# Cheap Fling Everywhere Ammo ?



## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Went out today and set out launching marbles and jawbreakers for as far as the eye could see ... had a blast. Got back home and looked at the cost and the marbles were way way cheaper.

I'm going to load up as they are less than .02 ea, and at those prices I can spend the day chucking marbles at whatever I feel like and don't break the bank ?

What ammo you guys use for stump shooting and maybe Pigeon/Starling control ?

wll


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Cast lead. I like .36 cal for blasting away. Once you buy the equipment, and scrounge up a hundred pounds of wheel weights, it gets real cheap., and the ammo will destroy just about anything if you get them up to 200+ fps.


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## chuckduster01 (May 30, 2015)

Henry the Hermit said:


> Cast lead. I like .36 cal for blasting away. Once you buy the equipment, and scrounge up a hundred pounds of wheel weights, it gets real cheap., and the ammo will destroy just about anything if you get them up to 200+ fps.


I'll second that one right there. Lead is my favorite by FAR.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

I order marbles by the case from the " Dollar Tree " store . I use three bags per plinking session .


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## 31610 (Aug 20, 2017)

It’s hard to find lead wheel weights any more


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Hey guys, thanks for the insight. I have lots of lead and steel in different sizes for hunting that I bought years ago from ball bearing manufactures and lead sinker makers. Lead is great and if you can mold it it would be cheaper for sure, but I don't trust my self to do it.

Ordering CHEAP ammo is best for me I think. I really like the 3/4" jawbreakers but at .055ea, that is a little much, I like.02 better ;- ) ........ I may check out the Dollar Tree store to see what they have. If I can bring the price down to less than .02 that would be great ! Granted we are talking pennies, but when you go out and shoot a few hundred shots .... it add up !

Thanks for the input again.

wll


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

I like the clear glass marbles they sell at Walmart for filling vases. Bout four bucks for four pound bag. They are super easy to find at night.


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## SlingNerd (Mar 15, 2017)

Probably the ultimate value in slingshot ammo, I found this at Michael's this weekend. A silicone mold for casting (maybe half inch?) balls in ice. Super cheap, explode on impact, great for the environment, and likely consistent in-flight properties.

Science!


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## KawKan (May 11, 2013)

I shoot steel into the catchbox.

Marbles are my choice for everything else because of the convenience and cost.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

wll said:


> Hey guys, thanks for the insight. I have lots of lead and steel in different sizes for hunting that I bought years ago from ball bearing manufactures and lead sinker makers. Lead is great and if you can mold it it would be cheaper for sure, but I don't trust my self to do it.
> 
> Ordering CHEAP ammo is best for me I think. I really like the 3/4" jawbreakers but at .055ea, that is a little much, I like.02 better ;- ) ........ I may check out the Dollar Tree store to see what they have. If I can bring the price down to less than .02 that would be great ! Granted we are talking pennies, but when you go out and shoot a few hundred shots .... it add up !
> 
> ...


Dollar Tree $ .014 per ball .

$ 1 divided by 73 balls equal $ .014 per ball

Very good throw away and accurate also . I just recently did a world record consecutive card edge hits with them .

Order them online and have them shipped for free to the store . Cases consist of 24 -14 ounce bags . ( 73 balls / bag )


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## chuckduster01 (May 30, 2015)

wll said:


> Hey guys, thanks for the insight. I have lots of lead and steel in different sizes for hunting that I bought years ago from ball bearing manufactures and lead sinker makers. Lead is great and if you can mold it it would be cheaper for sure, but I don't trust my self to do it.
> 
> Ordering CHEAP ammo is best for me I think. I really like the 3/4" jawbreakers but at .055ea, that is a little much, I like.02 better ;- ) ........ I may check out the Dollar Tree store to see what they have. If I can bring the price down to less than .02 that would be great ! Granted we are talking pennies, but when you go out and shoot a few hundred shots .... it add up !
> 
> ...


