Lead ammunition restrictions - government announcement

[Liveonce]

The handgun ban did not result in the end of shooting in the UK.
The Semi auto centrefire ban did not result in the end of shooting in the UK.
The lead ban will not result in the end of shooting in the UK.
The thing that will result in the end of shooting in the UK is lack of recruitment, and while shooting sports remains dominated by a lot of grumpy old farts who primarily spend their time moaning about how nothing is as good as it was in the old days (despite a marked reluctance to give up those benefits of modern life that make them more comfortable), there's not much to attract youngsters in. Only doom and gloom.

If every single FAC and SGC holder were to mentor a young person, teach them, encourage them, support them in their own FAC or SGC application when the time came, then the future would be assured. And those youngsters would be better placed than the current crop of old farts are to work with, rather than against, change in society's perception and acceptance of shooting, and the inevitable changes in legislation that accompany that.

Lack of role models and people willing to be mentors is what's killing shooting sports, not legislation.

You may have missed one important factor in the demise of shooting, cost.

As for the pistol ban you are correct, it may not have been the end of shooting, but it hit shooting hard lots participated in the various pistol disciplines , gun shops closed as a direct result of the ban. I was one who lost the use of my pistols and then later my AR15 rifle.

 

[Ruger#1]

I bow to your superior knowledge of literary fantasy.

No need ,but there is a trend here ,you seem to revel in contesting others posts but are invariably wrong.
Reading over posts more carefully and doing some basic research would save you the embarrassment of making a fool of yourself . Being blinded by stereotyping others isn’t helping you and avoiding the main points in posts only makes your own opinions look as if they are agenda driven.

 

[Apthorpe]

Shooting is undeniably considerably more heavily restricted than it was, with the effect of reducing young people entering the sport. Because of legislation! It has nothing to do with grumpy old farts at all. I’ve almost never met a grumpy old fart shooting. The fact that you feel most people who shoot are grumpy old farts possibly says more about your bubble.

If every single FAC and SGC holder were to mentor a young person, teach them, encourage them, support them in their own FAC or SGC application when the time came, then the future would be assured.

Nonsense. People can mentor as many young people as they like, and I’ve certainly done more than that, but that is of no effect at all against creeping legislation.

And those youngsters would be better placed than the current crop of old farts are to work with, rather than against, change in society's perception and acceptance of shooting, and the inevitable changes in legislation that accompany that.

Lack of role models and people willing to be mentors is what's killing shooting sports, not legislation.

Changes to legislation are not inevitable, nor even a sign of a more enlightened future.

 

[Smellydog]

No mention of Lead....done a few wings/arches in plumbers Lead
Cast lots of dive weights.. now there is a thing Dive Weights!

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChsSEwjc5-m-iMaOAxW9k1AGHVx2GmkYACICCAEQIBoCZGc&co=1&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjw4efDBhATEiwAaDBpbsy3wdME8fdmBmtLmnatlQEkEeJYI_ZVzqkQiVXN1oCQdSJ_hD_Y5xoC1w0QAvD_BwE&category=acrcp_v1_48&sig=AOD64_3noibljPb_ImE1l_gM6QcMJdpKCg&ctype=5&q=&nis=4&ved=2ahUKEwiyxuS-iMaOAxUAQ0EAHS5mMScQ9aACKAB6BAgHEHQ&adurl=

Yes actually, as a young man I lead loaded a Daimler.

 

[VSS]

i am a shooter and have been my whole life , however if i was going to ban shooting this death of a thousand cuts is the way i would go about it......................

as i tell my american friends , always fight every restriction because the antis do not have any other acceptable number of shooters than zero and every little success they have is simply another step towards their goal.

If you ask any youngster what is the main obstacle to them getting started in shooting, they will not say it's because they can't have a semi-auto centrefire rifle, or it's because they would have to use non-toxic ammo.
They will tell you that it's because they have no-one to go with, no-one to teach them, no-one to help them get started.
It's not legislation that's hindering them, and it's no more difficult for a 14-yr-old to get a FAC than a 40-yr-old. Easier, possibly, as a 14-yr-old is less likely to have "history".
You can argue until you're blue in the face about lead, but even if your argument is successful in reversing the impending ban on lead ammo you'll have done nothing to safeguard the future of shooting. If you want to do that, mentor a youngster.

