# Ecological Ammunition



## deleted (Apr 11, 2013)

I like to carry my ss on walks with the dog in the forest or friends at the river (not for hunting). but for me as a environmentally sustainable person, its a no-go to shot steel into the nature. But most stones are just not nice to hold in the pouch and i don't even want to talk about accuracy!​of course at home, smashing targets in front of a catch, i go for steel.​i already searched a bit and i found stuff about Clay-balls, Woodballs, and some good tips for shooting stones on this page: http://www.melchiormenzel.de/info_ammo.html​









*How do you think about this issue and what are your experiences or ideas for good "natural" ammo?*​


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## primitive power slingshot (Apr 5, 2013)

I'M all for keeping nature "NATURAL", and only leaving as small a foot print in the woods as possible. but you do know steel comes from nature I assume :stickpoke: . Saying that dry peas and beans are real good short range ammo, better is dry whole shelled corn. and these will get eaten by critters our sprout and grow then become more critter food. if you make your own clay balls with modeling clay( or dig your own clay) you can get cheep wild flower seeds and mix with the clay, this way when you shoot your leaving behind something beautiful. I hope this helps.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

I use marbles on my walks. I don't believe they are harming the environment in any way. The other stuff is not good long range. Clay candy, wood ect. To light in weight. I love the outdoors and nature and wouldn't do it if I thought it was bad.


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

I say this half-jokingly, but only half; what about dried-out dingleberries? I mean, they're pretty dense, near universal size, & 100% biodegradable...designate bands/pouch, & let her rip....


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## primitive power slingshot (Apr 5, 2013)

Tentacle Toast said:


> I say this half-jokingly, but only half; what about dried-out dingleberries? I mean, they're pretty dense, near universal size, & 100% biodegradable...designate bands/pouch, & let her rip....


 TRY it and let us know. maybe you could do a video tutorial on it. :screwy:


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## maxpowers (Sep 7, 2012)

I make clay balls of about 15mm diameter for just random plinking at things. They make a cool puff of dust and leave a small mark when hitting hard objects which is ammusing. I get the clay out of the ground as it is only about 30cm below the topsoil here. Beats paying for it and its just as good. Otherwise I occasionally use marbles but they tend to bounce so have to be careful what I shoot them at.


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

the only other thing i can think of , if your just plinking, is round dried dog food. or the dog treats/mints that are round or cylindrical shaped. plink and feed !


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## Crac (Mar 3, 2013)

Soft Crack 

http://baking911.com/quick-guide/how-to-az/candy-sugar-syrup-temperature-chart


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## Winnie (Nov 10, 2010)

So, how polluting do you feel steel balls are? Is this something else I have to feel guilty about?

Bits of iron are everywhere and I have never heard anyone mention the polluting aspects of steel. I've never heard of a clean-up operation involving steel. I guess I'm guilty of spreading bits of iron around.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Tentacle Toast said:


> I say this half-jokingly, but only half; what about dried-out dingleberries? I mean, they're pretty dense, near universal size, & 100% biodegradable...designate bands/pouch, & let her rip....


What kind of sound would they make went they hit the target?

DUNG!


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## deleted (Apr 11, 2013)

Winnie said:


> So, how polluting do you feel steel balls are? Is this something else I have to feel guilty about?
> 
> Bits of iron are everywhere and I have never heard anyone mention the polluting aspects of steel. I've never heard of a clean-up operation involving steel. I guess I'm guilty of spreading bits of iron around.


i think it really depends in what kind of natural environment do you live.. in a more rocky area it may be ok. in our all the time cleaned up, well forested, swiss forests, polished ball bearings are just not really the right thing for me..(also because of the money-aspect) ..but there are some nice ideas coming up here. hehe


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## FWV2 (Mar 10, 2013)

TT!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHHA!!!!

Fwv2!!!


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## BrokenPins (Feb 10, 2013)

Zing! Nice one Treefork lol

I'm in the category of people who feel steel is not an environmental concern. Came from the earth, sending it back is not harmful. Lead is a different story but again, it's a natural substance and in plinking quantities I'd say it pales in comparison to the fishing sinkers lost to the waters every year and shot from hunting...

But I too plink with glass marbles as they are non toxic and cheap (my deciding factor with unrecoverable ammo). Gobstoppers less and less lately, used to like them but you need a light setup to avoid hands lap and their accuracy range is more limited than other options.


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## DaveSteve (May 16, 2012)

treefork said:


> I use marbles on my walks. I don't believe they are harming the environment in any way. The other stuff is not good long range. Clay candy, wood ect. To light in weight. I love the outdoors and nature and wouldn't do it if I thought it was bad.


