Casting cheap, lead-free bullets? - Page 2

Uncle Buck · March 8, 2010, 11:09 PM

If you are really concerned about the lead leaching into the ground, why not plant species of plants that will absorb the lead from the ground.

You could always later cut the plants and dispose of them in a safe place away from your well.

This is not a concern I have with my shooting, but I am sure there are species of plants which will absorb more lead than others. (Absorb is not the correct word, but I have not taken biology or botany classes in years, sorry

)

It does not seem like there is an alternative available for lead at this time.

If you cast harder projectiles, would that alleviate your concerns?

okiefarmer · March 9, 2010, 03:03 PM

This just in!!!!!!

I dug up a piece of lead in my back yard this past weekend. When we moved here, lot was somewhat treeless. We planted lots of trees, put those soaker hoses around them to water while small and buried hose under shallow soil and mulch. Trees large now, so I cut out hose before it strangled tree. Found an old LYMAN lead ingot underground when removing hose. Hose looked worse than lead ingot. Soooooo, does lead really "decompose" or desintegrate underground. Saw a little white discoloration, but I don't think I would get my panties in a wad about it.

And these guys are always selling civil war fired musket projos on ebay, and they are over 100 years buried in the ground. Seems like a non-issue, one would have more contamination problems from bird droppings.

saands · March 14, 2010, 12:22 AM

Interesting links up there ... I read the paper from the abstract and I was stunned by the comment

Quote:

... and two ground meat packages (2 deer) each contained a single shotgun pellet which had not been detected on the carcass radiographs.

What? Shotgun pellets??? Not detected in the original radiographs??? Where did they come from? Certainly NOT from the 7mm RemMag ... Kinda makes me wonder what was up there ... but at least they admitted it.

The data that shows all the difference between the lead fed pigs blood and the control was gone by day four seems to fly in the face of saying that it is a long term effect, doesn't it? Also, I guess some folks do use a 150gr bullet out of a 7mmMag to hunt deer, but I'd expect to see more fragmentation from that combo than I would from something a little less over-kill ... no???

I try to read research with an open mind, but I know that researchers' agendas all too often taint their conclusions ... must read research critically ... even from the more respected peer reviewed journals.

Saands

PS ... I will continue to use my standard loads for my harvesting ...

March 8, 2010, 11:09 PM	#26
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	Another Thought... If you are really concerned about the lead leaching into the ground, why not plant species of plants that will absorb the lead from the ground. You could always later cut the plants and dispose of them in a safe place away from your well. This is not a concern I have with my shooting, but I am sure there are species of plants which will absorb more lead than others. (Absorb is not the correct word, but I have not taken biology or botany classes in years, sorry ) It does not seem like there is an alternative available for lead at this time. If you cast harder projectiles, would that alleviate your concerns? __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

March 9, 2010, 03:03 PM	#27
okiefarmer Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 381	This just in!!!!!! I dug up a piece of lead in my back yard this past weekend. When we moved here, lot was somewhat treeless. We planted lots of trees, put those soaker hoses around them to water while small and buried hose under shallow soil and mulch. Trees large now, so I cut out hose before it strangled tree. Found an old LYMAN lead ingot underground when removing hose. Hose looked worse than lead ingot. Soooooo, does lead really "decompose" or desintegrate underground. Saw a little white discoloration, but I don't think I would get my panties in a wad about it. And these guys are always selling civil war fired musket projos on ebay, and they are over 100 years buried in the ground. Seems like a non-issue, one would have more contamination problems from bird droppings.