. ! It has nothing to do with grumpy old farts at all. I’ve almost never met a grumpy old fart shooting. The fact that you feel most people who shoot are grumpy old farts possibly says more about your bubble.

I think it just demonstrates that my "shooting bubble" consists largely of members of SD

 

[Tim.243]

I would have been very disappointed in BASC if they had just stubbornly refused to accept that change was necessary and inevitable, and simply carried on banging the same old worn-out drum.
(As so many shooters seem to do).
The death of shooting in the UK won't be through excessive legislation. It'll be through stagnation.

I wonder where a BASC staff member would be if they voiced as pro lead, (as we are all entitled to our opinion) KS has suspended 4/5 mp's in the last 48hrs

 

[tackb]

If you ask any youngster what is the main obstacle to them getting started in shooting, they will not say it's because they can't have a semi-auto centrefire rifle, or it's because they would have to use non-toxic ammo.
They will tell you that it's because they have no-one to go with, no-one to teach them, no-one to help them get started.
It's not legislation that's hindering them, and it's no more difficult for a 14-yr-old to get a FAC than a 40-yr-old. Easier, possibly, as a 14-yr-old is less likely to have "history".
You can argue until you're blue in the face about lead, but even if your argument is successful in reversing the impending ban on lead ammo you'll have done nothing to safeguard the future of shooting. If you want to do that, mentor a youngster.


I think it just demonstrates that my "shooting bubble" consists largely of members of SD

the ones i mentored find the legislation restricting , the reason they couldn't find anyone to mentor them is........... theres less shooters due to people giving up because it's being made increasingly difficult to shoot

they would rely on adults to drive them , it's increasingly difficult to get an air rifle and use it which is the way i'll bet most of us started

i see your point but disagree (which is ok)

and i will finish by asking is getting started and shooting plus the legislation easier or tougher now than it used to be ?

 

[Rewulf]

The handgun ban did not result in the end of shooting in the UK.
The Semi auto centrefire ban did not result in the end of shooting in the UK.
The lead ban will not result in the end of shooting in the UK.

Literally no one has said that !
What is does do is reduce the pool of active shooters and licence holders, and the less shooters, the easiest it is to drown out their protests when it comes to further more restrictive legislation.

If every single FAC and SGC holder were to mentor a young person, teach them, encourage them, support them in their own FAC or SGC application when the time came, then the future would be assured. And those youngsters would be better placed than the current crop of old farts are to work with, rather than against, change in society's perception and acceptance of shooting, and the inevitable changes in legislation that accompany that.

Ive introduced and mentored dozens of people to the various shooting sports I do.
So I reckon Ive made up for plenty of your perceived 'grumpy old farts'

It's not legislation that's hindering them, and it's no more difficult for a 14-yr-old to get a FAC than a 40-yr-old. Easier, possibly, as a 14-yr-old is less likely to have "history".

Thats rubbish.
Most FAC holders under the age of 17, not 14 as you stated, either work on farms, or are competitive shooters, there is around 150 in total in England and Wales.

If you ask any youngster what is the main obstacle to them getting started in shooting, they will not say it's because they can't have a semi-auto centrefire rifle, or it's because they would have to use non-toxic ammo.

Most youngsters when asked if they want to try shooting reply 'But guns are illegal arent they ?'

 

[Liveonce]

looked on just cartridges website, now i know they are not the cheapest but at virtually £600 a thousand for steel shot biodegradable wad cartridges to go shoot wood pigeons or corvids for crop protection, I think many will call it a day just think what that will do to the population growth of these agricultural pests.

 

[VSS]

i see your point but disagree (which is ok)

and i will finish by asking is getting started and shooting plus the legislation easier or tougher now than it used to be ?

Speaking from personal experience, I say it's about the same. It was certainly no more difficult for my daughter to get into shooting a few years ago than it was for me, several decades earlier.
In fact, where stalking is concerned, I would say it's actually easier now due to the increased opportunities. I cannot say for other shooting disciplines whether the opportunities are there or not, but it is up to those currently involved in other disciplines to create the neccessary opportunities for youngsters to get involved.

