California Lead Free bullets

[OuchHot!]

I recall when the famous name behind the non-lead hunting bullet wrote a white paper for the lib-left in CA proving that lead free bullets were available, highly functional, and no inconvenience to hunters to implement. His paper was widely circulated and used to defy the real world complaints. He then sold his company at a high $. To this day there is NO acceptable rimfire ammunition. The dodge being forced on muzzle loaders is just ridiculous.

[Shiloh]

Just speculation, but using lead-free cast babbit boolits could lead to all kinds of problems.
You are shooting cast boolits. AA DNR warden thinks they are lead. Your equipment and firearms ar confiscated until a determination is made. You foot the bill to get your stuff back IF they let you have it back. THis is Kali. Land of fruit and nuts, environmentalists and totalitarian statists.

SHiloh

[buckshotshoey]

And add this problem on top of it.....

Most of the alternatives will probably wound more animals then normal.

And I will bet the State of California exempted themselves from the ban also. All government agencies will still be using lead.

[enfield]

I will buy up some land from CAST BOOLIT shooters quickly moving out of California and make a mint selling it back to liberal types.

[TexasGrunt]

I recall when the famous name behind the non-lead hunting bullet wrote a white paper for the lib-left in CA proving that lead free bullets were available, highly functional, and no inconvenience to hunters to implement. His paper was widely circulated and used to defy the real world complaints. He then sold his company at a high $. To this day there is NO acceptable rimfire ammunition. The dodge being forced on muzzle loaders is just ridiculous.

I noticed some lead free .22 LR at Cabela's today.

Same as this stuff. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/95...oint-lead-free

It's available. Might not be acceptable to old farts though.

[cwheel]

This hunting rifle my grandson is using there is a 7.62 X 39 Ruger Mini-30 ranch rifle. Normal calibers are available in non-lead so far, but of course expensive. So far, no one doing non-lead in that cal though. Thanks to the poster that mentioned what Roto-metals is selling for $15 per lb. But at that rate, it would almost end up being cheaper to buy jacketed. Was casting for it up to now with great results. Thinking that I'm going to have to choose non-leaded jacketed to reload for this rifle to hunt after 2019 there. Wonder how Fish and Game is going to know what bullets I've used in my home reloads ?? Are they going to try to outlaw reloaded rounds for hunting ?? Sure won't be the cases or the box I bought the ammo in. Another California anti hunting/shooting law for sure. Bet implementing this law is sure going to cause California hunters some problems.
Can you imagine having to " certify that your ammo is lead free " before being able to hunt with it ?? Just another bad law cranked out by liberals in Sacramento. Thanks to all for the ideas and comments.
Chris

[runfiverun]

[AIRC] most all of those ranch rifles come with 308 barrels.
they just oversized the throats to handle the larger diameter 310 bullets.

[P Flados]

For the reloader, the Barnes line (or equivalent) seem to run around $0.60 per bullet for typical sizes. As long as they shoot good in your rifle they seem to be the standard answer.

The "if they shoot good" qualifier I used above is based on bullet length. With the lower density copper, bullets have to be longer to get the same weight. Weight makes a big deal if you are trying to retain terminal ballitics at longer ranges. Longer bullets may need faster twist to shoot good.

[rintinglen]

I am using Hornady unleaded. I was using Barnes until I found out that the fellow behind Barnes is the fellow that gave Sen McCarthy her justification for this asinine law.

[Surfdog]

I live in Northern California and for a variety of reasons to do with Family, I'll not be able to leave for some time, and as a result I'm not content to follow the advice to leave.

So, I'm expecting to deal with the no-lead ultimatum by experimenting with the high dollar Rotometals Bismuth/tin alloy...Pure Tin...Babbit (where I can find it) and possibly Zinc.

I hunt with .44 magnum pistols, so I expect a 300gr solid of the above materials will work at typical bow ranges (which is typical of most of my handgun hunting experience.

