Discussion on Lead in Meat

[Jspradley]

The only issue is that any animal that you shoot may have been shot by another hunter. How do you know for sure?

I'm guessing you mean small game, it's usually pretty hard to mix up who shot a big critter

With small game it's harder to tell but less important because shotgun pellets generally pass right through the digestive system without being absorbed, the potential problem seems to be from rifle rounds because their velocities can cause little micro pieces of lead to spread around in the meat that can potentially be absorbed.

I'm not too worried about it either way but lead free is pretty much all pro and no cons for rifle ammo.

[BuckSmasher]

I'm guessing you mean small game, it's usually pretty hard to mix up who shot a big critter

With small game it's harder to tell but less important because shotgun pellets generally pass right through the digestive system without being absorbed, the potential problem seems to be from rifle rounds because their velocities can cause little micro pieces of lead to spread around in the meat that can potentially be absorbed.

I'm not too worried about it either way but lead free is pretty much all pro and no cons for rifle ammo.

You have shot a lot of critters with ttsx and gmx with good results? Assuming you did your part on the aiming?

[Jspradley]

O, the irony! Lol.

I mean I wasn't gonna say told ya so... lol

[Calrob]

O, the irony! Lol.

Yep, read no farther than CA. Yall done good.

[Jspradley]

You have shot a lot of critters with ttsx and gmx with good results? Assuming you did your part on the aiming?

Not a lot compared to a lot of folks here. I think between my wife and I 10-15 deer and three hogs and a few javis with various Hornady, Barnes, Federal, Pierce, and Remington .300 BLK, .308, .30-06, and 5.56 mono copper loadings. I believe they all had Barnes X-bullet projectiles except for the Hornady, the GMX is theirs right? I can't remember the exact loadings.

All have performed exceptionally well though, mono copper bullets do seem to be pretty unforgiving below their expansion velocity thresholds though, so that could be a con for folks shooting long range or subs

[BuckSmasher]

Yep, read no farther than CA. Yall done good.

Respect for admitting that. I get it, hardly anything good ever starts with, "this is how they do it in California..."

[BuckSmasher]

Not a lot compared to a lot of folks here. I think between my wife and I 10-15 deer and three hogs and a few javis with various Hornady, Barnes, Federal, Pierce, and Remington .300 BLK, .308, .30-06, and 5.56 mono copper loadings. I believe they all had Barnes X-bullet projectiles except for the Hornady, the GMX is theirs right? I can't remember the exact loadings.

All have performed exceptionally well though, mono copper bullets do seem to be pretty unforgiving below their expansion velocity thresholds though, so that could be a con for folks shooting long range or subs

Thanks for the real world endorsement. I am beginning to lean that way.

[TacticalCowboy]

I cast bullets, reload ammo, shoot competitively, and hunt with Gamekings. I’m still alive.

When I butcher an animal, I cut out any bloodshot meat, an I have been known to throw entire front quarters of deer away. I can’t say that I have ever found a piece of a bullet in my finished product.

[Jspradley]

. I can’t say that I have ever found a piece of a bullet in my finished product.

The potential problem is the pieces you don't see.

Check out some of the xrays of animals shot with lead vs mono

https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/leadinfo.htm

[Jspradley]

Serious question for anyone who has been eating critters killed with lead bullet their whole life and who know they are "just fine"

How do you know you really are?

Lead toxicity is a slow, cumulative process that effects the brain.

How many folks out there might be declining prematurely because of lead toxicity?

[TacticalCowboy]

The potential problem is the pieces you don't see.

Check out some of the xrays of animals shot with lead vs mono


https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/leadinfo.htm

Which is why I am pretty liberal in how much room I give around a bullet wound...

How long have people been eating animals shot with lead bullets? If it was killing people, we’d know it by now.

[Jspradley]

Lots of problems other than death can occur from lead exposure.

We've just within the last decade started studying the effects of lead in wild game meat, the results are pretty clear that any level of lead is deleterious to health, especially to children.

Lead was all thats available for a long time and we have better options that arent toxic, it's only logical to use them where we can.

[TxAg]

I'll look for that. If you gun hunt ever did it influence your decision on bullet choice?

I do some gun hunting. It hasn't changed my habits, but I'm not real educated on the subject. I'm not against stacking the odds in my favor, though.

[cbd10pt]

If I am gun hunting there is almost 0 chance I will miss the thoracic cavity, and I don't eat anything from said cavity so no reason to worry.

[okrattler]

I've always used lead to shoot birds. We're very careful to cut any pellets out that hit meat. I can't remember ever biting down on one. I shoot turkeys in the head and I don't know anyone that keeps blood shot meat from a deer that may have lead particles in it. I thought the whole reason California stopped using lead was because of the California Condor. This is the first I've ever heard of health risks to humans.

I've come to realize just about anything you eat or drink is bad to someone somewhere. There's not much that ain't bad for you.