Abstract: A shot wad column for use in a shotshell in a shotgun to accommodate a shot charge such as steel shot or lead shot, and including a gas seal snapped in engagement to a shot cup having a fluted exterior diverging peripheral wall. The shot cup and gas seal snap together to form the shot wad column. The shot cup of the shot wad column is of a low or high density material such as polyethylene to accept lead or steel shot respectively while the gas seal is of a low density material such as polyethylene to easily rupture or part under high or excessive pressures which vent up and through the fluted portion of the outside peripheral wall of the shot cup.

Abstract: A shotshell wad column including a cup with a tapered peripheral wall and a dome-shaped bottom wall, the concave side of which faces the open mouth of the cup, and a card wad lying against the bottom wall and defining an air chamber between the card wad and the bottom wall.