You may have missed one important factor in the demise of shooting, cost.

Really?

Sold: Thread 'Parker hale .243'

Jul 18, 2025

I need to remove my .243 from my ticket to make way for an incoming 6x47. There is a big part of me that really wants to keep this gun, it shoots incredibly well, has never let me down and was my first CF rifle. I have owned it for nearly 15 years and put a fair few rounds through it.

This is a parker hale 1200 in a safari stock, I kept the original stock for this to fit to a .30-06. As it was pillar bedded etc.

It shot 100grn winchester soft points to 0.5 MOA from a bipod and happily shot 75grn Vmax homeloads to a similar level. I know the gun isn't worth a lot and I'd really like it to...

• Matastrophe
• Replies: 9
• Forum: Firearms

• 
• 

 

[VSS]

Ive introduced and mentored dozens of people to the various shooting sports I do.
So I reckon Ive made up for plenty of your perceived 'grumpy old farts'

Thats rubbish.
Most FAC holders under the age of 17, not 14 as you stated, either work on farms, or are competitive shooters, there is around 150 in total in England and Wales.

14 is the minimum age for a FAC grant.
The application process is no different from an adult application, and is treated no differently.
So, I repeat, it is no more difficult for a 14-yr-old to get a FAC than a 40-yr-old.
The reason there are not more applications from youngsters is because not many have role models or mentors within the sport who are encouraging them to apply.

Most youngsters when asked if they want to try shooting reply 'But guns are illegal arent they ?'

Which just goes to show the work we need to do to showcase our legal activities, rather than furtively hiding them away, when in contact with the general public.

 

[tackb]

Speaking from personal experience, I say it's about the same. It was certainly no more difficult for my daughter to get into shooting a few years ago than it was for me, several decades earlier.
In fact, where stalking is concerned, I would say it's actually easier now due to the increased opportunities. I cannot say for other shooting disciplines whether the opportunities are there or not, but it is up to those currently involved in other disciplines to create the neccessary opportunities for youngsters to get involved.

i have been shooting since i was 13 , (1984) although had an airgun before that , shot pistols etc got my FAC at 19 (and sgc)

it is now harder to get involved in shooting and to apply for a license than it was , thats a simple fact really with all the additional legislation .

legislation of anything never makes anything easier or quicker , but i do understand that it is sometimes required however that being said i do not agree with the unnecessary and onerous current requirements us shooters have had forced upon us for spurious reasons for example the handgun ban , thomas hamilton should never have had firearms it was a failing of the police that we have paid for.

 

[Liveonce]

Speaking from personal experience, I say it's about the same. It was certainly no more difficult for my daughter to get into shooting a few years ago than it was for me, several decades earlier.
In fact, where stalking is concerned, I would say it's actually easier now due to the increased opportunities. I cannot say for other shooting disciplines whether the opportunities are there or not, but it is up to those currently involved in other disciplines to create the neccessary opportunities for youngsters to get involved.


Really?

Sold: Thread 'Parker hale .243'

Jul 18, 2025

I need to remove my .243 from my ticket to make way for an incoming 6x47. There is a big part of me that really wants to keep this gun, it shoots incredibly well, has never let me down and was my first CF rifle. I have owned it for nearly 15 years and put a fair few rounds through it.

This is a parker hale 1200 in a safari stock, I kept the original stock for this to fit to a .30-06. As it was pillar bedded etc.

It shot 100grn winchester soft points to 0.5 MOA from a bipod and happily shot 75grn Vmax homeloads to a similar level. I know the gun isn't worth a lot and I'd really like it to...

• Matastrophe
• Replies: 9
• Forum: Firearms

• 
• 

one free gun is hardly an argument to suggest cost is not a factor, especially with the young.
The only “cheap” way in is via an airgun but for SGC or FAC the costs have risen significantly over the last five years.
But then you know that. Why are only 11.2% of certificate holder under 34 years of age?

