16/04/10 - John Duncan discusses the Future of Lead Cartridges

You may have read articles or received an e-mail during the last two weeks about the upcoming Lead Ammunition Steering Group being chaired by John Swift - the CEO of BASC (British Association of Shooting and Conservation). The focus of the majority of these articles has been: 'Will BASC represent the whole shooting community in defending the future use of lead for game shooting?' Whilst the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Countryside Alliance, the Country Landowner's Association, the Gun Trade Association and the National Game Dealers' Association are also being represented in this steering committee, there are underlying concerns that BASC may have had a hidden agenda. This concern has arisen from their detrimental work on the recent Game Bird Rearing Code and their policy towards raised laying units (siding with The League Against Cruel Sports against all other shooting bodies' advice, including DEFRA - the Government's own rural body). This has led to an effective ban on raised laying units from October, meaning that effectively no partridge eggs can be produced in the UK!

We cannot understand why BASC has acted in this way and we hope that they will be more responsible in the future and listen to the whole shooting community on important issues like lead cartridges. If they don't then they risk further alienating their membership and giving more weight to the accusation of not being the 'Voice of Shooting' as they claim to be.

Our view is that there is no major evidence why there should be a ban on lead in cartridges. If there was a ban then the effects on the rural community would be immense as there is no reasonable alternative. Bismuth, tunxten matrix and other alternatives currently used on wetlands do not have the same ballistics as lead cartridges and will result in an increased risk of wounding birds. Is this what we really want? They are also horrendously expensive. A ban on lead cartridges will result in a number of shoots closing down, further unemployment in the countryside and a subsequent knock-on effect on hotels and other rural businesses already under severe strain following this recession. Do we really want this?

We have a number of clients from all parts of the world who come to the UK to shoot - will they continue to do so if they can't enjoy their sport in the same way when there are numerous shooting opportunities in Spain, Argentina and Eastern Europe. Again, do we really want this? The answer to all these questions is simply 'no'.

The effect on the gun trade will also be immense as the alternatives to lead are not safe to be used in English proofed guns. If you can't use lead to shoot game in the UK, what will the value of your shotguns be then?

Whilst BASC say that nothing will happen in the UK for the foreseeable future, we must all be united in making sure that this doesn't happen ever. I urge you to contact BASC and other shooting organisations to express your views.