Winchester Varmint 17 HMR Lead-Free Bullet

Winchester Ammunition

East Alton, IL – -(Ammoland.com)- Winchester Ammunition takes varmint hunting to a new level in 2011 by adding 17HMR to the Varmint Lead-Free ammunition hunting lineup.

This new lead-free load by Winchester Ammunition features a 15.5 grain bullet designed with a Polymer Tip for ultra-flat trajectories and delivers a blistering 2550 fps velocity.

The Varmint LF uses a non-corrosive primer and clean burning powder to generate a sure-fire ignition every time.

“The NTX Polymer Tip technology assures highly accurate, flat shooting bullets at all ranges,” said Brett Flaugher, vice president of sales and marketing for Winchester Ammunition.

“ We work hard to offer the most innovative rimfire ammunition, and our offerings continue to expand for small game hunters and shooters.”

The new Varmint LF Bullet features:

• Velocity: 2550
• Grains: 15.5
• Bullet Type: Lead Free NTX polymer tip jacketed hollow point
• Cartridge: 17HMR
• Availability: 2011

For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

Free Winchester Ammunition Ballistics Calculator Available on the iPhone
iPhone users can now download the Winchester Ammunition award-winning Ballistics Calculator for free. Winchester has taken all of the features and functionality from its Web site version of the Ballistics Calculator and developed a user-friendly interface for the iPhone.

The iPhone version of Winchester’s Ballistics Calculator will allow users to choose their type of ammunition and compare up to three different Winchester products with easy-to-read, high-tech ballistic charts and graphs. You can customize shooting conditions by entering wind speed and outside temperature, adjust zero marks for sighting in.

The Web based calculator is also live at www.winchester.com/ballistics.

CalGunLaws.com

Los Angles, CA --(Ammoland.com)- Recently the National Rifle Association (NRA) filed a motion to intervene to fight for hunter’s rights in a lawsuit brought by self-proclaimed environmentalists that seeks to force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the manufacture, processing, and distribution of lead shot, bullets, and fishing sinkers throughout the country.

NRA, joined with Safari Club International (SCI), seeks to enter into the case to defend the rights and interests of hunters, competitive shooters, and other firearm owners who would otherwise likely not be adequately represented in the case.

An adverse ruling could have far-reaching impacts regarding lead and its role in traditional forms of American outdoor recreation. NRA is joining the lawsuit, along with SCI, to fight against the effort to ban traditional lead ammunition. Documents filed in the lawsuit can be viewed here.

The lawsuit follows the EPA’s recent denial of a Petition that was filed to force EPA to pass regulations banning certain lead-based sporting products, including ammunition and fishing tackle. The Petition and the subsequent lawsuit were both filed by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and joined by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and “Project Gutpile.”

Though the EPA correctly denied the Petition, CBD and the other plaintiffs refuse to accept that decision. They brought this lawsuit hoping to have the EPA’s decision overturned by a court.

The legal argument being used to try to force EPA to ban lead ammunition and fishing tackle is based on a nonsensical interpretation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which includes a specific exclusion for ammunition. TSCA, section 3(2)(B)(v)) precludes the EPA from regulating ammunition. But, CBD wants a court to hold that the TSCA ammunition exclusion does not apply to bullets and shot, because neither bullets nor shot are actually “ammunition” (i.e., a shell, primer, and projectile, etc., in one cartridge or unit). CBD’s argument is founded on an inapplicable interpretation of a tax ruling issued by the IRS in 1954 that distinguished the sale of “separate parts of ammunition” and complete ammunition for taxation purposes only.

For many months the NRA has been spearheading an effort to gather information and science to oppose the expansion of lead ammunition bans. This has involved coordinated efforts between interested parties to plan, research, conduct clerical work, and make numerous formal requests for documents from government agencies via Public Records Act requests (“PRARs”) and Freedom of Information Act requests (“FOIAs”). The documents have been organized and analyzed, and ultimately a searchable database of tens of thousands of documents was created. The project also includes consultations with various experts to interpret the data and study or debunk reports that purport to justify lead ammo bans. The effort has already resulted in the rejection of several proposed lead ammo bans in California.

Reducing Exposure to Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges

Action Target

Provo, Utah --(Ammoland.com)- A major concern when shooting at an indoor range is the contained nature it requires and the hazards present.  Workers and users of indoor firing ranges may be exposed to hazardous levels of lead and noise. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends steps for workers and employers to reduce exposures.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 1 million Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers work in the United States [DOJ 2004]. They are required to train regularly in the use of firearms. Indoor firing ranges are often used because of their controlled conditions. In addition to workers, more than 20 million active target shooters practice at indoor firing ranges. Law enforcement officers may be exposed to high levels of lead and noise at indoor firing ranges. NIOSH estimates that 16,000 to 18,000 firing ranges operate in the United States.

Several studies of firing ranges have shown that exposure to lead and noise can cause health problems associated with lead exposure and hearing loss, particularly among employees and instructors. Lead exposure occurs mainly through inhalation of lead fumes or ingestion (e.g., eating or drinking with contaminated hands).

Action Target has been a pioneer, innovator and industry leader for limiting lead exposure and the reduction of noise at indoor shooting facilities.  Our ventilation systems are designed to ensure proper airflow across any range. Through our partnership with Carey’s Ventilation Systems, we provide the best performing and most efficient systems available on the market today. Our design exceeds NIOSH standards, and maintains a 100% success rate in industrial hygiene utilizing:

• Ceiling Mounted Unique 180 degree Air Delivery Systems.
• A design which makes plenum walls obsolete.
• Digital and Analog control systems which adapt to changing environmental conditions to maintain the required air velocities and building pressures.
• Upgrade packages for existing Firing Ranges available.
• Custom designed systems to meet any type of application.

Carey’s has constructed our own Plexiglas-walled test range, which allows us to test air speeds, diffuser angles, ceiling heights and transitions, supply and return locations, duct sizing, and vortex settings to determine the optimal configuration for any type of range.