 

[VSS]

i have been shooting since i was 13 , (1984) although had an airgun before that , shot pistols etc got my FAC at 19 (and sgc)

it is now harder to get involved in shooting and to apply for a license than it was , thats a simple fact really with all the additional legislation .

Well it seems that you and I are the same age, started shooting at the same time, and both got our shotgun certificates at the same time (although I was somewhat later with my FAC). So our experience of the process of getting a certificate etc will have been the same.
I can absolutely assure you that it was no more difficult more recently for my daughter, who received her FAC on (or at least within a day or two) of her 14th birthday, and talking to other parents of shooting youngsters they do not report any difficulties either.

You don't even need two countersigned photos anymore, nor do referees have to be doctors, lawyers, JPs, etc. Anyone will do. So in that respect things have eased up a bit.

legislation of anything never makes anything easier or quicker , but i do understand that it is sometimes required however that being said i do not agree with the unnecessary and onerous current requirements us shooters have had forced upon us for spurious reasons for example the handgun ban , thomas hamilton should never have had firearms it was a failing of the police that we have paid for.

I don't agree with it either.

 

[Liveonce]

for example the handgun ban , thomas hamilton should never have had firearms it was a failing of the police that we have paid for.

As it was for Plymouth but it appears the Police can never take responsibility for failing.

 

[VSS]

one free gun is hardly an argument to suggest cost is not a factor, especially with the young.
The only “cheap” way in is via an airgun but for SGC or FAC the costs have risen significantly over the last five years.
But then you know that. Why are only 11.2% of certificate holder under 34 years of age?

It would be interesting to know how much money youngsters spend on other hobbies/activities, and whether they would instead spend that money just as readily on shooting, if they knew that they could and if they had someone to guide them.

 

[Dunwaters]

No need ,but there is a trend here ,you seem to revel in contesting others posts but are invariably wrong.

Not invariably, I get most of it right most of the time. I don’t pretend to be infallible

Reading over posts more carefully and doing some basic research would save you the embarrassment of making a fool of yourself . Being blinded by stereotyping others isn’t helping you and avoiding the main points in posts only makes your own opinions look as if they are agenda driven.

I will try to be more charitable in future.

 

[Apthorpe]

If you ask any youngster what is the main obstacle to them getting started in shooting, they will not say it's because they can't have a semi-auto centrefire rifle, or it's because they would have to use non-toxic ammo.
They will tell you that it's because they have no-one to go with, no-one to teach them, no-one to help them get started.

In my experience, it has much more often been a matter of regulatory barriers. Not allowed to shoot unsupervised, not allowed ot be given a gun, not allowed to keep their gun(s) at uni, etc etc etc

It's not legislation that's hindering them, and it's no more difficult for a 14-yr-old to get a FAC than a 40-yr-old. Easier, possibly, as a 14-yr-old is less likely to have "history".

But it is more difficult for a 14 year old to go shooting, buy ammunition, travel with a gun, be given a gun etc. and there’s a reason you picked 14 yrs old, isn’t there?

You can argue until you're blue in the face about lead, but even if your argument is successful in reversing the impending ban on lead ammo you'll have done nothing to safeguard the future of shooting. If you want to do that, mentor a youngster.

I’ve done that at least a dozen times and it has done nothing to safeguard the future of shooting, because the threat to shooting is not demographics, it is legislation. I could mentor a million youngsters and it would not make an iota of difference to the future of shooting.

I think it just demonstrates that my "shooting bubble" consists largely of members of SD

Quite possibly. Mine doesn’t.

Y

 

[VSS]

In my experience, it has much more often been a matter of regulatory barriers. Not allowed to shoot unsupervised, not allowed ot be given a gun, not allowed to keep their gun(s) at uni, etc etc etc

They are allowed to shoot unsupervised. (Whether or not they should is another matter).
They can be given a gun.
Whether or not a gun can be kept at uni depends on the uni (if in halls of residence) or the landlord (if in private digs).
(We had an on-campus gun store for students living in halls. Presumably land based colleges still offer the same facility?)

But it is more difficult for a 14 year old to go shooting, buy ammunition, travel with a gun, be given a gun etc. and there’s a reason you picked 14 yrs old, isn’t there?

