My current set up is
around 3-4000 rifle bullets sat in cupboard that will become useless and valueless
10-12000 lead and jacketed .357 bullets that will become useless and valueless (bar the scrap for the cast ones)
About 3000 loaded round in various calibres that will become the same.
just shy of 10kg of powder that I will likely have to change as it will be too slow for lighter lead free bullets
25-45 that will become redundant as it won't drive a lead free fast enough to be humane
.22 WMR semi that i will have to sell as it won't cycle light lead free bullets, if i can get anything for it
.357 LBR that will become redundant and valueless as lead free bullets are not a cost effective or easily accessible option
.357 underlever the same
0.22 hornet that will lose its value and become redundant as it won't drive lead free fast enough or stabilise longer lead bullets.
0.22 LR that won't be able to shoot subsonic and may not work with the one lead free option my RFD has sat on the shelf, will probably become redundant.
0.22 LBP again pretty much redundant and valueless without lead
1:14 0.223AI that will need to be rebarreled to shoot lead free
Oh, all my target rifles that will no longer be able to be shot at Bisley as you can't use monometal there..........
but when they do change that its redoing all my load development for 9 guns, fantastic!!!!
So yes, I am hacked off and bitter that our org's have thrown the rest of the sport under the bus so that a few stalkers can continue to send meat to the EU rather than developing the domestic market, or at the very least dealing with the alleged food safety issue rather than bringing the alleged environmental impact into it - effectively putting the last nail in the coffin for anyone using lead for quarry entering the food chain or even target use.
I've spent 2 nights this week shooting rabbits from a tower with a 0.223 that are hammering a winter barley crop, shots ranging from 40-200+ yards as that particular location it is the most effective and safest way of controlling numbers coming on to the crop from the solar farm next door. This just wont work with non copper bullets if there is any wind at all. I do a hare cull on one farm on top of a hill, head shots 100-200 yards off sticks again with 0.223, always done November and December and its always 10-20 mph plus wind there at that time of year, won't work with copper.
But hey, copper bullets work ok for deer so I guess its not a problem really and I need to just suck it up. Thanks for the support brother.
I have sympathy with this. I also hold a large amount of components for fairly large scale pest control. I do approx 1000 rounds a year through the .222rem, and certainly hold at least that many bullets which are waiting to be loaded.
I shoot far less deer, so that is not too much of an issue but I still hold a coupla hundred lead bullets for that application. And then a fairish stock of 6mm bullets for when I use a different rifle for foxes in windy conditions.
I expect I will get through them all before any formal ban comes in but I still dislike the prospect of what seems disproportionate and unfair to the masses, relatively speaking.
I do think the inevitable will pass though by the sounds of it but I am still not moving over to non lead yet. I will do so if forced but it will be a last minute job.
Have you tried the Nosler non lead ballistic tips? They are available in .204 thru 6.5mm. Apparently the same performance if Nosler's blurb is to be believed, although I should imagine it is as useful as their BC claims on various bullets. I expect they are more expensive but maybe they will reduce in time and with competition from others.
It is the .22LR I am genuinely concerned about. Will we end up shooting copper at supersonic speeds making either the HMR/WMR redundant, even with NTX or vice versa, the magnum rimfires will be used still but nobody will bother with the .22LR. I mean its main party trick is cheap, accurate short range and silent. If that changes, what is the case use?
I remain to be convinced that copper is better for deer but I can see that it will be ok to use even if not as versatile in a variety of ways. No issue with food chains or GD's demanding non toxic to be used. That is their prerogative but I don't think it should be foisted on to others who shoot for themselves or on their own land.
With basically no decent representation from anyone with any balls, clout or logic, we just have to make the best of it, whatever that is.
