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Old 12-20-2013, 11:38 PM
17varminter 17varminter is offline
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Default End of the line for the lead bullet? Regulations, bans force switch to 'green' ammo

When the last bullet-producing lead smelter closes its doors on Dec. 31, it will mark a major victory for those who say lead-based ammunition pollutes the environment, but others warn 'green' bullets will cost more, drive up copper prices and do little to help conservation.

The bid to ban lead bullets, seen by some as harmful to the environment, started slowly more than a decade ago. But with two dozen states, including California, banning bullets made of the soft, heavy metal, the lead bullet's epitaph was already being written when the federal government finished it off.

First, the military announced plans to phase out lead bullets by 2018.

Then the federal Environmental Protection Agency, citing emissions, ordered the shutdown of the Doe Run company's lead smelter in Herculaneum, Mo., by year's end.

Whether by state or federal regulation, or by market forces, lead bullets will be all but phased out within a few years in favor of so-called green bullets, experts say. While many believe that this will help the environment by keeping lead from contaminating groundwater, others say switching to copper-based bullets will cost hunters and sportsmen more and have little effect on the environment.

"Whatever the EPA's motivation when creating the new lead air quality standard, increasingly restrictive regulation of lead is likely to affect the production and cost of traditional ammunition," the National Rifle Association said in a statement

Critics of lead bullets say that in addition to lead finding its way into the water supply and food chain, people who handle ammunition have been found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood. Lead poisoning harms organs and tissues and can result in brain damage.

"Switching to nontoxic lead ammunition will save the lives of eagles, condors and thousands of other birds every year – and, importantly, will keep hunters and their families from being exposed to toxic lead," the Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement after California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a phaseout of lead bullets for hunting by July 2019.

The Army has been researching a more environment-friendly bullet at the Picatinny Arsenal, in New Jersey, since 2010. A lead-free version of the 7.62-mm rounds fired from M-14 rifles will be issued to troops in 2014. That will follow a prior switch to a greener 5.56 mm "Enhanced Performance Round" the Army switched to in 2010..

“The EPR replaces the lead slug with a copper slug,” Lt. Col. Phil Clark, product manager for small-caliber ammunition at Picatinny, told the Daily Caller. “This makes the projectile environmentally friendly, while still giving soldiers the performance capabilities they need on the battlefield.”

The army has projected that use of green bullets for small-round ammunition could eliminate the purchase of nearly 4,000 metric tons of lead between now and 2018.

Jim Yardley a retired financial controller and blogger for americanthinker.com, estimated it would cost $18,431,000 to replace the lead with copper.

“Nearly $20 million, not to improve the effectiveness of the ammunition used by our troops, but to protect the environment,” Yardley wrote.

In 2010, Doe Run settled with the EPA and state regulators for $65 million and a pledge to close the 120-year-old smelter by year's end. Doe Run General Manager Gary Hughes said the company tried to bring its smelter into compliance so it could continue to produce lead products, but abandoned plans in 2012 due to federal regulations.

"We hoped to be building another such plant by now; however, constructing a full-scale plant, given other regulatory compliance spending requirements, puts our company at financial risk," he said.

It is unclear if another company will open a new lead smelter in the U.S. that can meet the more stringent air quality standards. But with the biggest buyer of ammo switching to copper-core, "green" bullets, and the number of state bans on lead bullets growing, ammunition makers are adapting. One such company is Florida-based Liberty Ammunition, which has ramped up production of green bullets by adding a second production shift.

“Copper is not cheap,” said Matthew Phillips, Liberty's vice president of sales and marketing. “Luckily, we’ve managed to find a way to keep the cost down.”

Copper bullets have a similar pricepoint to high-end lead bullets, but can be as much as twice the cost of lower-end lead bullets, say experts. And diverting copper for bullet manufacturing could have other unintended economic consequences, critics warn.

“This will inevitably increase the cost of electronic devices that use copper," wrote Yardley."It will add to the cost of a wiring a new home, having an adverse impact on the housing industry.”

“The Treasury Department already wants to discontinue the penny due to the cost of producing it. A rising cost of copper will only add impetus to that, and might encourage them to repeat the response to a copper shortage during WWII, and produce pennies from steel.”

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/18...to-green-ammo/
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  #2  
Old 12-21-2013, 12:28 AM
TinMan TinMan is offline
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Fox needs better fact finding. US Pennies since 1982 have been copper plated, 92% zinc, and 8% copper.

The new, more stringent EPA rulings about air quality for lead smelting are a lot more restrictive than previously. Lots of politics being played with the EPA, the greenies and left wing.
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Old 12-21-2013, 12:36 AM
ab_bentley ab_bentley is offline
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It doesn't stop importation of lead, which is cheaper than producing it. We are importing from China, Brazil, Mexico. They have no laws and the lead free bullets won't be a chapter, they'll still be the norm.


Adam
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Old 12-21-2013, 01:37 AM
glennlasher glennlasher is offline
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Most of the lead used by bullet companies doesn't come from Herculaneum, anyway, it comes from reclaimed car batteries (according to Sierra). From what I can gather, the bullet companies don't consider closing that smelter to be a factor in their future sales.
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Old 12-21-2013, 03:00 PM
barretcreek barretcreek is offline
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Trying to run a 120 year old plant is what caused them to close. Our tax code makes impossible to upgrade older industries, whether it be steel mills, auto plants, foundries or oil refineries. Foreign companies come to the U.S. and hire "lazy" Americans because we are the most productive in the world. But their capital is invested under their home tax laws, not ours.
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  #6  
Old 12-22-2013, 07:54 AM
Super X Super X is offline
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Default shotgun shooters

I would think that shotgunners, trap, skeet, and sporting clays guys would be legislated against first as they shoot ounces of lead while we are shooting grains. FS
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  #7  
Old 12-22-2013, 02:13 PM
AlbertaAl AlbertaAl is offline
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Default lead bullets

One persons loss is another persons gain... more bullets for Canadians !
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  #8  
Old 12-22-2013, 02:17 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Default End of line for lead

Imports have been the main supply for lead over the past few years. This is just another example of the USA, King Obama and his admin putting more business's out and offshore. Lead and bullets will still be made, hopefully by USA companies and we can still have them, with restrictions like Ca has done. We, as shooters, will survive in the long run.. Think positive folks. Bill K
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Old 12-23-2013, 08:39 AM
MikeMoore MikeMoore is offline
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Two dozen states ban lead?
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  #10  
Old 12-23-2013, 02:05 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Default End of line

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeMoore View Post
Two dozen states ban lead?
Who are they, and on bullets, not just lead fishing sinkers ? I have only heard of California, on the bullet ban for hunting. Bill K
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