Elemental

In case anyone holds out hope that there might be another, as yet undiscovered, element that could be an ideal replacement for lead shot but non-toxic, I think it best to accept that this is extremely unlikely. There are no gaps in the heavy metal end of the periodic table of the Earth’s elements; there is no magic non-toxic material that equates to the ballistic characteristics of lead to be found. If there were, the alchemists of old might have successfully turned lead into gold. Moreover, the big name US cartridge manufacturers – Federal, Winchester and Remington – plus other specialist developers have been searching for solutions for over 30 years. Evidence suggests we must work with the elements and materials we already know about. The reality, for now at least, is that steel is the only option with a comparable – if now increasing – cost.