As another example of Action Target’s industry-leading partnerships, we have teamed with numerous sound abatement companies to meet the requirements of our customers.  Our sales staff can provide you with detailed information on past projects that required the expertise of our sound abatement partners.

We will work with you to design and build the indoor range that meets your needs.  If you would like to speak with an Action Target representative about the proven solutions we have for reducing lead and noise at your indoor facility, go to our Contact Us page.

To read more from NIOSH on this subject, Reducing Exposure to Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges

About Action Targets:
Action Target is a privately owned business headquartered about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City in Provo, Utah. For the last 20 plus years, Action Target has been the dominant force in shooting range equipment design and manufacturing for law enforcement, military, and commercial ranges around the world. We are proud of our commitment to deliver advanced firearms training products that help prepare our men and women in uniform for the heroic job of defending our safety and our freedom. Visit: www.actiontarget.com

California Rifle and Pistol Association

Sacramento, CA --(Ammoland.com)- Although the case is still pending and a final ruling is yet to be issued, NRA’s intervention on behalf of its members in the case Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, et al., has already resulted in several legal victories.

CBD’s lawsuit, filed on January 27, 2009, alleges that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are illegally mismanaging federal lands in Arizona. CBD contends California condors in Arizona and elsewhere are becoming ill or dying as a result of scavenging game that was shot by hunters using lead shot or bullets.

NRA has collected thousands of documents via public records act requests over the last year. Many of these documents raise doubts about the veracity of that claim. In fact, documents obtained by NRA indicate that claim is based on faulty science, and plainly show that California condors were reintroduced to Arizona based in large part on express promises by FWS and other agencies that the “reintroduction” would not impact hunting.

A January 13, 2010 court ruling granting NRA’s motion intervene was recently published in the official Federal Rules Decision reporter. The Federal Rules Decisions Reporter is a compendium of selected United States District Court rulings that specifically interpret and apply the Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure. Publication of this court ruling is important to hunters and NRA members because it sets legal precedent and confirms that there is “significantly protectable interest” in hunting that can justify intervention by hunter’s rights groups like NRA in the increasing number of lawsuits filed by so-called environmental groups against state and federal natural resource, game and land management agencies. Groups like the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) often file lawsuits alleging improper regulatory action or inaction in managing public lands and natural resources in attempting to advance their anti-hunting agenda.

The publication of the decision followed an earlier NRA partial victory in this case; NRA’s legal arguments caused the CBD to abandon and dismiss its California condor related Endangered Species Act (ESA) claims rather than litigate them against NRA. CBD’s ESA claims were based in part on an incorrect belief that “any take of [California] condors from the use of lead ammunition would be a per se violation of the ESA.” CBD’s revised its lawsuit and dropped the ESA claims that CBD was primarily using as part of an attempt to obtain a ban on the use of lead ammunition for hunting on these federal lands at issue.

On December 10, 2010, NRA filed its “summary judgment” brief in the case Several other briefs have also been filed, and all remaining briefs will be filed by the end of February 2011. A hearing date will be set after the court receives all of the briefs. Because NRA intervened in the case on a narrow issue regarding the use of lead ammunition in northern Arizona (and the case has many other elements), it is possible the lead ammunition related aspect of this case may be resolved as early as this spring.

To see key documents filed in this case, visit http://michellawyers.com/cbdvblm.

About:
The California Rifle and Pistol Association “CRPA,” founded in 1875, is dedicated to defending the rights of law-abiding citizens to responsibly use firearms for self-defense and the defense of their loved ones, for sport, and for all other legal activities. CRPA is the official state association of the National Rifle Association. A California non-profit association, CRPA is independently directed by its own Board of Directors. CRPA’s members include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, professionals, firearm experts, the general public, and loving parents. CRPA has always worked to reduce the criminal misuse of firearms and firearms accidents, while actively promoting and organizing the competitive shooting sports and Olympic training programs in California. We are proud to say that many CRPA competitors are among the best in the world. Visit: www.crpa.org

NSSF to Intervene in Lawsuit Challenging EPA on Traditional Ammunition**

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- In response to a lawsuit filed today challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s denial of a petition to ban traditional ammunition containing lead core components, the National Shooting Sports Foundation will file a motion to intervene.

This action allows NSSF to protect industry’s interests in the case and ensure that the will of Congress is adhered to.

The suit was brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, which earlier this year had petitioned EPA to ban traditional ammunition as well as fishing tackle containing lead. CBD claims wild birds are being harmed through the ingestion of spent ammunition fragments, though NSSF contends that no scientific evidence shows that wildlife populations are being affected.

In August after considering the CBD’s petition, EPA denied the request, saying it did not have the legal authority to regulate the production and distribution of traditional ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976. Congress expressly exempted ammunition from being regulated by this law. Some weeks after the agency’s decision on traditional ammunition, EPA also denied the other half of CBD’s request to ban fishing tackle. This one-two punch no doubt prompted CBD to file its lawsuit.

“We knew that this fight was far from over even after we gained that early victory,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “The CBD petition and now this lawsuit are clearly attacks on the right of hunters to choose the ammunition that best suits their hunting and target shooting needs, and they are attacks on hunting as well.”

Launching a strong grassroots campaign in response to the CBD petition, NSSF mobilized the sporting and gun-owning community to make its support for traditional ammunition clear to the EPA and its administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, via e-mailed comments and by contacting their lawmakers.

NSSF continues to stress the following in the debate over traditional ammunition:

• There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations.
• Wildlife management is the proper jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 50 state wildlife agencies.
• A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk.
• A ban on traditional ammunition would have a negative impact on wildlife conservation. The federal excise tax that manufacturers pay on the sale of the ammunition (11 percent) is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. The bald eagle’s recovery, considered to be a great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition – the very ammunition organizations like the CBD are now demonizing.
• Recent statistics from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service show that from 1981 to 2006 the number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States increased 724 percent. And much like the bald eagle, raptor populations throughout the United States are soaring.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

**Image: by Olegvolk.net

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Washington, DC –-(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today denied a petition calling for a ban on the manufacture and use of lead based fishing gear.

