HEVI Metal Business Letter
29001 Hwy 160 Twin Buttes
Durango, CO 81301
(970)247-2474
________________________________________________________________________________________________
December 11, 2013
ENVIRON-Metal, Inc.
HEVI-Shot®
P.O. Box 779
Sweet Home, Oregon 97386
Dear HEVI-Shot® Prostaff Team:
I have been hunting waterfowl and upland birds for years now, and have used one of your newest waterfowl shells Speedball. Although I am very impressed with this product I have come to the conclusion that Speedball, or other waterfowl loads could be further enhanced by replacing the steel shot with 100% copper shot. Speedball is one of the hottest items on the market for today’s waterfowl hunters, and from my experience has put more birds on the ground than any other shot I have used. Speedball is a steel shot with a layer of copper coating. The copper increases the overall density of the pellets, therefore will have a more heavy impact on the bird. Steel has a density that typically ranges between 7,750 and 8,050 kg/m3, copper has a density of 8.933 kg/m3. Statistically speaking, the steel shot being replaced 100 % with copper would further the density even more and shooting 100 % copper at Speedball’s 1600 fps would not only have a deadly impact but have more lethal range and velocity.
I would also like to mention that Speedball is over 1.00 dollar cheaper per shell compared to the other leading Hevi Shot loads. Although both shells are similar in “lethal energy”, introducing the copper coating to the steel pellets made the overall shot cheaper. Speedball added a copper layering approximately 1/6 the thickness of a sheet of paper, which leads me to believe that by replacing the steel with completely copper shot would immensely increase the killing power of your product.
Hollow point rifle bullets consist of copper with the primary goal to cause internal damage as the copper shatters and then deteriorates the animal’s organs. This factor would be a downfall for waterfowl hunting, for you would not want a mutilated duck or goose breast but copper shot at such a velocity as a rifle is purposed specifically for big game such as elk or deer. Both copper and steel have Metallic bonding. Steel consists of carbon which makes it less malleable. But I assure you that copper being a more malleable metal will not at all affect the shots damage to the game compared to steel due to the velocity it is propelled from a standard shotgun rather than a rifle. Were copper explodes on impact when shot at roughly twice as much fps (feet per second) as your current Speedball load. The copper will not shatter into the birds, it will stay in BB form because the copper is only shot at 1600 fps for about 50 to 60 yards compared to rifle copper loads that maintain the velocity of 1600 fps at 300 yards. Both steel and copper are effective waterfowl loads, but the extra density of copper guarantees birds will be receiving a larger impact than steel. With the highest impact speed possible it is much more likely for the birds to end up on the ground.
I am grateful for your time and would love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact me via email or call (970)759-7503. I continue to be impressed by your products and will remain a satisfied customer of HEVI-Shot®.
Kind Regards,
Tanner Smith
(Junior at Animas High School)
Durango, CO 81301
(970)247-2474
________________________________________________________________________________________________
December 11, 2013
ENVIRON-Metal, Inc.
HEVI-Shot®
P.O. Box 779
Sweet Home, Oregon 97386
Dear HEVI-Shot® Prostaff Team:
I have been hunting waterfowl and upland birds for years now, and have used one of your newest waterfowl shells Speedball. Although I am very impressed with this product I have come to the conclusion that Speedball, or other waterfowl loads could be further enhanced by replacing the steel shot with 100% copper shot. Speedball is one of the hottest items on the market for today’s waterfowl hunters, and from my experience has put more birds on the ground than any other shot I have used. Speedball is a steel shot with a layer of copper coating. The copper increases the overall density of the pellets, therefore will have a more heavy impact on the bird. Steel has a density that typically ranges between 7,750 and 8,050 kg/m3, copper has a density of 8.933 kg/m3. Statistically speaking, the steel shot being replaced 100 % with copper would further the density even more and shooting 100 % copper at Speedball’s 1600 fps would not only have a deadly impact but have more lethal range and velocity.
I would also like to mention that Speedball is over 1.00 dollar cheaper per shell compared to the other leading Hevi Shot loads. Although both shells are similar in “lethal energy”, introducing the copper coating to the steel pellets made the overall shot cheaper. Speedball added a copper layering approximately 1/6 the thickness of a sheet of paper, which leads me to believe that by replacing the steel with completely copper shot would immensely increase the killing power of your product.
Hollow point rifle bullets consist of copper with the primary goal to cause internal damage as the copper shatters and then deteriorates the animal’s organs. This factor would be a downfall for waterfowl hunting, for you would not want a mutilated duck or goose breast but copper shot at such a velocity as a rifle is purposed specifically for big game such as elk or deer. Both copper and steel have Metallic bonding. Steel consists of carbon which makes it less malleable. But I assure you that copper being a more malleable metal will not at all affect the shots damage to the game compared to steel due to the velocity it is propelled from a standard shotgun rather than a rifle. Were copper explodes on impact when shot at roughly twice as much fps (feet per second) as your current Speedball load. The copper will not shatter into the birds, it will stay in BB form because the copper is only shot at 1600 fps for about 50 to 60 yards compared to rifle copper loads that maintain the velocity of 1600 fps at 300 yards. Both steel and copper are effective waterfowl loads, but the extra density of copper guarantees birds will be receiving a larger impact than steel. With the highest impact speed possible it is much more likely for the birds to end up on the ground.
I am grateful for your time and would love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact me via email or call (970)759-7503. I continue to be impressed by your products and will remain a satisfied customer of HEVI-Shot®.
Kind Regards,
Tanner Smith
(Junior at Animas High School)
Project Reflection
The Chemistry of materials shapes our future and present because we base our everyday life on each object's chemistry. Chemistry of materials has shaped our past by people developing innovative technology to get us to the point our civilization is today. We see plenty of examples of chemistry in our house on a daily basis. We determine what plumbing is most appropriate for the weather conditions and decide which material to line our wires with that is not electrically conductive. The chemistry of materials bases how we do simple things such as cook food. The people of the past have decided which metal is most conductive of heat that we make our pots and pans out of.
Structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic level determines a materials properties. The structure of matter determines the materials properties by how the matter is aligned and how it interacts with one another. For example when objects are held or bonded tightly together it will effect its properties such as melting point and durability. The way matter particles interact will also effect how items can break.Wheather or not the material shatters, cracks, or snaps, it is all dependent on the structure of matter.
Structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic level determines a materials properties. The structure of matter determines the materials properties by how the matter is aligned and how it interacts with one another. For example when objects are held or bonded tightly together it will effect its properties such as melting point and durability. The way matter particles interact will also effect how items can break.Wheather or not the material shatters, cracks, or snaps, it is all dependent on the structure of matter.