Jump to content
Mrs. Peel

Poisoned Wildlife and Tainted Meat: Why Hunters Are Moving Away From Lead Bullets

Recommended Posts

I don't know much of anything about this topic, but apparently... it's contentious. It goes without saying, that the NY Times (source of this article) has been pretty far left of center on just about ANY article having to do with firearms. Nonetheless, even a broken clock is right at least once a day (lol)... and there MAY indeed be good rationale for hunters to move away from lead bullets and towards less-toxic options.

I'm curious... what do the rest of you think? Have any of you tried using non-lead bullets? And if so, how was their performance?

I also wonder whether this trend, if it takes hold, will eventually impact non-hunters (target shooters) as well... any thoughts on that?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/poisoned-wildlife-and-tainted-meat-why-hunters-are-moving-away-from-lead-bullets/ar-BBQ33mf?ocid=spartandhp

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's been very slowly gaining traction over the years. Some areas lead free ammo is required so that forces some hunters to use it. Up here in NH even small lead sinkers and lead weighted  lures are illegal because so many loons die of lead poisoning after eating lost lures and weights. 

I do use lead free ammo while bird hunting. It's easier than worrying if I crossed into a lead free zone or not. 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
31 minutes ago, fishnut said:

Up here in NH even small lead sinkers and lead weighted  lures are illegal because so many loons die of lead poisoning after eating lost lures and weights. 

When you say “loons” you mean the birds right? Because, honestly it could go either way....

  • Like 5

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
53 minutes ago, Mrs. Peel said:

I'm curious... what do the rest of you think? Have any of you tried using non-lead bullets? And if so, how was their performance?

I’ve used solid copper Barnes bullets at an ammo/ballistics shoot and have been following their production and use for a while. They are fantastic for self defense purposes. The terminal ballistics are superb.

The big drawback is they are expensive when compared to other “traditional” jacketed lead bullets with adequate terminal ballistic effects.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
57 minutes ago, Mrs. Peel said:

Nonetheless, even a broken clock is right at least once a day

What clock are you looking at? The homily is, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

Sorry - couldn't resist, you being such a wordsmith and all.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
17 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

When you say “loons” you mean the birds right? Because, honestly it could go either way....

No, all loons...... turns out lead is no good for tweekers either and we don't want them dying out in the field. It freaks out the day hikers from Boston big time. 

Lmao 

 

17 minutes ago, Pizza Bob said:

What clock are you looking at? The homily is, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

Sorry - couldn't resist, you being such a wordsmith and all.

She must have ment a digital......

  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@Pizza Bob --- @fishnut is correct! That charming expression doesn't really work any more since digital clocks became so commonplace. Hence my "poetic license". But, I truly appreciate your "ready to pounce" editorial vigor. Impressive! :)

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I used to buy LRN (lead round nose) ammo because it was cheaper.  Ever since my daughter was born,  I switched to FMJ or the like.  I avoid LRN bullets like the plague, but to each his own. 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you are hunting waterfowl, you are required to use non-lead projectiles. We typically use steel shot, however you can also get tungsten $$$$.

This has been a thing for a very long time. Lead is used for a very specific reason, density... Using a safer metal means the weights of projectiles drops. If you're going to eat it, and have close distance shots, why risk lead poisioning?

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A couple of years ago, when these injection-molded, polymer-copper compound bullets by Interceptor first came on the market, I purchased some to try out in my 9mm striker-fired and hammer-fired handguns, shooting paper at the range.  I was impressed with the noticeable reduced recoil.  Have any of you tried them and if so, what are your thoughts, compared to lead?  Maybe these could be considered one option instead of lead.....

PolyCase Inceptor – 9mm 84 grain RNP
PolyCase Inceptor – 9mm 74 grain ARX SELF-DEFENSE

https://www.inceptorammo.com/

AVB-AMG

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
20 hours ago, AVB-AMG said:

A couple of years ago, when these injection-molded, polymer-copper compound bullets by Interceptor first came on the market, I purchased some to try out in my 9mm striker-fired and hammer-fired handguns, shooting paper at the range.  I was impressed with the noticeable reduced recoil.  Have any of you tried them and if so, what are your thoughts, compared to lead?  Maybe these could be considered one option instead of lead.....

PolyCase Inceptor – 9mm 84 grain RNP
PolyCase Inceptor – 9mm 74 grain ARX SELF-DEFENSE

https://www.inceptorammo.com/

AVB-AMG

These seem to work okay if you only have soft targets to worry about.  Might be an idea for a HD gun.  If they have to penetrate just a bit of something hard they tend to fragment from what I've read.

The light weight means they tend to shed velocity faster than a lead bullet so they probably don't perform well at range.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/26/2018 at 2:05 PM, Parker said:

The conundrum here is many hunting rifles have twists that are too slow for the “long for weight” lead-free bullets. 

