having a shot cup and obturating cup separated by a relatively small distance and yet having a cushioning capability for limiting peak powder chamber pressure upon firing and reducing choke strain. The cushioning structure comprises a specially formed annular depression formed in the exterior surface of the wad structure located at the juncture between the shot cup and obturating cup. The depression cooperates with the tubular wall of the obturating cup in such a way as to provide not only cushioning but also improved sealing upon firing. The shot cup has a hemispherical bottom surface which, despite the presence of the cushioning depression, does not undergo any substantial deformation upon firing and is therefore effective to further reduce choke strain.

Abstract: A projectile for a smooth bore gun includes a metal bullet, substantially de of lead, and a wad-flight control element of plastic material. The bullet is constituted by a metal body provided with an ogive with centering fins and comprises one or more cylindrical segments. The wad-flight control element comprises a container, connected to the bullet and containing the same, an amortizing portion and a cup for sealing off propellant gases. The amortizing portion and the sealing cup act to control the projectile during flight.

Abstract: A shot gun shell is disclosed which employs a wad defining a shot cup, including closure means associated with the open end of the shot cup adapted to operate upon insertion of the wad into the shot gun shell casing to restrain the shot within the cup without the aid of external means. The wad of the present invention employs a one-piece construction and may be manufactured from a plastic material. A shot shell casing is also disclosed which employs a circumferential bead located about the inside surface of the casing adjacent its open end. The bead serves to frictionally retain the wad of the present invention upon its insertion into the casing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shotshell including a cartridge case having a metal sidewall defining an open end of the case. A charge is contained in the case and retained by an overshot plug which is a friction fit in the case. The sidewall has a thickness of not less than 0.5 mm and may have a formation for engaging a formation on the plug to locate the plug in position.Shotshell components can be provided as a kit which may include two identical plugs each having a closed air bleed hole which can be extended to pass through the plug. A plug with a completed hole can be used as an overpowder plug while the overshot plug can be used with the hole closed.