For rifle, I'm in the process of getting together a .444 Marlin with a 1-20 twist. Again, I know the alloys will not be optimal, but I'll be damned if I sit in my chair and just whine, and I figure experimenting with a 400+ gr mold may yeild some positive results. I expect to be sorting through this over the next 4-5 months...I'll share my results along with comparisons and data with cast PB using the same molds too.

Too many people from outside the state of California have been happy to throw all Californians in the liberal left category. That is patently false. I can tell you that if it were not for the politics that have locked power in the cities of San Francisco, LA, San Diego and Sacramento...the vast majority of this state would look and vote just like most states in the midwest. Do not make the mistake of thinking all of California is hyper liberal...that is not true...but it is what the left wants you to believe, so you'll stop supporting the conservative people who are resident and still fighting.

Surfdog

[Kevins750]

This hunting rifle my grandson is using there is a 7.62 X 39 Ruger Mini-30 ranch rifle. Normal calibers are available in non-lead so far, but of course expensive. So far, no one doing non-lead in that cal though. Thanks to the poster that mentioned what Roto-metals is selling for $15 per lb. But at that rate, it would almost end up being cheaper to buy jacketed. Was casting for it up to now with great results. Thinking that I'm going to have to choose non-leaded jacketed to reload for this rifle to hunt after 2019 there. Wonder how Fish and Game is going to know what bullets I've used in my home reloads ?? Are they going to try to outlaw reloaded rounds for hunting ?? Sure won't be the cases or the box I bought the ammo in. Another California anti hunting/shooting law for sure. Bet implementing this law is sure going to cause California hunters some problems.
Can you imagine having to " certify that your ammo is lead free " before being able to hunt with it ?? Just another bad law cranked out by liberals in Sacramento. Thanks to all for the ideas and comments.
Chris

i reload copper bullets from Barnes in .310 for a x39 AR. They are the only ones making a projectile in .310 that I have found. There is a company that sales reloaded ammo in that size and I believe it runs around $50+a box.

[tazman]

Too many people from outside the state of California have been happy to throw all Californians in the liberal left category. That is patently false. I can tell you that if it were not for the politics that have locked power in the cities of San Francisco, LA, San Diego and Sacramento...the vast majority of this state would look and vote just like most states in the midwest. Do not make the mistake of thinking all of California is hyper liberal...that is not true...but it is what the left wants you to believe, so you'll stop supporting the conservative people who are resident and still fighting.

Surfdog

I understand your situation completely. I also live in a state dominated by a large, liberal city(Chicago) and have to deal with the problems they cause for the rest of the state. I am also not in a position to leave.
All you can do is the best you can do. Keep on working in your own best interest since the government obviously won't help with that. Big city solutions to big city problems don't work for rural areas which don't suffer from those same issues. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to get a big city liberal to leave you alone to live your life on your own terms.

I will be interested in hearing how your experiments with the non-lead alloys turn out. I may be needing that information myself soon.

[bedbugbilly]

I really do feel for you guys/gals in Kalifornia. It seems to me that the legislature out there is bent on more and more control "of the people" and it makes us "deplorable" mid-westerners a bit confused on how the few rule the many . . . but I guess what I'm wondering is . . . . why would you even "follow" this law? I would think that if you went against it, your defense should be just as valid as the Republik of Kalifornia's defense for not following Federal law.

And I also agree with the comment that there is probably a greater motivation behind the law n terms of someone profiting from it by the sale of "alternative" metals . . . it would be interesting to see that backtracked and see who it leads to. Hopefully, if you have to go by this ruling, someone will come up with a good, cheap, alternative to cast from . . but in the end, while it may be the "tree huggers" wanting to do away with lead, I feel there is a much greater undercurrent in states like yours where the end goal is complete gun control and doing away with private ownership. i.e. If we can't take their guns we'll take their ammunition.

Just curious . . . if law abiding citizens in your state are not going to be allowed to use lead . . . I'm assuming LE will do away with jacketed projectiles with lead interiors?