^^^THIS^^^

And then there's always the muzzleloaders that use patched round balls instead of bullets.  We need soft lead, as not even lead contaminated with wheel weights is soft enough to be able to grab the lands & grooves in slow-twist rifling.  Ditto for Cap & Ball revolvers, less the patching :) 

Image may contain: David Rosenthal, smiling, tree, outdoor and nature

Image may contain: 5 people

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On ‎11‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 2:05 PM, Parker said:

The conundrum here is many hunting rifles have twists that are too slow for the “long for weight” lead-free bullets. 

BINGO!!

Though it appears because of their construction you can use a lighter bullet for a given purpose.  Drive it faster and it won't blow apart (or so they say)

I'm driving 62gr Barnes TSX at 3300 (22 Nosler) and am confident it will put down deer.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I suspect the rallying cry to eliminate lead began with; " if it can save one duck" or "if it can save one condor." Seems to have a familiar ring to it. 

I just scratch my head at believing that some 12 million hunters annually litter the landscape with so much shot up, lead-filled game carcasses that "between 10 million and 20 million animals, including eagles, hawks, bears, vultures, ravens and coyotes, die each year not from being hunted, but from lead poisoning, according to the Humane Society." 

Bullet construction has changed significantly over the last few decades, and I roll my own so I can tailor load/velocity of a particular bullet to find the sweet spot for accuracy, so I'm not too put out by this. Lead is still the best for small game and the alternatives are simply inferior or cost prohibitive. 

 

BTW - How many birds are clipped by wind turbines each year? 

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
23 minutes ago, Parker said:

I suspect the rallying cry to eliminate lead began with; " if it can save one duck" or "if it can save one condor." Seems to have a familiar ring to it. 

I just scratch my head at believing that some 12 million hunters annually litter the landscape with so much shot up, lead-filled game carcasses that "between 10 million and 20 million animals, including eagles, hawks, bears, vultures, ravens and coyotes, die each year not from being hunted, but from lead poisoning, according to the Humane Society." 

Bullet construction has changed significantly over the last few decades, and I roll my own so I can tailor load/velocity of a particular bullet to find the sweet spot for accuracy, so I'm not too put out by this. Lead is still the best for small game and the alternatives are simply inferior or cost prohibitive. 

 

BTW - How many birds are clipped by wind turbines each year? 

The lead thing I'm up in the air about. Some of it I can buy some not.

Where I can get on board is with solid copper bullets being better bullets and they are not prohibitively expensive.

Yep, I pay a buck a piece for solid copper 30cal 180's and 200's but that's the exception. They're for subsonics.

But for the Barnes 62gr .224 I pay about 60 cents a piece.  About the same price or cheaper than Nosler Partitions.(lead core)

Absolutely, I do have a hard on for BS pseudoscience.

But improved bullet technology I can embrace.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am pretty sure that lead, through the "authority" of the federal office of the environmental protection agency, has been occasionally used as a back door attempt to restrict firearms/second amendment rights over the years.....usually by Democrats. I am pretty sure that a post-dated lead ban was one of Obama's final executive orders,  which was revoked and changed by the current president.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/25/2018 at 10:25 PM, AVB-AMG said:

A couple of years ago, when these injection-molded, polymer-copper compound bullets by Interceptor first came on the market, I purchased some to try out in my 9mm striker-fired and hammer-fired handguns, shooting paper at the range.  I was impressed with the noticeable reduced recoil.  Have any of you tried them and if so, what are your thoughts, compared to lead?  Maybe these could be considered one option instead of lead.....

PolyCase Inceptor – 9mm 84 grain RNP
PolyCase Inceptor – 9mm 74 grain ARX SELF-DEFENSE

https://www.inceptorammo.com/

AVB-AMG

I tried the 38 special version of the round nose. Very light load, very light bullet and they shoot like 8” low at 25 yards for me. Not sure how the self defense load is. I wanted to try the ones Ruger is reselling too. I’m not sure if those are any different then the ARX PolyCase labeled ones...

I am thinking about switching my shotgun ammo to steel shot but it’s significantly more expensive then Remington gun club...

-Jim

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/28/2018 at 12:48 PM, Parker said:

BTW - How many birds are clipped by wind turbines each year? 

More birds are killed by flying into glass than those clipped by wind turbines.  But, you digress. :icon_lol:

As a non hunter, I'm mostly interested in cleaner shooting so I'm not tracking toxins into my house with my kids.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Proper field dressing is key, be it small game to large game. If everyone who hunted did so responsibly I doubt this would be an issue. Un-retrieved game is obviously not a good thing. I've been eating game I've taken all my life, same with my dad who's very healthy at 93. 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...