The Center for Biological Diversity, the American Bird Conservancy, the Association of Avian Veteranarians, Project Gutpile and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility filed the petition on August 3 to ban the production and sale of lead based ammunition and fishing tackle under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) of 1976.

EPA sent a letter to the petitioners today (see below) stating that they failed to demonstrate that the rule is necessary to protect against an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. The letter also states that the increasing number of limitations on the use of lead fishing gear on some federal and state lands, as well as various education and outreach activities, call into question whether a national ban on lead in fishing gear would be the least burdensome, adequately protective approach to address the concern, as called for under TSCA.

EPA’s letter also notes that there are non-lead alternatives currently in the marketplace.

On August 27, the EPA denied the portion of the petition relating to lead in ammunition because the agency does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under TSCA.

Seventy-eight members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) in September signed a letter (HERE) sent to Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the agency to dismiss the petition. The CSC members state in the letter, “There are 60 million recreational anglers in America that contribute $125 billion to our economy annually, and penalizing these men, women and children that are the best stewards of our environment, as well as the financial backbone to fish and wildlife conservation in our country, would be a terrible and unnecessary injustice.”

The CSC letter came on the heels of a similar letter to Administrator Jackson requesting dismissal of the petition, sent on September 15, from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and partner members of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP) and sportfishing communities (LETTER). The National Assebly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council also urged EPA to dismiss the petition in a letter (HERE) to Administrator Jackson.

CSC member and former Chairwoman, Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, introduced S.3850 on September 28 to protect lead based traditional ammunition and fishing tackle from a potential ban by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This legislation would clarify that the components used in manufacturing shells, cartridges and fishing tackle are exempt from EPA regulation under TSCA.

“This issue is about protecting America’s 60 million recreational anglers, and this attempt to ban lead based fishing tackle could potentially have driven up cost and serve as a disincentive for Americans to fish,” said CSF President Jeff Crane. “A federal ban on lead ammunition and fishing gear would have also negatively impacted fish and wildlife conservation funding.”

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), representing the 50 state fish and wildlife agencies, also sent a letter the EPA in September, urging them to dismiss the petition.

State fish and wildlife agencies are authorized to manage most of a state’s fish and wildlife, and therefore, closely monitor and address any local concerns about lead based fishing tackle and any potential impacts on local species. A federal ban on lead fishing tackle is not only unnecessary, but intrudes upon these traditional state agencies jurisdiction.

No scientific basis has been established to warrant any such ban on traditional fishing equipment. A similar proposal to ban lead fishing tackle was dismissed by the EPA in the mid-1990s because there was insufficient data to support such a ban at that time.

EPA Letter Denying Ban on Lead Sinkers

About:
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009. Throughout this time, CSF has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena. Visit: www.sportsmenslink.org

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg on Lead Ammunition

AmmoLand Gun News

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Anti gun Senator Lautenberg is well known for his hatred of freedom and firearms ownership by the sheeple and we are well aware of his many, many attempts to strip law abiding Americans of their right to keep and bear arms.

But as one of his unfortunate new jersey subjects found out, that same campaign of misinformation is being applied at all levels of his organization where they seemingly never miss opportunities to spread miss truths.

Quick Background:
Hunters and Shooters may recall the recent end run by Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) - a leading anti-hunting organization - when they filled a petition with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban all traditional ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976

Luckily the EPA denied the petition.(Read More EPA Denies Petition Calling for Lead Ammunition Ban)

“EPA today denied a petition submitted by several outside groups for the agency to implement a ban on the production and distribution of lead hunting ammunition. EPA reached this decision because the agency does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) “

Congress expressly exempted ammunition from EPA authority under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976.

But in the lead up to the denial, multiple sportsmen’s organizations wrote their members and asked that they email their congressmen and senators and defend lead ammunition.

One of our readers in NJ did just that and as you can see from the letter above, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg’s response is right out of the CBD play book.

Clearly the senator believes the same lead in your ammunition is “a dangerous neurotoxin” and seems to go on to state his disappointment that “congress explicitly excluded from regulation any article subject to excise taxes, including pistols, revolvers, firearms, shells, and cartridges. “

Like the EPA should be able to determine your firearms is a toxic substance.

Clearly we all know what Senator Frank R. Lautenberg’s feeling are on the second amendment and it should come as no surprise to us that he would be just as happy to regulate ammunition into oblivion.

We can only hope that someday the residents of NJ will remove this dinosaur from public office. God Bless NJ!

A similar proposal to ban lead fishing tackle is still under consideration by the EPA.

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Seventy-eight members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) signed a letter delivered last Thursday to Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the agency to dismiss the petition to ban the use of lead in fishing products.

The CSC members state in the letter, “There are 60 million recreational anglers in America that contribute $125 billion to our economy annually, and penalizing these men, women and children that are the best stewards of our environment, as well as the financial backbone to fish and wildlife conservation in our country, would be a terrible and unnecessary injustice.”

The CSC letter comes on the heels of a similar letter to Administrator Jackson requesting dismissal of the petition, sent on September 15, from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and its partner members of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP) and sportfishing communities. (See EPA Denies Petition Calling for Lead Ammunition Ban)

“This issue is about protecting America’s 60 million recreational anglers, and this attempt to ban lead based fishing tackle could potentially drive up cost and serve as a disincentive for Americans to fish,” said CSF President Jeff Crane.

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), representing the 50 state fish and wildlife agencies, also sent a letter the EPA on September 2nd urging them to dismiss the petition.

State fish and wildlife agencies are authorized to manage most of a state’s fish and wildlife, and therefore, closely monitor and address any local concerns about lead based fishing tackle and any potential impacts on local species. A federal ban on lead fishing tackle is not only unnecessary, but intrudes upon these traditional state agencies jurisdiction.

