NDR: Lead bullet fragmentation

Last spring the Minnesota DNR did a study of lead fragmentation in deer killed by rifle, shotgun, and muzzleloader. They tested venison donated to food shelves and found 25% of ground venison contained lead fragments. Then they tested five different types of bullets + shotgun slugs and muzzleloader rounds into sheep and x-rayed the carcasses to detect lead fragments. Some of the fragments, especialy from ballistic tip and soft point bullets, travelled 18" from the wound channel.

Here's the link to the study presentation: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/...dlife/lead/index.htm

Rick


One thing I'll add is that I was suspicous of the lead fragmentation story until I found a piece of lead in a backstrap of a deer I was cleaning recently. The wound channel was tiny and there was no amount of blood shot meat to speak of, just a little blood around the lead itself. This was a shoulder shot deer shot at 120 yards with premium bullets, out of my 7mm-08, so it wasn't going all that fast.

I'd happily swallow some pellet sized chunks of lead, but what makes me nervous is that take some fragments and grind/powder them - that will increase their potential toxicity. The effect on the animals that eat the fragment-laden guts is another story.

On the other side, I'll add that I don't know of any of the origional studies that tested for the presence of LEAD, my opinion was that they were more testing for metal (that could be steel and have come from the grinder).

Anyway, as soon as I can find no-tox bullets in a loading that shoots well out of my deer rifle, I'll switch.
 
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