Shotshell having wad with enhanced fin deployment
View Patent ↗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.
1. A shotshell cartridge for firing in a shotgun, the shotshell cartridge comprising:
a casing with a head portion and a primer;
a polymer wad positioned in the casing, the wad having a forward edge and a rearward edge, the wad further having a rearward propellant cup portion defining a rearward cup interior, a forward shot cup portion defining a forward cup interior, a partition separating the rearward cup interior from the forward cup interior, the rearward propellant cup portion having an interior surface and a bottom;
propellant positioned in the rearward cup interior; and
shot positioned in the forward cup interior;
wherein the rearward propellant cup portion of the wad having a plurality of rearwardly extending circumferentially arranged fins having a prefiring non deployed position and positionable to a post firing deployed position, wherein when the shotshell is fired, each of the plurality of fins rotate forwardly about a respective bend region beyond a yield position and then rotate rearwardly to the post firing deployed position; and
wherein the forward shot cup portion having a plurality of linear slit segments circumferentially spaced about the forward shot cup portion and positioned rearwardly of the forward edge and forwardly of the partition, the linear slit segments sized to preclude the shot in the shot cup portion from passing therethrough, wherein upon firing the linear slit segments allowing air to enter the shot cup portion to uncompact the shot and to further permit circumferential expansion of the shot cup portion, whereby the wad has an after firing configuration with the fins in a deployed position and the shot cup portion expanded radially outwardly.
2. The shotshell cartridge of claim 1 wherein the forward shot cup portion and rearward propellant cup portion of the wad are unitary of a single polymer, and wherein the single polymer has a yield point which is exceeded when the cartridge is fired from a choked shotgun whereby each of the plurality of fins extend to at least their respective yield position and are thereby maintained in their respective deployed position.
3. The shotshell cartridge of claim 1 wherein the partition is configured as a singular wall separating the rearward cup interior and the forward cup interior.
4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein each of the linear slit segments has a width that is uniform for the entire length of each of the linear slit segments.
5. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein before the shotshell is fired the plurality of rearwardly extending circumferentially arranged fins are defined by a plurality of linear slits extending to the rearward edge from the bend region.
6. The cartridge of claim 5 wherein one of the linear slit segments is in alignment with one of the linear slits that extend to the rearward edge from the bend region.
7. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein each of the linear slit segments extend in an axial direction.
8. The shotshell cartridge of claim 1 wherein the wad is formed by injection molding and comprises polyethylene.
9. The cartridge of claim 8 wherein each of the linear slit segments extends entirely through a wall of the shot cup portion.
10. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the plurality of rearwardly extending circumferentially arranged fins number exactly six.
11. A shotshell cartridge for firing in a shotgun, the shotshell cartridge comprising:
a casing with a head portion and a primer,
a polymer wad contained in the casing, the wad having a forward edge and a rearward edge, the wad having a partition configured as a singular wall intermediate a rearward propellant cup portion and a forward shot cup portion, the rearward propellant cup portion having an interior surface and a bottom;
propellant positioned in the propellant cup portion; and
shot positioned in the shot cup portion;
wherein the rearward propellant cup portion of the wad having a plurality of slits extending rearwardly from a bend region to the rearward edge defining six circumferentially arranged fins, the fins having a prefiring non deployed position and a post firing deployed position, wherein when the shotshell is fired, each of the plurality of fins move to the post firing deployed position;
wherein the forward shot cup portion having a plurality of axially aligned linear slit segments circumferentially spaced about the forward shot cup portion, each linear slit segment spaced from the forward edge and positioned forwardly of the partition, the slits sized to preclude the shot in the shot cup portion from passing therethrough, wherein upon firing the linear slit segments allowing air to enter the shot cup portion to uncompact the shot and to further permit circumferential expansion of the shot cup portion, whereby the wad has an after firing configuration with the fins in a deployed position.
12. The shotshell cartridge of claim 11 wherein the forward shot cup portion and rearward propellant cup portion of the wad are unitary of a single polymer, and wherein the single polymer has a yield point which is exceeded when the cartridge is fired from a choked shotgun whereby each of the plurality of fins extend to a yield position and are thereby maintained in their respective deployed position.
13. The cartridge of claim 11 , wherein each of the linear slit segments has a width that is uniform the entire length of each of the linear slit segments.
14. The cartridge of claim 11 wherein one of the linear slit segments of the propellant cup portion is in alignment with one of the linear slits that extend to the rearward edge from the bend region.
15. The cartridge of claim 14 wherein each of the linear slit segments extend in an axial direction.
16. The shotshell cartridge of claim 11 wherein the wad is formed by injection molding and comprises polyethylene.
17. The cartridge of claim 16 wherein each of the linear slit segments extends entirely through a wall of the shot cup portion.
18. A shotshell cartridge for firing in a shotgun, the shotshell cartridge comprising:
a casing with a head portion and a primer,
a polymer wad contained in the casing, the wad having a forward edge and a rearward edge, the wad having a rearward propellant cup portion and a forward shot cup portion;
propellant positioned in the propellant cup portion; and
shot positioned in the shot cup portion;
wherein the rearward propellant cup portion of the wad having a plurality of slits extending rearwardly from a bend region to the rearward edge defining six circumferentially arranged fins, the fins having a prefiring non deployed position and a post firing deployed position, wherein when the shotshell is fired, each of the plurality of fins are extended to the post firing deployed position;
wherein the forward shot cup portion having a plurality of axially aligned linear slit segments circumferentially spaced about the forward shot cup portion, each linear slit segment spaced from the forward edge and positioned forwardly of the partition, the slits sized to preclude the shot in the shot cup portion from passing therethrough, wherein upon firing the linear slit segments allowing air to enter the shot cup portion to uncompact the shot and to further permit circumferential expansion of the shot cup portion, whereby the wad has an after firing configuration with the fins in a deployed position.