No scientific basis has been established to warrant any such ban on traditional fishing equipment. A similar proposal to ban lead fishing tackle was dismissed by the EPA in the mid-1990s because there was insufficient data to support such a ban at that time.

Virginia Shooting Sports Association

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Last Wednesday, VSSA put out the call to gun owners to contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and urge them to reject a petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), asking EPA to ban led fishing sinkers and lead ammunition.

By Friday, things had changed dramatically.

It was no longer just something being talked about in the firearms media – the story had been picked up by the mainstream media including US News and World Report, Investors Business Daily, and The Weekly Standard.

According to sources close to the firearms industry, the EPA had received tens of thousands of emails from gun owners and sportsmen and by Friday afternoon,EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Steve Owens, announced that EPA was rejecting the petition only two days after opening a comment period saying: “the agency does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).”

But, according to Jim Shepherd of “The Shooting Wire” an online newsletter, that was not what really had the gun rights community cheering. It was the clause following that explanation: “…nor is the agency seeking such authority.”

For shooters and sportsmen, this decision has at least for now laid to rest the fear that the administration would find a way to move against guns that didn’t employ what has been demonstrably proven to be the political suicide in most of the nation-gun bans.

Friday’s announcement however is only one part of what is a very complex interrelation between individual rights and the outdoors. The same statement being celebrated as a win for the firearms community should also serve as a call to action for anglers to continue to make their voices heard.

“As there are no similar jurisdictional issues relating to the agency’s authority over fishing sinkers,” the statement reads, “EPA-as required by law- will continue formally reviewing a second part of the petition related to lead fishing sinkers.”

If you’re strictly a shooter, Friday’s decision is certainly reason to celebrate. If, however, you also love to fish, you still need to speak out against acceptance of any portion of that petition.

The Environmental Protection Agency will continue to accept public comment on the petition- this time directed specifically to the fishing tackle issue – until September 15. You can find more information that can be included in your comments related to fishing sinkers by clicking here.

Environmental Protection Agency

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today denied a petition calling for a ban on the production and distribution of lead hunting ammunition. EPA sent a letter to the petitioners explaining the rejection – that letter can be found below and here: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/pubs/sect21.html

Steve Owens, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, issued the following statement on the agency’s decision:

EPA today denied a petition submitted by several outside groups for the agency to implement a ban on the production and distribution of lead hunting ammunition. EPA reached this decision because the agency does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) – nor is the agency seeking such authority.

This petition, which was submitted to EPA at the beginning of this month, is one of hundreds of petitions submitted to EPA by outside groups each year. This petition was filed under TSCA, which requires the agency to review and respond within 90 days.

EPA is taking action on many fronts to address major sources of lead in our society, such as eliminating childhood exposures to lead; however, EPA was not and is not considering taking action on whether the lead content in hunting ammunition poses an undue threat to wildlife.

As there are no similar jurisdictional issues relating to the agency’s authority over fishing sinkers, EPA – as required by law – will continue formally reviewing a second part the petition related to lead fishing sinkers.

Those wishing to comment specifically on the fishing tackle issue can do so by visiting http://www.regulations.gov. EPA will consider comments that are submitted by September 15.

It appears as if the EPA ruled in this fashion not because they wanted to or believe that the facts did not support a denial but because they did not have the authority to ban ammunition. As the threat still remains for them to ban lead in fishing there is still work to be done…AmmoLand.com

EPA Denies Petition Calling for Lead Ammunition Ban

UPDATE: EPA Denies Petition Calling for Lead Ammunition Ban Posted 8/28/2010

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- All Gun Owners, Hunters and Shooters:

With the fall hunting season fast approaching, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Lisa Jackson, who was responsible for banning bear hunting in New Jersey, is now considering a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) – a leading anti-hunting organization – to ban all traditional ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976, a law in which Congress expressly exempted ammunition.

If the EPA approves the petition, the result will be a total ban on all ammunition containing lead-core components, including hunting and target-shooting rounds. The EPA must decide to accept or reject this petition by November 1, 2010, the day before the midterm elections.

Today, the EPA has opened to public comment the CBD petition. The comment period ends on October 31, 2010.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry – urges you to submit comment to the EPA opposing any ban on traditional ammunition. Remember, your right to choose the ammunition you hunt and shoot with is at stake.

The EPA has published the petition and relevant supplemental information as Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0681. If you would like to read the original petition and see the contents of this docket folder, please click here. In order to go directly to the ‘submit a comment’ page for this docket number, please click here.

NSSF urges you to stress the following in your opposition:

• There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations.
• Wildlife management is the proper jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and the 50 state wildlife agencies.
• A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk.
• A ban on traditional ammunition would have a negative impact on wildlife conservation. The federal excise tax that manufacturers pay on the sale of the ammunition (11 percent) is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. The bald eagle’s recovery, considered to be a great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition – the very ammunition organizations like the CBD are now demonizing.
• Recent statistics from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service show that from 1981 to 2006 the number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States increased 724 percent. And much like the bald eagle, raptor populations throughout the United States are soaring.

Steps to take:

1. Submit comment online to the EPA.
2. Contact Lisa Jackson directly to voice your opposition to the ban:

3. Contact your congressman and senators and urge them to stop the EPA from banning ammunition. To view a sample letter, click here. or copy and paste the following:

Sample Letter———————————–

Dear Congressman / Senator:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering banning all traditional ammunition — ammunition containing lead-core components. This is something that would affect all hunters, target shooters and law enforcement.

A petition filed with the EPA by several agenda-driven groups including the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), erroneously claims that the use of traditional ammunition poses a danger to (1) wildlife, in particular raptors such as bald eagles, that may feed on entrails or unrecovered game left in the field and (2) that there is a human health risk from consuming game harvested using traditional ammunition. Also falsely alleged in the petition is that the use of traditional ammunition by hunters is inconsistent with the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976, Congress expressly exempted ammunition from being regulated as a “toxic substance.”