If you can ladle hot soup out of a pot and into a bowl you can safely cast lead. With some cheap personal protection equipment there ain't much to it really. Lead simply is not hot enough to offgas anything bad at casting temps. You would have to get it red hot and boiling to get any offgassing. Really the only thing with lead that can hurt you is carelessness/burns and the white oxide dust from old exposed lead. That is easily avoided by painting or powder coating your ammo or not allowing it to age til it oxidizes. I have cast lead objects since I was about 10, shot noisy toys in inside target ranges etc and I happen to live with a Nurse. She has insisted I get checked several times and the highest I have ever been is 3 parts per million...well below the safe zone and way less than most folks that live in a city type environment. Other than burns from being careless, lead is pretty safe despite what the CNN/politico type hype wants us all to believe. There are folks that live on top of lead/silver/galena mines and they are just fine. It came from the ground originally after all and unless you drop a large chunk on your foot it is pretty harmless with a little common sense.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

treefork said:


> wll said:
> 
> 
> > Hey guys, thanks for the insight. I have lots of lead and steel in different sizes for hunting that I bought years ago from ball bearing manufactures and lead sinker makers. Lead is great and if you can mold it it would be cheaper for sure, but I don't trust my self to do it.
> ...


Funny, I ran those same numbers last night, I think I just may go for it.....Thanks Treefork ;- )

wll


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## tastetickles (Jul 3, 2017)

SlingNerd said:


> Probably the ultimate value in slingshot ammo, I found this at Michael's this weekend. A silicone mold for casting (maybe half inch?) balls in ice. Super cheap, explode on impact, great for the environment, and likely consistent in-flight properties.
> 
> Science!


The ice will stick to the pouch when it contacts the moisture of your fingers. Gotta rub it with fingers to melt it to avoid sticking then you get the issue of water vapour splash as you release the shots.


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## chuckduster01 (May 30, 2015)

Port boy said:


> It's hard to find lead wheel weights any more


They can still be had in the USA if you stick to looking in the areas in the middle and stay away from both left coasts. As a bullet, sinker, slingshot ammo caster, I sure am glad I started my hoard over two decades ago though. The amount of zinc and steel and other oddities in the scrap buckets has really went up over the years. I quit collecting two years ago. Theoretically my stash should have some leftovers when they plant my behind in the dirt, if I have planned correctly anyway. I have big piles of sand at 50, 100,250, and 400 yards from my house that will make pretty ripe "mines" should I ever get desperate though.


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## 31610 (Aug 20, 2017)

Ya lead is not abundant anymore guess a fellow could ask scrape yard or roofers or a plumber.I do live on Georgian bay could grab a keel of a blow boat there all shored up right now just joking .even top terminal batteries r not used all that much all side post or treaded rod and there’s a core on them so u can not butcher them up


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

Casting is my next step. I've remodeled houses for years and have collected several hundred pounds of lead pipe and flashings. Im hoping retirement will allow time for a bunch of stuff!!


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## pirateking (Jul 3, 2017)

Seems I'm clear about using marbles. Inert, consistent,and gladly inexpensive. I 'lose' hundreds outside plinking. Not gonna dump that much metal out there. JMHO...


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

I don't understand the concern about lead in the environment. Don't y'all know where lead comes from?


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## chuckduster01 (May 30, 2015)

Henry the Hermit said:


> I don't understand the concern about lead in the environment. Don't y'all know where lead comes from?


It would appear that the Government brainwashing is working quite well. Backdoor gun control is all it is, cannot outlaw the guns because of that pesky Constitution...so let's demonize the ammo and what it is made out of. Their plan seems to be right on course.

Lead is only dangerous if it is flying at you or if you are consuming huge massive amounts of it in it's oxidized form. It occurs naturally in the ground just like iron, silver, and other metals. What "they" should be worried about is hydrogen oxide, tons more people die from that every year than has ever died from lead that was not traveling at high rates of speed.


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## Hobbit With A Slingshot (Mar 14, 2017)

:iagree:

See, I'd heard that more deaths are caused every year by doctors (and definitely cars, those evil massacreers of the teenage masses  ) than guns in this country... No offense to you doctors out there. I don't personally want to get lead poisoning, but as Henry and Chuck mentioned, you almost have to try to get it. I worked at a scout camp gun range once, and my understanding is don't breathe the fumes, and wash your hands with COLD (so it won't open up your pores) water and soap before doing anything with food. Judging from what Henry's said here and in the past, it seems to be a case of common sense caution that went bad.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

chuckduster01 said:


> Henry the Hermit said:
> 
> 
> > I don't understand the concern about lead in the environment. Don't y'all know where lead comes from?
> ...


