The organisations that represent live-quarry shooting have said that they want to move away from the use of lead shot over the next five years. Quite an ambition, and something some gun and cartridge manufacturers have been working on for years. But is it attainable within the limits of science and today’s guns?
Hitting a bird with enough energy to produce a clean kill is the core skill of every shot. In the game shooting world, lead has been the projectile of choice for centuries. It is dense, soft and cheap, and a perfect material to transfer energy from gun to target. But, as we now know, its chemistry has a harmful effect in living organisms. That evidence obliges us to look for alternatives to reduce the overall effect on our environment. So, what else is available to do the job?
To produce that clean kill, we need to fire enough shot with enough energy to provide coverage and penetration. That combination of pattern and lethal energy transfer is the collective responsibility of gunmaker, ammunition manufacturer and shot. Almost all our guns have been designed around lead shot as the primary projectile but that doesn’t mean we can’t use other materials, if we provide coverage and penetration.
So, what are the options? Physics reminds us that kinetic energy is reliant on velocity and mass.
Velocity depends on the gun and propellant accelerating the shot load along the barrel. For that we need pressure and that brings us to our first challenge. Modern guns, with modern steels, can be manufactured to work at very high pressures. The superior service pressure to which they are designed is 1050 bar (~15,000psi). Older guns are only designed for standard nitro pressures of 740bar (~10,000 psi). There are also proof limits for some ammunition on velocity and momentum; but more of that later.
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Denne historien er fra July 2020-utgaven av The Field.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays
Heaven is a High Four
A team of guns enjoy a day of the finest sport Devon has to offer, courtesy of the GWCT and a quartet of generous shoot owners