As your constituent, I am urging you to do whatever you can to stop the EPA, which has no jurisdiction over such matters, from banning our ammunition. Please consider the following points:

*There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations.

*Wildlife management is the proper jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and the 50 state wildlife agencies.

*A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk.

*A ban on traditional ammunition would have a negative impact on wildlife conservation. The federal excise tax that manufacturers pay on the sale of the ammunition (11 percent) is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. The bald eagle’s recovery, considered to be a great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition – the very ammunition organizations like the CBD are now demonizing.

*Recent statistics from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service show that from 1981 to 2006 the number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States increased 724 percent. And much like the bald eagle, raptor populations throughout the United States are soaring.

Thank you for your time. I will be watching your actions on this matter closely.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 5,500 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA --(AmmoLand.com)- Assembly Member Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced AB 2223, legislation which would prohibit the use of lead shot on state Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) operated by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG). Violators of the bill’s provisions would be subject to a $500 fine on the first offense.

The bill would not only undermine the Constitutional authority of the California Fish and Game Commission–the regulatory body tasked with determining the precise methods of take for hunting and the specific public use regulations for each WMA–but also remove any meaningful scientific review and analysis of the effects of lead shot by providing an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

In doing so, the measure ensures that politics, rather than sound science, dictates the state’s hunting regulations and management of wildlife.

According to proponents, the bill is intended to reduce alleged lead shot-induced mortality to mourning doves (the most populous game bird in North America) as well as to raptors that feed on doves and other small game. Yet, only a portion of the WMAs across the state provide significant dove hunting opportunity, and fields that are heavily hunted for dove are typically disked on an annual basis by DFG so as to make most lead pellets unavailable to wildlife.

In addition, raptor populations on WMA’s remain at very high levels, while there has reportedly been no documented incidents of raptors succumbing to lead shot poisoning.

“I’ve hunted two dozen WMAs across the state for just about every upland game bird and small game species, and the one thing you notice is that each area is unique in terms of species, topography, management practices and degree of hunter pressure,” stated Mark Hennelly, Vice President of COHA.

“AB 2223 wrongly mandates a ‘one-size fits all’ approach without a single WMA-specific study demonstrating significant impacts from the ongoing use of lead shot on wildlife.”

“These issues should be decided by the state’s wildlife management professionals on a case by case basis,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) director of state services. “Science, not politics or public opinion, should be the basis for these decisions.”

AB 2223 is sponsored by the Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife and Humane Society of the United States. The first hearing will likely be in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee in early April. For the Committee’s contact information to voice opposition to the bill, click here..

Montana Shooting Sports Association

MISSOULA, MT --(AmmoLand.com)- You may have read or heard that the FWP Commission turned back the FWP Department’s proposed lead shot ban for upland game bird hunting on a narrow 3-2 vote.

The Missoulian/Lee Bureau story is located HERE.

From the story: “Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Joe Maurier suggested looking at such a ban in certain areas in Montana after returning from a conference of wildlife managers.”

You may remember that Maurier has little experience in Montana and maybe little or no experience hunting, and was hired primarily because he was Governor Schweitzer’s college roommate and buddy.

Apparently Joe heard about this California-style idea at a conference of western F&G directors and thought it would be California-groovy to run it in Montana.

As you probably know, there was no scientific basis offered for the lead ban, and little or no consideration of unintended consequences.

However, encouraged by the narrow vote, Maurier expressed intent to attempt the ban again. And, somebody who attended this meeting of the F&G Commission told me that the strong public comment against the ban was largely discounted and dismissed when the ban was presented.

Of the seven people primarily responsible for setting FWP policy, the five members of the Commission plus the Department Director and Deputy Director, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that none of them are hunters, especially big game hunters. And, remember, they are all appointed by Governor Schweitzer.

Bottom line: Expect the lead ban proposal to be proposed again with enough new justification to attempt to peel off one more vote on the Commission. And, expect a bill in the next session of the legislature to prohibit FWP from regulating ammunition for hunting.

Thanks to Commission Chairman Shane Colton of Billings for making the motion to dump the lead ban proposal.

About Montana Shooting Sports Association:
MSSA is the primary political advocate for Montana gun owners. SAF is a national organization headquartered in Bellevue, WA that works nationally to advance the interests of gun owners. Visit: www.mtssa.org

Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- CSF President Jeff Crane met last week with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Under-Secretary Tom Strickland to discuss the National Park Service (NPS) ruling on use of lead based ammunition and fishing tackle in National Parks.

The Department of Interior (DOI) representatives stated that there is no consideration of extending the lead ban to private citizens and that the ban would only pertain to DOI employees who are held to a higher standard.

Jeff Crane suggested to the DOI representatives that additional consideration should be given to scientific studies that refute studies showing harmful effects of lead ammo and tackle that were used in forming the NPS policy.

Secretary Salazar reiterated his comments that the sportsmen’s community is vitally important in the formation of DOI policy and offered that the sportsmen have a seat at the DOI table.

About:
We can have the best wildlife habitat imaginable and a record number of people who buy fishing and hunting licenses, but it won’t matter if misguided laws and regulations are made at the federal and state levels that negatively impact our outdoor traditions. Keeping sportsmen’s issues front and center is what the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation does. Day in and day out, our sole focus is on providing a voice for sportsmen in the political arena. Serving as the first line of defense in protecting America’s outdoor traditions as well as promoting the sportsmen’s agenda through the collective muscle of sportsmen’s caucuses. Visit: www.sportsmenslink.org

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn. – -(AmmoLand.com)- The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) has admitted that its proposed ban on traditional shot in the state’s 72 state-owned wildlife management areas is nothing more than a “trial balloon” to see how sportsmen in the state will react.

The FWP proposal has drawn the ire of many groups, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry.