Could not have said that better myself .. In California it was the Condors eating lead that banned lead for hunting ..... it was my recollection the government found fishing lures,fishing line, toys and all kinds of stuff, but no lead. Could be wrong but I don't think so.

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Went out and shot a little this weekend, but the wind and cold was very, very bad. Got off a few shots and watched the marbles sail ...that is always fun !

wll


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## steveewonders (Dec 30, 2017)

Clay ammo of many sizes. Pottery clay and silty deposits. Living on it, like eating rice and noodles as staples. 

Does some damage even if it's been left dry, hits harder if its been fired. Protects the environment too, giving things back where it came from. I do stock some cat-eye marbles and steel, using only with much cautions.


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

If you learn to cast lead and invest some funds into a mold then you will get flattest trajectory there is.

For lead supplies you can check scrap yards also; at least in my country I can buy a kilo of lead for some 2.5-3 dollars.

jazz


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

jazz said:


> If you learn to cast lead and invest some funds into a mold then you will get flattest trajectory there is.
> 
> For lead supplies you can check scrap yards also; at least in my country I can buy a kilo of lead for some 2.5-3 dollars.
> 
> jazz


I have LOTS of sinkers molded up, and I means hundreds of lbs that I had done for me. I'm not the person to mold my own, I don't have the room, talent or the nerves to do it ;- )

wll


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## mopper (Nov 17, 2012)

if you are looking for environmentally friendly ammo for relatively short distances (10-15m) try wooden balls. I use marble sized (16mm) light beechwood balls and they work surprisingly well. No fluttering at all even with pretty powerful bands (TBG), good precision and trajectory. I only use mine with a catchbox though so they can be reused indefinitely.


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## Ghost Tracker (Dec 3, 2012)

We have three cats. Because of Mrs. GT's environmentally-correct consciousness I've already filled every (that's *EVERY*) flaw in my very large yard with used (clay) cat litter. It's now billiard table smooth.

Yet NOW y'all have me thinking' about a clean, liquify & recast method for the used clay. As long as the 3 cats live (9 times each, you know) I have a relatively endless supply of the (pardon the pun) crap. Cleaning will be the interesting puzzle. 'Cuz nobody wants cat-poo in their...pouch!


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## S.C.Daniel (Nov 7, 2017)

Ibojoe said:


> I like the clear glass marbles they sell at Walmart for filling vases. Bout four bucks for four pound bag. They are super easy to find at night.


I find a lot of marbles at Estate Sales.

Lots of clear ones too. At night I can shine a flashlight and the clear ones shin like Luminocks...

I have a couple of thousand in plastic Peanut jars and large glass containers. I have a couple of slingshots hanging behind my kitchen door, and a thousand marbles in a huge plastic jar on top of my fridge. I can grab a slingshot and a double handful of marbles when I start out the door.

In the Winter time I keep a PFS and a handful of marbles in the jacket pocket. The creek is in front of my house and I wander along the banks shooting targets of opportunity.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Got my 3/8" ammo cost down to .0127 per by buying a truckload, that price included shipping. Sure would like to know the difference in wind drag compared to a 16mm marble and at which point momentum/energy is the same..... 86gr marble starting out at 235fps.....54.5gr 3/8"steel starting out at 260fps.

Maybe some math guy can figure that out ;-)

wll


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

wll said:


> Got my 3/8" ammo cost down to .0127 per by buying a truckload, that price included shipping. Sure would like to know the difference in wind drag compared to a 16mm marble and at which point momentum/energy is the same..... 86gr marble starting out at 235fps.....54.5gr 3/8"steel starting out at 260fps.
> 
> Maybe some math guy can figure that out ;-)
> 
> wll


Where did you order and specifically what quantity ?


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## Hobbit With A Slingshot (Mar 14, 2017)

treefork said:


> wll said:
> 
> 
> > Got my 3/8" ammo cost down to .0127 per by buying a truckload, that price included shipping. Sure would like to know the difference in wind drag compared to a 16mm marble and at which point momentum/energy is the same..... 86gr marble starting out at 235fps.....54.5gr 3/8"steel starting out at 260fps.
> ...


And how much did this truckload cost you?


