Thread: Lead allowed in NZ?

Doing some research and found that lead shot is banned in NZ, but could not find info about center fire rifle rounds. The NZ Fish & Game website just shows continual loading, and I have not been able to access it from here.

Are you allowed to hunt deer with lead, or is copper required?

Thanks!
Dave

We can use both here

Yes. Can use lead bullets in rifles.

Lead shot isn't banned in NZ as such - it's not allowed for certain types of game bird hunting. Trap (clays) shooting and pest control is still done with lead shot primarily.

Is lead preferred? Copper here is 3x the $, and slightly less performance.

Same probably 3x the price. Performance can be argued depending on what you want a bullet to do.

Here in NZ

For water fowl (Shotgun) requirement is non lead shot, steel shot is the most commonly used for waterfowl. I am not sure we have copper shot here, I have never seen it myself.
For clay bird, rabbits and possums or when using buckshot, lead shot is permitted and available.

.22rf uses lead projectiles.

Using CF rifles most people use copper jacketed lead . There are no restrictions on lead in rifle projectiles.
Some Copper monolith factory ammunition is available in the more mainstream calibers. Some people also hand load copper mono projectiles.
Factory CF cartridges with cast lead projectiles are quite rare here. I can’t remember seeing any in any shop. It isn’t common for the average hunter but it isn’t unusual for hand loaders to hand load and hunt with cast lead projectiles here.

Preference of lead vs copper comes down to performance, availability, bank balance and personal opinion.

longshot..cast lead is quite common if you look in pistol cartridges like .357 or the various 44...45s especially if buying the slower loads/cowboy action loads for bail guns

Wr just cant shoot lead over water from shotguns can still use on crop shoots cant we? And oheasant and quails you could use lead in 20gauge and under but that may have changed

Originally Posted by Kelton

Wr just cant shoot lead over water from shotguns can still use on crop shoots cant we? And oheasant and quails you could use lead in 20gauge and under but that may have changed

Correct.
The only things you can't shoot with lead is certain waterfowl within two hundred meters of a body of water over a certain size. Not sure what size but it's not very big.
You can still shoot certain waterfowl ie Canadian geese over water with lead also.
Other than that lead is quite legal.
There may be some harebrained private land rules which differ to that but they are not law.

Originally Posted by Dama dama

Same probably 3x the price. Performance can be argued depending on what you want a bullet to do.

I agree, copper is great in 'some' situations, but here it is $3-5 per round depending on quality and caliber. Gets really expensive when going to the range for a refresher.
Most high end lead, like Nosler rounds (if u use them) are half that, with better opening.
Although, copper usually stays in 1 piece, where lead shrapnels...

I'm thinking about bringing copper over there next Feb to see how it affects quality of meat.

$3-5 per round might be considered cheap in the current climate...hornady is sitting at about $5 per pop last time I looked.

You are going to have to bring a different mindset with you. Deer are too numerous now in quite a few locations here in NZ. There are no seasons and no bag limits. If you are worried about lead contamination just go for shoulder shots and recover the backsteaks and hind quarters and shoot a second one. Leave the rest on the hill.

Originally Posted by SanDiegoHntr

I agree, copper is great in 'some' situations, but here it is $3-5 per round depending on quality and caliber. Gets really expensive when going to the range for a refresher.
Most high end lead, like Nosler rounds (if u use them) are half that, with better opening.
Although, copper usually stays in 1 piece, where lead shrapnels...

I'm thinking about bringing copper over there next Feb to see how it affects quality of meat.

As you already touched on, main difference is in terminal ballistics. It doesn't make much difference to the quality of the meat, the meat does have less lead. That is about it.