Doug may be indeed correct, and I mentioned the possibility of something like that in my original post. The severed area absolutely did not look like a single pellet did it. Too much damage to the area that was impacted. I did not see the shot cup leaving the load in the air, as I often do with a 12 or 20 gauge, but then I never do see it when shooting a .410.
Dave, I mentioned earlier that the hull itself looked exactly like the rest of them. Nothing notable about the crimp area at all, perfectly normal.
I flatly do not believe the wad could have decapitated that dove by itself. They shed their energy extremely fast, and this bird was every bit of the 23 yards from me when the shot hit it. I accounted for all the variables that could have put the bird closer at firing, but it just did not happen like that. I am convinced that he whole load, or a major portion of it fused together, hit the bird. Not just a wad.
SRH