In a letter sent last week to FWP Director Joe Maurier, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane, stated, “The NSSF maintains that wildlife management policy must be based on science, not on popular opinion or political or symbolic gesture. The FWP has not provided any scientific evidence to support its proposed ban on traditional shot.”

A recent article in the Billings Gazette (“State proposed ban lead shot on some lands draws criticism,” January 20, 2010) quoted an FWP spokesman as saying “There’s nothing to suggest lead shot poses any risk to upland game bird species.”

The spokesman went on to say that “Montana’s tentative ban was proposed only to be consistent with the federal ban and other lead shot bans on certain tribal lands” and “there are no biological reasons to ban lead shot.”

NSSF has made clear that adoption of the proposed ban would be more likely to hurt state and local economies, rather than help wildlife in the Big Sky state. The proposed ban would force hunters to use steel shot or other more costly ammunition alternatives. This would make hunting more expensive and ultimately lead to a decline in hunters, hunter support and hunter generated income.

“In the end, the FWP’s proposal is an attempt to base wildlife management decisions on a popularity contest and not sound science,” said Keane.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

Winchester Ballistic Silver Tip Lead Free Ammunition

Winchester Ammunition

East Alton, IL – -(AmmoLand.com)- Winchester® Ammunition is taking varmint hunting to a new level, using fragmenting copper core technology, to incorporate a lead-free bullet in both .223 Rem and 22-250 Rem in the Ballistic Silvertip® line.

This truly innovative lead-free load brought to you by Winchester and Nosler® features a plastic tip to reduce tip damage and promote long-range performance, and a gilding metal jacket. The fragmenting copper core is engineered to explode on impact.

“The technology behind this bullet is evident on impact,” said Brett Flaugher, vice president of domestic and international marketing and sales. “Winchester and Nosler continue to work together and offer the most innovative ammunition, and this bullet will clearly stand out in 2010.”

20 rds. per box – 200 rds. per case.

The Winchester Ballistic Silvertip lead-free bullet will meet the increased customer demand in regions with lead-free regulations, as well as the growth of varmint hunting across all parts of North America.

For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

Winchester is Proud to be a Leader in the Shooting Sports
Winchester Ammunition pledged $500,000 to permanently endow the NRA’s Marksmanship Qualification Program, thus becoming the exclusive sponsor of the officially renamed Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

The Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program is a self-paced shooting development program. Open to adults and youngsters alike, the program measures an individual’s shooting proficiency against established par scores in 13 courses of fire across three disciplines: pistol, rifle and shotgun.

By supporting the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, Winchester is providing everyone the chance to explore the benefits that hunting and the shooting sports have to offer. To learn more about the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, please call 800-672-3888 ext. 1505 or visit www.nrahq.org/youth.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, WA – -(AmmoLand.com)- In a continuing effort to monitor trumpeter swans that have succumbed to lead poisoning, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has re-established a hotline to report dead or ill swans in Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties.

People can call (360) 466-4345, ext. 266, to report dead or sick swans. Callers should be prepared to leave a message including their name and phone number, and the location and condition of the swans. The hotline is available 24 hours a day through the end of March.

Some trumpeter swans in Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties, and in southwestern British Columbia, die each winter from lead poisoning after ingesting lead shot in areas where they feed.

Lead shot has been banned for waterfowl hunting in Washington and British Columbia for more than a decade, but biologists believe swans are likely reaching shallow underwater areas in fields and roosts where spent lead shot is still present.

People who see sick or dead swans are advised not to handle or attempt to move the birds, said Jennifer Bohannon, WDFW wildlife biologist. WDFW and Puget Sound Energy employees, as well as volunteers from the Washington Waterfowl Association and the Trumpeter Swan Society, will pick up the birds, she said.

The collected swans also will be among the thousands of wild birds WDFW is testing for avian influenza.

Since 2001, WDFW and other agencies and organizations have been working to locate sources of toxic lead and remove it from the environment.

For the past three years, hazing crews have worked to scare swans away from Judson Lake, a source of lead poisoning on the U.S.-Canada border in Whatcom County. During that effort, the average number of lead-related swan mortalities significantly dropped to 67 a year, about 70 percent less than the previous five-year average, said Bohannon.

This year, biologists have placed bamboo poles and plastic fences in portions of the lake to keep birds from landing or swimming in areas with concentrations of lead shot. Swans that do access those areas will be hazed from the lake, said Bohannon.

California Rifle and Pistol Association

Phoenix, Az. --(AmmoLand.com)- As part of NRA’s continuing efforts to protect hunters from special interest groups seeking to eliminate the use of ammunition containing lead projectiles, attorneys for NRA filed paperwork in the United States District Court in Arizona on October 14, 2009 asking the Court to allow NRA to intervene and join in the lawsuit Center for Biological Diversity v. United States Bureau of Land Management et al (3:09-cv-08011-PCT-PGR).

The court could rule on NRA’s intervention request as early as the end of this month.

The lawsuit, filed January 27, 2009 by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), alleges that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (BLM, FWS) are illegally mismanaging federal lands in Arizona because those agencies failed to consider the potential impact on local wildlife resulting from authorizing activities like off-road vehicle use and allowing livestock grazing. CBD’s lawsuit also claims that California condors in Arizona are becoming ill or dying as a result of eating lead in scavenged game shot by hunters using lead shot or bullets, and that BLM and FWS are violating the Endangered Species Act by allowing hunters to use of lead shot and bullets while hunting.

National Rifle Association

NRA has been at the forefront of debunking the so-called “science” behind the theory that lead bullets are responsible for condor illness. NRA most recently worked with experts, researchers, and attorneys in California to defeat proposed state hunting regulations based on the unproven condor/lead bullets link. That success was based in large part on meticulous scientific reports prepared by experts working with NRA that exposed the deficiencies in the science, showing the theoretical link to be rooted in “psuedo-science,” as one California Fish and Game Commissioner described it.