I chose 14 because it is the youngest age that a FAC can be granted, and because I have first-hand experience of guiding a child through it. I haven't got any personal experience of helping a child obtain a SGC, which could of course be obtained at a younger age.
You are correct, a 14-yr-old FAC holder cannot buy ammunition. But they can be given ammunition and rifle.
They can also travel with a rifle (assuming someone is able to give them a lift, but that person need not be a FAC holder), and shoot unsupervised (as I mentioned above).
In rural areas, it might simply be a case of walking to the farm next door, so no travelling involved anyway.

the threat to shooting is not demographics, it is legislation.

I disagree.
I accept that legislation is a threat, but I believe that demographics is the biggest threat, and it's the one we're not dealing with very well because we're always getting sidetracked.

I could mentor a million youngsters and it would not make an iota of difference to the future of shooting.

Yes it would.
A million additional FAC/SGC holders in the UK would make quite a big difference.


As an aside, I've noticed that, among the youngsters I know who are getting into stalking, the majority appear to be cracking straight on with non-toxic ammo, rather than bemoaning the impending loss of lead.
They're obviously bright enough to see that landowners are starting to ask for non-toxic, employers are starting to ask for it, and the food chain is starting to ask for it, and they want to be in a position to be able to snap up any stalking opportunities they can. Especially if they can get paid for it.
They've basically future-proofed themselves by by-passing lead altogether.

 

[Apthorpe]

They are allowed to shoot unsupervised. (Whether or not they should is another matter).
They can be given a gun.

Contentious claim.

Whether or not a gun can be kept at uni depends on the uni (if in halls of residence) or the landlord (if in private digs).
(We had an on-campus gun store for students living in halls. Presumably land based colleges still offer the same facility?)

Maybe, but the rest certainly don’t.

I chose 14 because it is the youngest age that a FAC can be granted, and because I have first-hand experience of guiding a child through it. I haven't got any personal experience of helping a child obtain a SGC, which could of course be obtained at a younger age.

The FAC and SGC are only part of the issue. Being able to legally possess, acquire, travel independently with and shoot independently are also major obstacles. And that’s before we get onto the topic of getting a FAC or SGC as a minor when your parents doen’t shoot, and gun storage.

You are correct, a 14-yr-old FAC holder cannot buy ammunition. But they can be given ammunition and rifle.

Again, that view is not universally shared by the Police. See below.

They can also travel with a rifle (assuming someone is able to give them a lift, but that person need not be a FAC holder), and shoot unsupervised (as I mentioned above).

I’m not going to get into an argument over the detail here, but suffice to say that at least some police forces disagree, in writing, with some of what you say. https://www.met.police.uk/advice/ad...ictions-for-firearm-and-shotgun-certificates/

What I should also have said is that the problem is not only regulation, but also the perception of regulations. People are put off by the hassle, the perceived restrictiveness and so on.

In rural areas, it might simply be a case of walking to the farm next door, so no travelling involved anyway.


I disagree.
I accept that legislation is a threat, but I believe that demographics is the biggest threat, and it's the one we're not dealing with very well because we're always getting sidetracked.

Then we disagree on this. My experience is quite the opposite, and I really do not grasp your argument here. That said, for various reasons, including the regulatory, and it being much less social, stalking is more of an old fart’s game.

Yes it would.
A million additional FAC/SGC holders in the UK would make quite a big difference.

How? It doesn’t change the rules. It doesn’t make it any easier for anyone.

As an aside, I've noticed that, among the youngsters I know who are getting into stalking, the majority appear to be cracking straight on with non-toxic ammo, rather than bemoaning the impending loss of lead.
They're obviously bright enough to see that landowners are starting to ask for non-toxic, employers are starting to ask for it, and the food chain is starting to ask for it, and they want to be in a position to be able to snap up any stalking opportunities they can. Especially if they can get paid for it.
They've basically future-proofed themselves by by-passing lead altogether.

That’s fine for stalkers, but not shotgun users who are the large majority of shooters. None of the many youngsters I shoot with don’t use non-lead at all - particularly in 28bores and .410s. In all cases, they’re looking at significantly increased costs for a demographic with the least money, particularly if they can’t be passed down old guns.