Thread: Lead Contamination In Game Meat

Did I read recently that moves are afoot to ban use of lead for all game shot in the UK for resale or public consumption? Anyone able to clarify that?

Saw this article pop up on Rod n Rifle last year - https://rodandrifle.co.nz/articles/a...esearch-study/ Caught my eye as I sent 3 samples into Eric's study.

I am pretty cautious about keeping well away from the wound channels but even then they did get a low hit on one of my samples - still below the level of concern even though was using a 7mm RM with SST projectiles but surprised they found any given I am generally pretty careful. I will probably try copper projectiles when I run through my stash of lead but not going to stress about it for now, enough animals around to leave the odd quarter on the hill.

He did say that they were finding lead with the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) at the Cawthron Institute that wasn't showing up on the xrays as it was too small.

He is apparently going to publish the results soon but summary advice was:

My recommendation from this work is that if you don’t know where the game meat came from, don’t eat it. Especially don’t feed game meat from unknown sources to kids. While you might be very careful not taking anything from the wound channel, someone else might not be as careful. If you want to use lead bullets and you make a good broadside shot, consider leaving the front quarters and just taking the back legs.

Originally Posted by Jake77

Saw this article pop up on Rod n Rifle last year - https://rodandrifle.co.nz/articles/a...esearch-study/ Caught my eye as I sent 3 samples into Eric's study.

I am pretty cautious about keeping well away from the wound channels but even then they did get a low hit on one of my samples - still below the level of concern even though was using a 7mm RM with SST projectiles but surprised they found any given I am generally pretty careful. I will probably try copper projectiles when I run through my stash of lead but not going to stress about it for now, enough animals around to leave the odd quarter on the hill.

He did say that they were finding lead with the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) at the Cawthron Institute that wasn't showing up on the xrays as it was too small.

He is apparently going to publish the results soon but summary advice was:

My recommendation from this work is that if you don’t know where the game meat came from, don’t eat it. Especially don’t feed game meat from unknown sources to kids. While you might be very careful not taking anything from the wound channel, someone else might not be as careful. If you want to use lead bullets and you make a good broadside shot, consider leaving the front quarters and just taking the back legs.

I would imagine a sst projectile would have a much higher chance of spreading parts of projectile further throughout the body of the animal compared to the likes of an eldm/x or interloc/corelokt etc especially out of a 7rm if it was at close ish range (sub 200m sort of thing). not that im any sort of expert but from what ive read and seen using ssts myself, they tend to be pretty explosive when sent into animals at high velocity even at resonable distance. I have started using copper projectiles in a couple of my rifles with good results so far, only real problems being ive had to change the way i shoot things (meat saver shot behind the shoulder isnt really an option any more as they need to hit something solid to really get proper expansion going) and distance becomes a factor much more so than a conventional style of projectile. Barnes say 1800fps minimum for reliable expansion but alot of people say stay atleast 2000fps+ so it can hinder your effective shooting range quite drastically if your using a calibre that isnt a rocket ship to begin with.

Heading that way,but some Game Dealers keep pushing the date back. With most of Deer head and neck shot I can’t see the issue with lead bullets

Originally Posted by EmpireSafaris

Heading that way,but some Game Dealers keep pushing the date back. With most of Deer head and neck shot I can’t see the issue with lead bullets

I'd like someone to provide quality data that clearly shows that hunters are dieing of lead poisoning.

Bet I have a very long wait.
.

Originally Posted by Oldbloke

I'd like someone to provide quality data that clearly shows that hunters are dieing of lead poisoning.

Bet I have a very long wait.
.

Made it to my mid 50's after eating rabbit/pheasant/partridge shot with lead probably twice a week from wo to 17 on the farm. That is without walking round for hours with half a dozen .22 air rifle slugs in my mouth ready to go for the next pest that needed annoying.

Have been accused of being somewhat grouchy at times by the wife but personally i think that is just her.

Will let you if anything changes.

Originally Posted by Jhon

Did I read recently that moves are afoot to ban use of lead for all game shot in the UK for resale or public consumption? Anyone able to clarify that?

Hi @Jhon not really. Some game dealers are moving that way. But at present the game dealers around me are taking no deer. There full up. Mine can take 800 carcasses. He’s not taking anymore for the next 2 weeks as everyone scrambles to finish there roe doe cull before the end of the season.
The fact is that there is just not enough copper projectiles on the market to fill the hole.

If they ban lead now deer numbers will just go nuts. It’s bad enough as it is. We have quite the problem.

They are moving away from lead but when it comes who knows.

Short answer there is no date set.