Lead fragments in venison

[grouse]

Last year I submitted a topic about lead fragments killing bald eagles when they eat what is left of field dressed deer. A recent study in Minnesota found that there was an alarming amount of lead fragments in deer meat donated to feed the hungry in that state. As I'm sure all of you know, lead is toxic.

Last firearms season I wanted to try some copper ammo but the shelves were empty. Irrational fear of of Biden banning ammunition sales caused people to hoard all types of rifle and shotgun shells (lead and non-toxic) leaving nothing available. I hunted with the lead based ammo I already had. This may be another good reason to harvest venison with a crossbow.

https://www.twincities.com/2021/03/05/monitoring-in-minnesota-shows-venison-laced-with-lead/#:~:text=Ten%20years%20of%20monitoring%20donated,to%20all%20Minnesota%20food%20shelves.

[hunter with MS]

Eagles and hawks fall victim to lead ingestion as they eat what yes us hunters leave .Or in some cases we can't find the deer they feed on it for a long time .

[Ankh]

"Irrational fear of of Biden banning ammunition sales caused people to hoard all types of rifle and shotgun shells (lead and non-toxic) leaving nothing available."

Since you felt the need to include that, I'll also share my irrational fear of Biden not giving us our $2000.00 stimulus check as promised. Or my irrational fear of Biden bombing countries within 45 days of taking office.

Sorry if my irrationality bothers you, I'm just a neanderthal thinking deplorable... virtue signal somewhere else, we're all filled up here.

[longbow joe]

Yep ....best thing for gun sales is the left.
I got lots of powder cases and bullets but primers are very scarce and totally overpriced if you can find em.

[grouse]

"Irrational fear of of Biden banning ammunition sales caused people to hoard all types of rifle and shotgun shells (lead and non-toxic) leaving nothing available."

Since you felt the need to include that, I'll also share my irrational fear of Biden not giving us our $2000.00 stimulus check as promised. Or my irrational fear of Biden bombing countries within 45 days of taking office.

Sorry if my irrationality bothers you, I'm just a neanderthal thinking deplorable... virtue signal somewhere else, we're all filled up here.

I'm puzzled by what stimulus checks or bombings in the near east have to do with ammunition shortages in the U.S. I'm 72 years old and I've seen this happen over and over. A democrat leads in the polls and then there is a rush to buy guns and ammunition for fear of some kind of a ban (which never happens). The result is people who just want to go hunting can't find ammunition because of the hoarders. In addition to not being able to find the copper rifle ammunition I wanted in the fall, in January I was invited to go quail hunting in an area that requires non toxic shot. I had some steel shotgun shells, but wanted to get another box to be safe. Same story as before - empty shelves.

Like Longbow Joe said, the firearms and ammunition manufacturers have to love this insanity.

[Ankh]

Your words again
"Irrational fear of of Biden banning ammunition sales caused people to hoard all types of rifle and shotgun shells (lead and non-toxic) leaving nothing available"

My point is I believe it is perfectly rational thinking that the party in charge will indeed try to push through anything they want. The American Healthcare Act (Obamacare) was pushed through last time they were in control. As to my stimulus check reference, if the new administration is willing to lie about a simple campaign promise (look up the Georgia senate race...a photo of a $2,000 check with the tag line of put us in charge and you will get this- was one of their actual ads) I fear what they are willing to with other policy decisions such as gun laws.

[Driftless hunter]

Biden is not all there mentally, & that does concern me. His mind changes with the wind. I have a hard time believing this man is calling the shots on much of anything. He'll say one thing to one group while saying the opposite to another. He being used as a puppet by the Democratic party & nothing more. If you don't think new gun legislation hasn't been introduced since he has been in office, you aren't listening to those who follow these things. The last time the Democrats tried to push major gun laws in the 1990's, they lost 50 seats in the House (1994 election). One can only hope history repeats itself, if this topic is important to you.

Does this justify hoarding ammunition today? I don't think so. Then again, I never predicted toilet paper was so highly valued during a pandemic outbreak either.

[janesy]

Last year I submitted a topic about lead fragments killing bald eagles when they eat what is left of field dressed deer. A recent study in Minnesota found that there was an alarming amount of lead fragments in deer meat donated to feed the hungry in that state. As I'm sure all of you know, lead is toxic.

Last firearms season I wanted to try some copper ammo but the shelves were empty. Irrational fear of of Biden banning ammunition sales caused people to hoard all types of rifle and shotgun shells (lead and non-toxic) leaving nothing available. I hunted with the lead based ammo I already had. This may be another good reason to harvest venison with a crossbow.

https://www.twincities.com/2021/03/05/monitoring-in-minnesota-shows-venison-laced-with-lead/#:~:text=Ten%20years%20of%20monitoring%20donated,to%20all%20Minnesota%20food%20shelves.