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Was off of ebay, bought from BCTrade. Seemed like a good deal, he sells 1000ea for $19.95 and has price breaks for 2 and 3 thousand too. This was a extremely large buy for me at 10,000ea 3/8" (not 9.5mm, I asked him) and free shipping ! This was cheaper than marbles $.01275 I could find, so I went with it !

wll


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

wll said:


> Was off of ebay, bought from BCTrade. Seemed like a good deal, he sells 1000ea for $19.95 and has price breaks for 2 and 3 thousand too. This was a extremely large buy for me at 10,000ea 3/8" (not 9.5mm, I asked him) and free shipping ! This was cheaper than marbles $.01275 I could find, so I went with it !
> 
> wll


About 78 pounds then . That must be a toy size truckload .


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Hobbit With A Slingshot said:


> treefork said:
> 
> 
> > wll said:
> ...


$127.50


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

treefork said:


> wll said:
> 
> 
> > Was off of ebay, bought from BCTrade. Seemed like a good deal, he sells 1000ea for $19.95 and has price breaks for 2 and 3 thousand too. This was a extremely large buy for me at 10,000ea 3/8" (not 9.5mm, I asked him) and free shipping ! This was cheaper than marbles $.01275 I could find, so I went with it !
> ...


Yep about 78 lbs .. to me that is a truckload ;- ) That was the best deal commercially I could find as some of the other places I had ordered from in the past are now way out of line on their shipping cost and one of the places is now out of business.

I just checked one of my old suppliers that I used to get good deals with in the past and this eBay dealer beat them out by close to a penny ea .... that is a lot when you buy in quantity ... this order would have been $100.00 more !!!!

wll


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

1/4 inch steel is very cheap. Even 3/8 these days is pretty cheap from BC Precision on ebay or amazon. And free shipping.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

NaturalFork said:


> 1/4 inch steel is very cheap. Even 3/8 these days is pretty cheap from BC Precision on ebay or amazon. And free shipping.


1/4 and 5/16 are pretty small to hunt with IMHO, 3/8 is the smallest I would go with for the pest that I shoot. If I was hunting rabbit size stuff I would use heavier ammo for sure.

wll


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## Toolshed (Aug 4, 2015)

Dog food. Hahaha. Or cat food when shooting TOWARD the cats. Haven't tried to harm anything so not sure if it's even take a bird, but good practice ammo nonetheless


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

treefork said:


> Hobbit With A Slingshot said:
> 
> 
> > treefork said:
> ...


Treefork,

You are a very fine shot and I have enjoyed your commentary a lot ... but I have a question regarding 3/8" steel.

Have you used it for any kind of small bird hunting like large Starling/Crow size stuff ? .... just curious ? Want to get you opinion. Ran across some of my older post and was getting ~275 fps with 3/8", but I don't think I was pulling a good 500% elongation, 16mm marbles were coming out at ~230fps.

I do remember when the weather warmed up the 3/8" would be faster than that and shoot like darts.. I remember they had the speed and the flat trajectory but not the punch because of their weight ... just wondering how much that matters on pest birds the size of pigeons or smaller. I would not hunt rabbits or squirrels with 3/8" steel but many do and are successful.

wll


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

I have not used 3/8 " to hunt starling/crow . I do know that a well placed head shot would be required for a humane dispatch . The wings and feathers can act as a sort of armor preventing a clean dispatch .


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

treefork said:


> I have not used 3/8 " to hunt starling/crow . I do know that a well placed head shot would be required for a humane dispatch . The wings and feathers can act as a sort of armor preventing a clean dispatch .


Thank you for your answer.

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Wonder what is in these 3 boxes .... I shake it and it sounds like 3/8" steel balls ;- )

wll


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

"Fling anywhere" to me meant it wouldn't be used for hunting. Clarification maybe?


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

NaturalFork said:


> "Fling anywhere" to me meant it wouldn't be used for hunting. Clarification maybe?


 General use ammo, can be used for small pest but not necessarily for that. Cheap enough where 100 shots on an outing is under $1.50 or so. If I was going out on a dedicated hunting trip I would use heavier ammo, this includes marbles for Starlings because of the extra momentum.

