Abstract: Shot for shotgun cartridges is made form finely divided particles of dense metal such as a mixture of tungsten and molybdenum, bound by a matrix which may comprise ethylene propylene copolymer, or a blend of a terpolymer of ethylene, acrylic ester and maleic anhydride or an ionomer either alone or blended with such terpolymer or with a stock polymer material or a blend of polymers. Shot may be produced from such material by forming it into a strip, web or strand which is passed between aligned rollers with cooperating hemispherical indentations and thereafter punching the resulting shot from the resulting thin web.

Abstract: A shot-gun cartridge case is disclosed which is made by extrusion or equivalent pressure forming of high density polyolefin-based composition containing biodegradable starch, a fatty acid ester to initiate peroxide attack on the double bonds of the polyolefin and an anti-oxidant stabilizing compound. The composition is stable to biological and chemical degradation until the cartridge is fixed, upon which fixing, the anti-oxidant stabilizing compound is partially destroyed or dispersed so that degradation of said composition takes place.

Abstract: A shot-gun cartridge includes a main wad which is biodegradable. The wad is preferably formed from a composition including synthetic resin natural starch and chemically active prodegradents.