I came across 3 boxes of lead free monolithic copper solids for my 45-70 a couple weeks back for cheap. So I grabbed them up. Not sure how they will work, but it's pretty slim picking up here too. I don't think it matters what bullet hits a deer or moose for a 45-70. They will never know

The science is there. I have considered mono bullets for some time now, but I do have significant stock of all my components that at this point, I'm not switching. But it does make a strong argument for mono constructed bullets.

[hunter with MS]

Lead is not passed through the body it stays. The ammo shortage is because all of the factories shut down last year for covid they have not been able to catch up.

[grouse]

Lead is not passed through the body it stays. The ammo shortage is because all of the factories shut down last year for covid they have not been able to catch up.

I don't think so. I did a quick google search and everything I could find said the shortage is caused by a huge increase in demand inspired by civil unrest and the election. The only reference I saw about ammo factories was that they a running at full capacity.

[Boo]

Use better performing bonded bullets as a second choice to copper. I use Bonded Bear Claws in my 300 Win Mag.

[grouse]

Use better performing bonded bullets as a second choice to copper. I use Bonded Bear Claws in my 300 Win Mag.

Do they retain nearly all of their weight after colliding with your prey like solid non lead bullets do? That is the problem with lead bullets, they fragment badly and spread their toxicity beyond the normal wound channel.

[DuckHunt]

Lead is not passed through the body it stays. The ammo shortage is because all of the factories shut down last year for covid they have not been able to catch up.

I don't think so. I did a quick google search and everything I could find said the shortage is caused by a huge increase in demand inspired by civil unrest and the election. The only reference I saw about ammo factories was that they a running at full capacity.

I think it was a little bit of both. Remington arms went bankrupt (How could that happen with this demand?) and that affected production at their facilities. They make a lot of primers. Their ammo factories were purchased by another company and they have resumed production. They will still be produced under the Remington name and that is the only part of the original company that will carry the name going forward.

I'm sure COVID has had some manning impacts and individual factories, but all I have read is that they are all producing more now than they ever have and are struggling to keep up with the demand.

I'm not sure about Canada, but the U.S. has been setting records in firearms sales for years. Over the last 18 months, the number of new gun owners had skyrocketed for some of the reasons grouse mentioned. Last May most local gun stores were almost bare of guns. Stores that normally carried a few hundred firearms were left with a dozen on the shelf. All of these new gun owners need their own stash of ammo. It is this new demand on top of existing demand that seems to have broken the bank. We'll eventually get over it, but this time it may take a little longer than the last few shortages.

Now if we can just stop the folks that are willing to sell a kidney for a brick of 22LR, we'll all be better off. I've seen people pay $0.20 per round for 22LR, plus shipping. I'll fletch some more arrows before I pay that much for ammo.

[hunter with MS]

I paid $ 28.00 for a box of 5 410 tss shells and around here 9mm are going for $ 60.00 a box .

[Boo]

Use better performing bonded bullets as a second choice to copper. I use Bonded Bear Claws in my 300 Win Mag.

Do they retain nearly all of their weight after colliding with your prey like solid non lead bullets do? That is the problem with lead bullets, they fragment badly and spread their toxicity beyond the normal wound channel.

I've never weighed them but they do retain a good amount. The bullets looked unreal and held together well. There isn't a huge percentage of lead in them and the do keep together from my experience. I shot a large moose from 100 yards and put the bullet into the base of it's neck on a frontal shot. The bullet did not reach the diaphragm. I shot a 5X5 elk at 50 yards on a raking away shot and there was no exit. The elk went another 50 and the moose went 30 yards. If lead is a concern, stay way from Partitions and Ballistic Tips. The former's front part and the latter's whole body comes apart in a hurry. I was in Wyoming and one of our party gut shot an Antelope and it did not exit. All we found was the jacket. It looked like pudding inside the Antelope. Never used a Ballistic tip again after seeing that but they sure do put animals down fast. I'm sure there are bullets better than that now a days. I tried copper when they first came out in my 300 and 280. I just could not get them to shoot as well as I wanted. I'm betting they are really good now but I haven't hunted with my rifle for years.

https://americanshootingjournal.com/trophy-bonded-bear-claw/#:~:text=Keep%20the%20bullet%20weight%20forward%2C%20and%20you%20will,above%2090%20percent%2C%20unless%20shots%20are%20very%20close.