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Well the past few days or so I have been sending ammo down range and I do like the 3/8" steel for its speed and flat trajectory when zipping through the trees. The only issue I have is it is hard to see so I take 16mm marbles with me too.. I had one shot today with a marble that was right on, but dropped on his perch ..... a 3/8" steel would not have dropped anywhere near that much and I'm sure that starling would have been mine !

For the shooting I do I very well may carry both, but the ballistics on the 3/8" steel are better for sure. At 30-35yds the drop is anywhere from a 12"-21" difference, and that is huge for shooting a critter that stands around 5-7 inches tall.

If most of my shots were in the 15 yard range I might not matter much, but at longer ranges it makes a difference.

wll


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## Slingster (Apr 13, 2016)

I have been shooting 3/8" that I get for $18.50 per 1000 shipped. These I fling all over my farm and never bother to try to retrieve them nor do I shoot them into a catch box. Thinking of trying 5/16" as you get another 75 per lb, but I like to shoot pest birds and the 3/8" goes right through them. Not sure if the 5/16 would do the same or not.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Slingster said:


> I have been shooting 3/8" that I get for $18.50 per 1000 shipped. These I fling all over my farm and never bother to try to retrieve them nor do I shoot them into a catch box. Thinking of trying 5/16" as you get another 75 per lb, but I like to shoot pest birds and the 3/8" goes right through them. Not sure if the 5/16 would do the same or not.


What type birds and what ranges you shooting .. I assume you are shooting flats like your icon shows ? We are both buying from the same place I'm sure !

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Well I just got a quote for 3/8" steel from same dealer and from the email I received the prices they posted have been from a promotion on eBay.. so if you see it on eBay BUY, BUY, BUY... I may sell some blood and buy another order before prices change !

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

wll said:


> Well I just got a quote for 3/8" steel from same dealer and from the email I received the prices they posted have been from a promotion on eBay.. so if you see it on eBay BUY, BUY, BUY... I may sell some blood and buy another order before prices change !
> 
> wll


Well, just ordered more 3/8" again, I think buying them at .0127 ea is a great deal, especially since shipping is free. I can only see the prices going up.

Was going to buy 7/16" size but they are twice the cost, and for what I have been doing, the amount I'm shooting, and the size of the pest I'm hunting - 3/8" steel is just fine ----- along with an occasional marble ;- ) ... I think I'm good forever !

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Well BCTrade just raised their prices on the 3/8" a bit so the great, great deals are over, but still a good price. The 3000ea is $48.65 ... we will see how long that last.

wll


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## Odd Duck (Mar 16, 2018)

chuckduster01 said:


> Henry the Hermit said:
> 
> 
> > I don't understand the concern about lead in the environment. Don't y'all know where lead comes from?
> ...


It's not the lead that just hits the ground so much as the lead that eventually gets into birds or other scavengers that's the issue. It kills waterfowl that ingest it accidentally or by penetration (and then get away with injuries) then kills the animals that scavenge the corpses of poisoned or punctured, but not harvested animals. Lead inside a wound (that doesn't kill directly) only very rarely poisons the animal, but it certainly poisons the animals that eat the lead when they eat the meat with the lead in it. Waterfowl eat the pellets as they grub around in the pond. It's normal for them to eat small bits of grit and gravel and lead bits, to them, are just gravel until they die from poisoning. So, as long as the spent shot is just laying there, it's no big deal. If it penetrates but doesn't kill directly, it will kill the scavenger that eats the contaminated meat. So, eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures - nearly all birds of prey, wolves, foxes, or any other predator (they will nearly all scavenge given the opportunity) are highly susceptible to lead poisoning along with waterfowl.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Getting back on track, I have been on a 5/16" steel buying binge, It really can zip out quick, has enough poop for Starling size game at 35 ish yards and cost me less than .001 per shot. I was using single .218 OD but that tube is very progressive and a bit slow for my liking. The 1842, 1745 and 3/16M I use seems to have a more reactive feel and snaps the ammo out quicker.. I like the feeling of a "WALL" to shoot against.

If I loop 1842,1745 or 3/16M tubes the ammo comes out like a bullet but is overkill. I have not tried looped .218 yet as I know that is way to much for this 31.5gr ammo.

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

And ebay just had a 15% coupon ... so I got the 5/16" at .0085 ea ..... killer price, sale ends at 8pm Pacific time !

wll


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