88
and bullet weights feature prominently in these companies’
websites. All of these companies export lead-free products to
the USA, where a greater market exists, especially in California
since 2007. Potentially, they could export to the UK, were the
market to exist.
Retail and economic availability
of lead-free ammunition
The retail market for shotgun ammunition in the UK is large
and very competitive. In recent years, much of the retail
availability has shifted to on-line bulk store warehouses that
feature the UK and foreign cartridge companies’ vast array
of products for shooting both game and clay targets. For
example, five leading on-line stores retail cartridges containing
steel, tungsten-based, and bismuth-tin shot; Ammoshack,
Clayshooting ‘R’Us, Countryway Gunshop, Just Cartridges,
Table 1:Suitability of centre-fire lead-free rifle ammunition for hunting species of mammals in the UK. The examples of cartridge calibres is
not exhaustive, only representative of the commonly-used rifle calibres in the category.
Species Small size
calibres,
e.g. .222, .223
Small size calibres,
e.g.240, .243
Medium size
calibres, e.g.
.250, .270,
Medium size
calibres, e.g.
7 mm, .300, 8 mm
Large calibre,
e.g.
9.3 mm
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus a † a + †† + +
Fallow Deer
Dama dama
a + + + +
Sika Deer
Cervus nippon a + + + +
Roe Deer
Capreolus capreolus + + + b ††† b
Muntjac Deer
Muntiacus muntjak + + b b b
Chinese water Deer
Hydropotes inermis + + b b b
Badger
Meles meles
+ + b b b
Fox
Vulpes vulpes
+ + b b b
† Calibre is generally too small to ensure humane kills under field conditions. †† The + sign indicates that bullets of those calibres are suited for hunting that species.
††† Bullets of those calibres are generally too large for hunting those species.
and William Powell Cartridges7. All these cartridge types can
be bought in boxes of 25, in cases of 250, and flats of 1000
cartridges. While the majority of cartridges offered for sale are
mainly in 12 gauge, with various weights of shot loadings and
shot sizes, sub-gauge cartridges (mainly 20 gauge) are also
listed in the offerings.
There is an enormous disparity among the retail prices of
the different shot types. The company Just Cartridges sells
cartridges loaded with steel, Tungsten Matrix, Hevi-Shot,
and bismuth-tin shot, and provides a good comparison. The
comparative costs8 for 12 gauge cartridges containing 32 g of
shot of the same shot size are found in Table 2.
These prices explain why the production figures for Tungsten
Matrix and steel shot by Gamebore are so disparate. Simply
put, demand is determined in large part by retail prices,
and industry manufactures at levels determined directly by
7Web site address:Ammoshack Clayshooting’R’Us Countryway Gunshop
Just cartridges William Powell cartridges
This list is not meant to be exhaustive, only representative of the current UK on-line retail availability. 8 Based on November, 2014, advertised prices.
Vernon G. Thomas