cup 24 having a circular opening at the lower end 16 of the wad structure the shot cup 22 is for containing a charge of shot pellets 26 only a partial charge being shown in fig3 while the obturating cup 24 is intended to overlie a powder chamber filled with powder 28 at the base of a conventional shell case 30 although the wad structure 10 may be utilized in the original manufacture of ammunition it is especially well adapted for use in reloading spent shell cases such as 30 with ferrous metal or comparable hard shot pellets 26 in such reloading a predetermined amount of powder 28 is placed in the bottom of the shell case 30 after which the wad structure 10 which has been slit as described hereafter is inserted into the case 30 with the obturating cup 24 covering the powder the shot cup 22 is then filled with shot pellets 26 and a buffer if desired and the top 30a of the shot shell case is closed by crimping or folding in the conventional manner over the top of the wad structure and shot pellets upon firing the wad structure and pellets 26 are propelled in unison out the end 30a of the shell case and through the gun barrel during such discharge the portion of the wall 12 surrounding the obturating cup 24 forms a peripheral seal first with the interior surface of the shot shell case 30 and then with the interior surface of the gun barrel so as to contain and minimize the leakage of the exploding.