By 2019, lead-free ammunition will be required for all hunting. If you’re wondering what the big deal is over lead ammunition or are worried how lead-free ammunition will impact your hunt, then this article is for you.
Why Lead-Free Ammunition?
Lead ammunition has been used in hunting and sport shooting since what seems like forever because it is easy to make at an affordable price. It is true that lead-free ammunition is a bit more expensive, but the positives most definitely outweigh the negatives.
Lead-free ammunition ensures the highest quality meat from your hunt.
Lead bullets leave harmful remnants throughout the meat as it passes through an animal. The particles left behind are so small that they are impossible to find or remove; however it is still dangerous to ingest. Some skeptics argue that lead-free bullets are less effective, but science can prove otherwise. Performance-wise, lead-free bullets made from copper or gilded metal have a better weight retention and penetration, which means the bullets can crush bone and create the organ and tissue damage you want during a hunt. Lead-free bullets also do not fragment like lead bullets do, which means that when it hits the animal, it has retained more energy and can therefore pass more energy on to the animal and create more internal damage. Documentation also shows that because of lead-free bullets weight and lack of fragmentation, it is more likely to create a large exit wound, which leaves a better trail of blood allowing for a more likely recovery.
Lead-free is safer for everyone.
Beyond the concerns of lead remnants in your food is the negative impact lead ammunition has on the environment. If you are an avid hunter, we can only assume you are a nature lover. So, you will be happy to know that using lead-free ammunition will result in the elimination of secondary loss of wildlife. With lead bullets, you run the risk of remnants from the ammunition be left at the scene of the hunt where it can potentially be ingested by other wildlife. It is a well-known fact that lead bullets unintentionally kill bald eagles and other wildlife from the harmful lead remnants left behind.
Not so much of a conservationist? That’s fine, but think about the dust residue from lead ammunition that you are inhaling during your hunts. Or that your children are inhaling on your hunts. Due to the change in law come 2019, you can already find more and more calibers and weights of lead-free bullets. We carry a wide variety of lead-free ammunition at Lambert Pawn currently and will continue to expand our selection to meet your ammunition needs.