Because of NRA’s previous experience and expertise with this issue in other states, and because there is no guarantee that either BLM or FWS will vigorously challenge the unproven assertions CBD is making about lead-based ammunition, NRA is seeking to intervene in CBD’s lawsuit to protect its members’ interests.

NRA is especially interested in defending against CBD’s lawsuit because California condors were introduced to Arizona based in large part on express promises by FWS, among others, that the reintroduction of condors would not be allowed to impact hunting.

A copy of the Motion to Intervene, CBD’s Opposition, and NRA’s Reply Brief is posted at http://www.calgunlaws.com/ .

About:
The California Rifle and Pistol Association “CRPA,” founded in 1875, is dedicated to defending the rights of law-abiding citizens to responsibly use firearms for self-defense and the defense of their loved ones, for sport, and for all other legal activities. CRPA is the official state association of the National Rifle Association. A California non-profit association, CRPA is independently directed by its own Board of Directors. CRPA’s 65,000 members include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, professionals, firearm experts, the general public, and loving parents. CRPA has always worked to reduce the criminal misuse of firearms and firearms accidents, while actively promoting and organizing the competitive shooting sports and Olympic training programs in California. We are proud to say that many CRPA competitors are among the best in the world.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Nebraska waterfowl hunters have another type of nontoxic shot available to them, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved, effective immediately, the use of tungsten-iron-polymer shot for hunting waterfowl and coots.

It is unlawful to use or possess shotgun shells loaded with or containing shot other than nontoxic shot while hunting, taking or attempting to take waterfowl in Nebraska.

Nontoxic shot is required for all shotgun hunting on federal waterfowl production areas and national wildlife refuges and, as posted, on some state wildlife management areas.

The following is a list of legal nontoxic shot:

• bismuth-tin
• steel
• iron-tungsten
• iron-tungsten-nickel
• tungsten-bronze
• tungsten-iron-copper-nickel
• tungsten-matrix
• tungsten-polymer
• tungsten-tin-iron
• tungsten-tin-bismuth
• tungsten-tin-iron-nickel,
• tungsten-iron-polymer

Research has shown that ingested spent lead, or toxic, shot caused significant numbers of migratory bird deaths. Lead shot was banned nationwide in 1991 for use in hunting waterfowl and coots.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn.—-(AmmoLand.com)-A letter signed by members of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Second Amendment Task Force raising important questions about the National Park Service’s intent to ban the use of traditional ammunition in parks that allow hunting has been sent to Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. The letter, which follows a similar message sent to Salazar by U.S. senators last week, was applauded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry.

A bipartisan working group dedicated to defending the Second Amendment rights of American citizens, the task force wrote that “the rationale for such a ban is not based on sound scientific analysis and it would greatly restrict the ability of sportsmen to engage in hunting and fishing activities in the national parks that permit those activities.”

The National Park Service continues to pursue a ban on traditional ammunition that it announced earlier in the year would apply to park personnel involved with culling sick and wounded animals, and indicated it would consider widening the ban to all hunters. The firearms industry, sportsmen’s groups and multiple conservation organizations criticized the ban in a press release, calling it “arbitrary, over-reactive and not based on science.”

Last week in a letter to Salazar, 13 United States senators detailed their concerns about the impact a ban on traditional ammunition would have on hunters, the economy and wildlife populations.

“This action by the House Second Amendment Task Force, in conjunction with the senators’ letter, focuses attention on the National Park Service taking unilateral actions concerning traditional ammunition and is welcomed by conservation and sportsmen’s groups and the firearms industry,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “This process needs to be as transparent as possible, and Congress’ involvement will help to ensure that this is the case.”

The NSSF has stated in communications to the park service that any decision made about federal lands with regard to ammunition products be based on thorough scientific study of wildlife population impacts. Currently, no scientific evidence indicates that wildlife populations are being negatively impacted by hunters utilizing traditional ammunition that contains lead components.

The task force’s letter adds, “we are unaware of conclusive evidence that ingestion of lead fishing tackle or ammunition threatens fish and wildlife species at the population level.”

The House Second Amendment Task Force’s letter, signed by co-chairmen Paul C. Broun, M.D (R-Ga.) and Dan Boren (D-Okla.) and nine other U.S. representatives, encouraged Salazar to

“work closely with groups that represent hunters and anglers to develop a transparent scientific process to examine the impact of lead hunting and fishing products.”

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn –-(AmmoLand.com)- A letter signed by numerous United States senators to Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar raising important questions about actions by the National Park Service (NPS) to ban the use of traditional ammunition in parks that allow hunting has drawn praise from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry.

In the letter to Secretary Salazar, 13 senators detailed their concerns about the impact a ban on traditional ammunition would have on hunters, the economy and wildlife populations.

“At this time, the motives behind NPS actions addressing lead issues are very unclear. Especially in these difficult economic times, this action will discourage people from hunting and fishing and decrease revenue into the Pittman-Robertson fund that funds state conservation efforts,” read the letter.

The NPS continues to pursue a ban on traditional ammunition that it announced earlier in the year would apply to park personnel involved with culling sick and wounded animals, and indicated it would consider widening the ban to all hunters. The firearms industry, sportsmen’s groups and multiple conservation organizations criticized the ban in a press release, calling it “arbitrary, over-reactive and not based on science.”

“The move by members of the United States Senate to step in and raise concerns about the NPS making any unilateral actions concerning traditional ammunition is welcomed by conservation and sportsmen’s groups throughout the country and the entire firearms industry,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “This process needs to be as transparent as possible and Congress’ involvement will help to ensure that this is the case.”

The NSSF has clearly stated in communications to the NPS that any decision made about federal lands with regard to ammunition products be based on thorough scientific study of wildlife population impacts. Currently, no scientific evidence indicates that wildlife populations are being negatively impacted by hunters utilizing traditional ammunition.

