EU regulation, a ban on the use of leadshot for hunting in wetlands

Spunk84

Just read this on the NARGC web page
LEADSHOT; Under a EU regulation a legal ban on the use of leadshot for hunting in wetlands will be enforced in Ireland over the next few years.

What are your views on the phasing out of leadshot.

Grizzly 45

Give us somthing that doesnt wreck older barrels,that patterns properly and then we will see.:mad:

Spunk84

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Give us somthing that doesnt wreck older barrels,that patterns properly and then we will see.:mad:

+1:D

Minky 123

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Give us somthing that doesnt wreck older barrels,that patterns properly and then we will see.:mad:

And dosnt break the bank trying to buy them. :mad:

Longranger

Has anyone ever tried steel shot, i've seen it but never used it.

Glensman

We already have that law up here. To be honest it's no great hardship as long as your barrels can stand steel.
If they cant then I sympathise.

I know of lads who still shoot with lead but carry a few steels in the pocket in case they're ever stopped.

I went shooting crows with Mayfly36 from this forum; he was using steel because he said it was cheaper and I can tell you from the range he was taking crows they had plenty of stopping power and a good pattern out of his Benelli.

Spunk84

i think the main reason behind it is the lead has a lot of toxins

Sparks

Spunk84 wrote: »

i think the main reason behind it is the lead has a lot of toxins

It's because the lead itself is a toxin. Pellets that miss the target land in the soil and over time leach out into the water table. It's more of an issue for target shooting though, which is why berms and backstops are meant to have thick polyethylene sheets under them to stop rain washing lead in the backstop down into the water table.

Corsendonk

This might interest some, before they actually go ahead and bring in regs and directives they actually conduct reports into the pros and cons. The report also covers angling lead weights for fishing.

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/chemicals/files/studies/ehn_lead_final_report_en.pdf

Extract from the above report

The potential environmental and health impact of lead compared to the substitutes available may be summarised as follows:

Extensive documentation exists of the toxicity of lead towards humans as well
as towards plants, animals and micro-organisms. The actual effects, however
depends on the actual concentrations and availability of lead in the environment and the sensitivity of the exposed species. Specific focus has been on the poisoning of waterfowl and other birds by ingestion of lead shot and sinkers and the following secondary poisoning of raptors. Lead shot and fragments of lead shot in muscle tissues in waterfowl and other game may in special cases form a health risk to humans consuming his game.

In soil and other parts of the environment metallic lead as bullets and shot are, furthermore, slowly corroded and turned into toxic lead compounds (oxides, carbonates, sulphides etc.). In the environment effects are generally limited to specially contaminated areas. Shooting ranges may be regarded as a type of contaminated areas where remedial action can be required.
Lead ammunition is today regarded as the major source of lead contamination
of soils slowly causing the content of lead in topsoil to increase. No comprehensive assessment of the effects of this increase exists. However, a continued increase will narrow the gap between the current lead content of soil and the levels for which effects may actually be observed and could eventually cause these levels to be exceeded.

Birdnuts

Some more info in the link below

http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/DisplayNews.cfm?NewsID=4DAA500C-3E21-4564-87AA714E9E301C9E


While I was aware that lead shot was an issue in relation to wetlands in the US, I had no idea it has been banned for 2 decades!!. Some interesting info too on its effect on wildfowl - though I guess US wetlands are far more heavily shot then Irish ones!!

PS: The link above also gives some interesting info on alternatives to lead shot - has anyone here tried them??

Tackleberrywho

Birdnuts wrote: »

Some more info in the link below

http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/DisplayNews.cfm?NewsID=4DAA500C-3E21-4564-87AA714E9E301C9E


While I was aware that lead shot was an issue in relation to wetlands in the US, I had no idea it has been banned for 2 decades!!. Some interesting info too on its effect on wildfowl - though I guess US wetlands are far more heavily shot then Irish ones!!

PS: The link above also gives some interesting info on alternatives to lead shot - has anyone here tried them??

I've used Copper coated shot

Very expensive to buy though.........

If you only bag the odd Mallard it's no big ask.


It will eventually come in here. I think the problem is that birds may also ingest it in their food.

Double Barrel

I have shot most of it, was living in the States when the law first went into effect. The first steel cartridges were absolute junk. The ammo Co's have made some adjustments over the years. There are better alternatives albeit more costly.
Two of the most important factors of steel shot to consider are density and hardness. Use a gun proofed for steel shot and open chokes, not more than 1/2.
Steel pellets are about 30 percent lighter (i.e., less dense) than lead shot given the same size pellet. On paper, that could be translated to a thirty-percent drop in energy. However, because ammo co. have the ability to manipulate load velocity, down-range energy can be controlled by increasing velocity. Increased velocity increases pellet energy, of course all this translates into more recoil and in the end steel still looses its energy more quickly.
A good rule of thumb is to use a steel shot size at least 2 and preferably 3 times larger than your current lead shot.
If you are currently using No. 4, 5 or #6 lead for mallard you need to move up to No. 3 inside 30M and #1 & BB for pass-shooting ducks and much larger sizes for geese, : BB, T and on up to #F.
Never heard of F shot, it is next in line to AAA or No. 4 buckshot.
There are a few threads on this BBS if you do a search: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056147605