The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Is non toxic ammo allowed at Bisley?

I haven't read the full report, its huge, but #3 sale and use of lead shot, with a derogation for authorised athletes on licensed ranges. What does that even mean? As my reading of it would be that only people like the British Olympic clay teams allowed to use it, and only at HO approved grounds?! So no 'normal' people clay shooting with lead, regardless of whether at a 'licensed premises', no 'strawbaler' shoots, no Practical Shotgun, basically the death of target shotgun shooting

I think this is the most serious threat to the shooting sports that we have seen in years. Particularly at the grass roots level. I would suggest a good proportion of us cut our teeth and airguns, either informal plinking or maybe with scouts or cadets, then progressed to .22lr in one form or another - this whole scene will be devastated if this goes through. (The hidden agenda?) We all know that most "consultation periods" are a complete sham, just look at the farce the E-scooter trial has become.

A suitable substitute for lead in some situations seems a forlorn hope. Non lead air pellets are available but a poor substitute, more expensive, not so accurate, much lighter so will only be suitable at short range, not so humane if used for pest control etc. Just about the same can be said for .22lr.

Once you start thinking about "Licenced ranges", "Certified athletes" "HSE Inspectors" it's a job to know where it will lead. I sincerely hope that someone can coordinate about a million shooters to actually support each other this time, not the usual "I'm all right Jack, it won't effect me"

Elite shooters being exempt in some form really stinks - just the same as pistol shooting. If you're good enough to shoot for the National team you can shoot a real pistol, how do you get good enough to be selected, practice, practice, practice, see the catch?

Still wading my way through a first read, the standout sentence so far is that “some” bullets have a jacket. The presence of a jacket surely changes a huge amount in relation to the risks the lead enclosed may or may not present, but no discussion on that , well at the point i’ve got to so far. Then they talk of the half life of lead in the environment of being between 700 odd years and 6000 odd years. All a bit vague.
How many square miles of exposed lead are on the nations roofs?

This is from a Public Health England report from 2016 - No mention of ammunition or lead shot causing a problem:



And this is current information from the World Health Organsiation: They also don't consider lead shot or ammunition a major concern.




I certainly hope our associations are having a good look at the research that the new proposals are based on.

artiglio wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 7:05 pm Still wading my way through a first read, the standout sentence so far is that “some” bullets have a jacket. The presence of a jacket surely changes a huge amount in relation to the risks the lead enclosed may or may not present, but no discussion on that , well at the point i’ve got to so far. Then they talk of the half life of lead in the environment of being between 700 odd years and 6000 odd years. All a bit vague.
How many square miles of exposed lead are on the nations roofs?

Like many, I'm still going through this thing, but the point about roof lead is a very interesting one. The risk of contamination from that must be orders of magnitude greater than that from shooting.

Also I did read at one point that they are using information on lead contamination from 'Wild Justice' (p142). Not really an unbiased source of information.

I wonder how many authorised athletes, etc, will still be able to shoot once all the ranges have closed due to a lack of customers?

The information on lead contamination from Wild Justice has been in the public domain for longer than Wild Justice has been around.
Lead shot is known to poison wildfowl and other species by ingestion........not biased information, simply a fact.

Pete