I mostly use marbles too on my walks. I thought about clayballs but like treefork said; they are too light and not good for long range shots.

Rocks are free ...... I can try as hard as I want but my hitting rate does not improve.

Steel is too expensive for me to do 'stump shooting'.


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## primitive power slingshot (Apr 5, 2013)

g3kko said:


> Winnie said:
> 
> 
> > So, how polluting do you feel steel balls are? Is this something else I have to feel guilty about?
> ...


natural is natural. steel comes from the ground. it rots over time and goes back into the ground. and polished balls rust overnight, thus the rotting process.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Actually steel or glass marbles are safer than say a Gobstopper to the environment. Gobstoppers and the type of sugar used to make them are not healthy. More and more research is supporting this. I wouldn't feed them to my family or pets so why to the critters in the woods. The animals are not going to eat marbles or steel but they will gorge themselves on candy. All the zoo's around the world prohibit animals from being fed such garbage due to ill effects.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2013)

Gawd, are we really having this discussion?


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## primitive power slingshot (Apr 5, 2013)

yep. its educational. :rofl:


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

OldSpookASA said:


> Gawd, are we really having this discussion?


 :violin:


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## DB_1982 (Mar 26, 2013)

Try chick peas/garbanzo beans, or hazelnuts.


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## BrokenPins (Feb 10, 2013)

It occurs to me that if polished steel balls stick out like I sore thumb in your woods, I'd probably just pick them up and keep shooting...


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2013)

It is silly on it's face. Iron oxide, dig enough of it and spend enough energy and you get steel. Put steel back into the environment and you get iron oxide. The very idea that putting steel into the environment is somehow not "eco" is the product of illiteracy. Sadly there are those whose religion is the environment. :violin: :violin:

This is a silly discussion. That is fine. It is great if you want to shoot garbanzo beans, or dog food pellets, or rabbit turds. I don't take issue with that, but if you want me to take it seriously as an environmental issue then I have to call BULL SHEITE! because that is precisely what it is.

This is not an environmental issue kiddies no matter how much you want it to be.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2013)

BrokenPins said:


> It occurs to me that if polished steel balls stick out like I sore thumb in your woods, I'd probably just pick them up and keep shooting...


If his woods are that manicured there is absolutely nothing natural about them. Jus' sayin' ... I guess I am just tired.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2013)

Tentacle Toast said:


> I say this half-jokingly, but only half; what about dried-out dingleberries? I mean, they're pretty dense, near universal size, & 100% biodegradable...designate bands/pouch, & let her rip....


I say this only half-seriously, "Don't let the dust of the dingle berries that disintegrate upon firing get in your eyes." There is this disease associated with "dingle berries" it is called Hantavirus. Google it. So yeah, dingle berries can kill you.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2013)

maxpowers said:


> I make clay balls of about 15mm diameter for just random plinking at things. They make a cool puff of dust and leave a small mark when hitting hard objects which is ammusing. I get the clay out of the ground as it is only about 30cm below the topsoil here. Beats paying for it and its just as good. Otherwise I occasionally use marbles but they tend to bounce so have to be careful what I shoot them at.


This is actually rational and a reasonable alternative, Contrary to other advice in this thread the specific gravity of clay is right there with glass. That is probably because glass is made of silica and clay is predominately silica....


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

I'm with OldSpook here. I have absolutely no problem leaving steel balls out in the environment.

Steel will break down very quickly when exposed to the elements.

Glass on the other hand (marbles), will still be around for thousands of years to come.

Clay will break down even quicker sure, but I've always found it a poor choice of ammo.


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## crapshot (May 3, 2011)

my wife had a fish tank a while back that used amber aquiriam rocks i guess bigger than pea gravel oval shape to she used to change them out at cleaning the tank intervals the used stuff was decent ammo


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

crapshot said:


> my wife had a fish tank a while back that used amber aquiriam rocks i guess bigger than pea gravel oval shape to she used to change them out at cleaning the tank intervals the used stuff was decent ammo


Too funny !

I bought 5000 marbles, hated them and ended up using them as gravel in my bristle nose breeding tank.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Well, color me Neanderthal, but I have no problem shooting lead balls in the woods. Lead comes from the ground. It is part of nature.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Iron is the 4th most abundant element in the earth's crust ... makes up about 5.5%. Yep, do not like to see old car bodies out in the bush ... but little steel balls are not noticeable, especially after they have been there a short while. Steel balls will not pollute the water supply nor poison beasties that might eat them. I just do not believe steel balls are in any way an ecological hazard.

Cheers .... Charles


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