The State of California foolishly passed AB 821 into law banning the use of lead ammo for hunting big game in a huge chunk of the State. The Fish and Game Commission is tasked with turning that law into administrative rules. They are wildly overstepping the bounds of the law. AB 821 was written to affect centerfire rifle ammo only. The rule the F&G Commission is proposing bans lead in blackpowder, pistol, and rimfire ammo. This is beyond the scope of the law. This affects hunters not only in terms of what ammo they can carry to hunt with, but also the ammo they carry in handguns carried for self-defense.
To make matters worse, the F&G Commission is late in getting these rules out. There is a process for certifying ammo as "lead free", but it will take a small miracle to get ammo approved and on shelfs before the rule takes effect. This will hurt farmers who need this Government approved ammo to kill pests like wild pigs. (Remember last year's tainted spinach fiasco? That was caused by wild pig feces on California spinach!)
If you hunt in the State or if you plan to, you need to contact the Commission and voice your concerns. Also, if you live in one of the States bordering California, you need to get involved too. Our big, dumb, Pleistocene birds don't know Nevada from Arizona from California. If our protected buzzards get into your State, you can bet that the greenies will try something like this bullet ban in your State too.
That does it!!! I have really had it now! No more target shooting?
This is the camel’s nose under the tent. All the trash talk about lead in paint, in kids’ toys, ROhS, etc. is leading to a total ban on lead everywhere. Including, of course, all your ammo with lead. This movement will likely be unstoppable because everybody ‘knows’ how harmful lead is.