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.
This story is from the July 2020 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2020 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The apple of your eye
With scores to choose from in the UK, there is a delicious apple variety for everyone - and now is the ideal time to start thinking about planting one
Art in the field
Being able to study her subjects as she races alongside them has informed Belinda Sillars work, as she explains to Janet Menzies
A silvered sword from the Saxon armoury
With weaponry from the electoral court, the more silver on show, the higher the rank of the owner
Nicole Moore
The Shooting Girl With An Afro blogger explains her passion for fieldsports and outlines the importance of sharing skills and knowledge with newcomers
'Probably the greatest detective in the world'
For 100 years, on page and screen, Hercule Poirot has captivated audiences around the globe with his supreme intellect and peculiar eccentricities
View from a Bridgerton
They were the 18th-century version of a drinks trolley and now hunt tables are popular once again, partly due to Regency-period television dramas
A brush with history
Britain is world renowned for its contribution to hair care and grooming, and, as its oldest firms will testify, heirlooms come in many forms
Practically perfect
From modest origins, the gilet has evolved into a sporting wardrobe staple, combining function and fashion to become a status symbol in its own right
Best laid plans
The ancient craft of hedgelaying is playing a central role in efforts to restore the balance of nature on our farms
Under the spell of spaniels
Our favourite working breed comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which have successfully carved out their own special niche in British sport