[flint45]

I to live in California once a great place to live but now sadly not anymore . Can't leave my family behind I have to much responsibility so right now not an option. They are just trying to stop hunting as much as they can it has nothing to do with the environment its all stupid, when liberals run a state the size of this one it is what you get. I will do what I have to do to live the way I want to they can all go jump in the sea. GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!

[cwheel]

It's good to know that Barnes took the other side in this fight and actually helped pass this ridiculous law. I'll be working up loads with something from Hornady this spring and see if I can get the grandson something usable to hunt with in the furure. This Mini 30 does have the .308 barrel, up to now have cast .310 and it shoots fine for that rifle. I do agree with Surfdog that the attitude in rural California is the same as the rest of the country. I lived and worked in CA for almost 50 years and know this to be true. For the most part, the population center cities pass most of these ridiculous laws. I voted with my feet and moved as soon as I could retire. It is a shame that city problems often overshadow some fine country values and traditions.
Chris

[OuchHot!]

First, fire some .22LR lead free and see how it works. Thus far, I stand by my, experience based, conclusion that there is no acceptable lead free rim fire ammo.
Second, CA isn't the only place run by a quorum of fascists in the big cities. You folk need to dig in and fight because this BS is coming to you. It has nothing to do with lead in the environment or the condor or anything green. It is a globalist attack on firearms ownership. The first day of Sec. Zinke's administration, he revoked a last minute order by Obammie to ban lead based ammo and fishing tackle on all 81 million acres of US fish and wildlife service lands. You are all in this fight. You won that round, probably not knowing it was being fought, but it isn't the end of their attack.

[Surfdog]

There is a big difference between passing stupid laws, enforcing stupid laws, and complying with stupid laws.

From what I've seen, the vast majority of hunters will comply with the laws in CA because they are...for the most part...legitimate law abiding people.

When push comes to shove, the big city politicians will be surprised one day when they discover that the majority of the state does not agree with the left's extreme policies regarding gun ownership, 2nd amendment rights and hunter's rights. The day will come, mark my word.

Surfdog

[P Flados]

My condolences to all the victims of the big city influence. I had a good friend from New York (upsate that is) that was very much level headed and conservative. When the subject came up, he would share that during his decades as a resident of New York state, he was effectively "dis-enfranchized" at the state level in that he "allways voted even if it never mattered".

Surfdog

I applaud your attitude and steadfast intent to continue to use cast. I am a little concerned about the website statement that "big game may only be taken by rifles using centerfire cartridges with softnose or expanding projectiles". Am I misreading something? Is there a loophole? All reasonable individuals that know much of anything about hunting would quickly concede that a non-expanding 44 can get the job done just fine at reasonable ranges. The question is, what about those in charge of enforcing the rules.

Rintinglen,

If someone associated with a bullet company helped get this mess in place, it is pretty obvious that they should be "appropriately rewarded for their effort". Good documentation of the facts should be made availabe to the bullet buying public which would of course allow buyers to "reward" said company when they choose who they elect to send their money to.

[Duckiller]

CCI makes lead free 22WRM ammo. Hard to find but it does exist. Before people do lots of experimenting on casting lead free boolits remember that lead free ammo must be approved by the DFW before you can shoot game with such projectiles. DFW will charge you a BUNCH of money to test your boo;its then probably not approve them, at least not the first time.The law is mainly to stop/slow down hunting in Calif. I have purchased 257, 7mm and 308 rifle boolits 38 and 44 revolver boolits. 30-30 lead free ammo is available. Haven't found any 32 Win Spec in lead free or 348 Win in lead free. Not all Barnes ammo is lead free. They still make good boolits for 348 Win that are lead based with heavy jackets. Not legal to hunt with in Cal.

[rodwha]

I shoot muzzleloaders and cap n ball revolvers. Despite my lack of enthusiasm I was asked to consider moving there, and being that cap n ball pistols require a soft lead projectile I'm not so sure I could make them run. But then it seems none of my BP guns could be used to hunt with anyway.

Despite some great beers and huge trees I'm not so sure it's worth more than a quick visit...