The NSSF has clearly stated in communications to the NPS that any decision made about federal lands with regard to ammunition products be based on thorough scientific study of wildlife population impacts. Currently, no scientific evidence indicates that wildlife populations are being negatively impacted by hunters utilizing traditional ammunition.

In concluding their letter to Secretary Salazar, the senators were very clear as to what they wanted to see:

“We request that NPS cease all actions to prohibit the use of lead products on NPS lands by private citizens and NPS personnel.”

Signatories on the letter include:

• Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
• Sen. James E. Risch(R-ID)
• Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY)
• Sen. Roger F. Wicker (R-MS)
• Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
• Sen. Michael B. Enzi (R-WY)
• Sen. Robert F. Bennett(R-UT)
• Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
• Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
• Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE)
• Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
• Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

California --(AmmoLand.com)- At their August 6th meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission voted 4-1 not to expand the ban on the use of lead ammunition to the taking of small and migratory upland game in the range of the California condor.

The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA) joined the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), California Rifle and Pistol Association and the NRA in testifying against the proposed expansion at the hearing, noting that the best available science simply does not warrant such a move.

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) also recommended against an expansion of the lead ban. The Commission’s negative vote on the expansion proposal maintains the ability of hunters to use traditional lead ammunition for small and upland game in the range of the condor.

Currently, non-toxic loads are required for the hunting of big game within the range of the condor pursuant to the passage of AB 821 in 2007 and the promulgation of detailed Commission regulations which followed the passage of the measure. DFG was required to offer the expansion of the ban to small and upland game as an “alternative” within the 2009 season regulatory package, and the Commission had to consider the alternative, pursuant to the recent settlement of a long-standing lawsuit filed by several environmental organizations.

For the past several months, COHA has been closely monitoring the DFG analysis of this possible regulation change and working with DFG and our partners to ensure that the final regulation adopted by the Commission was based purely on science, and not the emotions surrounding the general lead bullet debate.

In their testimony, COHA noted that – in contrast to big game – the carcasses of small and upland game are removed from the field in their entirety, leaving no gut piles or other body parts for condors to feed upon.

Further, COHA noted that, according to DFG records, there is no single documented incident of a condor feeding on small or upland game. Finally, COHA pointed out that Commission adoption of a ban on lead ammunition for the hunting of small and upland game was not required in the state legislation (AB 821) that mandated the use of non-toxic loads for big game, nor was it required by the recent lawsuit settlement.

When the original lead ban legislation, AB 2123, was first being considered in the California State Legislature in 2006, COHA’s initial opposition convinced the bill’s author, Assembly Member Pedro Nava, to exclude small and upland game from the bill. A short time later, COHA played a key role in killing AB 2123 in committee.

About:
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance is a 501(c) 4 non-profit political advocacy organization dedicated solely to the promotion of wildlife and the protection of our hunting heritage. COHA professional staff is active at the California State Legislature, Congress, State Fish and Game Commission, State and Federal resource agencies and all other political arenas where decisions are made which may impact wildlife management, habitat conservation, wildlife program funding, hunting access and opportunity, and your ability to purchase and possess sporting arms and munitions. COHA currently represents the political interests of nearly every major wildlife conservation organization active in California – including California Waterfowl, National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, California Deer Association, California Houndsmen for Conservation, Mule Deer Foundation, California Bowmen Hunters, Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, numerous hunting clubs and other outdoor interests. COHA was created in early 2006 by the California Waterfowl Association.

Remington Arms Company

Madison, NC – -(AmmoLand.com)- Remington is proud to announce, as of July 12, 2009, Premier® Copper Solid™ Rifle, Premier® Copper Solid™ Sabot Slugs and Premier Disintegrator® Varmint lines of ammunition have been approved by the California Department of Fish and Game for use in the hunting zones within the range of the California condor, pursuant to its July 2008 law prohibiting ammunition containing lead in those areas.

Remington Premier ammunition sets the “gold” standard in the industry for accuracy, performance and devastating on-game performance. From design inception by the engineers at our world-class ammunition factory to stringent manufacturing processes using the highest quality components, Remington Premier Gold Box ammunition and our high-performance Premier Sabot Slugs deliver just what you would expect from premium ammunition.

Remington Premier Copper Solid Centerfire Rifle Ammunition

Premier Copper Solid rifle ammunition features a precision-engineered, polymer-tipped copper bullet designed to provide a combination of extreme accuracy with devastating penetration and outstanding weight retention – perfect for all big game species. The copper matrix construction ensures nearly 100% weight retention, while the polymer-tip and boat tail base provide high ballistic coefficient and flat trajectory. This unique, lead-free bullet design gives hunters excellent on-game performance with consistent expansion, deep penetration and pinpoint accuracy. Available in today’s most popular calibers and grain weights.

Remington Premier Copper Solid Sabot Slugs

Premier Copper Solid Sabot Slugs feature angled petal cuts in the nose of the bullet to initiate expansion on impact.  This unique nose design and solid copper construction combine excellent expansion and penetration characteristics with average weight retention near 100%.  Accuracy is exceptional, producing groups of 2 ½ inches or less from Remington’s fully-rifled slug barrels. The result is the best-selling slug in our comprehensive lineup. Available in 12-gauge (2 ¾ or 3-inch) and 20-gauge (2 ¾-inch).

Remington Premier Disintegrator Varmint Ammunition

Premier Disintegrator Varmint ammunition is designed to deliver precision accuracy with devastating on-game performance. Loaded with our new frangible bullet design, Premier Disintegrator delivers explosive expansion unlike any conventional jacketed bullet. On the outside, Disintegrator looks like a typical jacketed hollow point bullet; however, the specially-designed iron/tin bullet core is designed to disintegrate upon impact, fragmenting into tiny pieces. This new bullet offers the radical on-game performance that today’s varmint hunters seek, combined with a reduced risk of ricochet. Available in the popular 22-250 Remington and 223 Remington calibers.

For additional information on these Premier offerings and to view our extensive line of centerfire, rimfire and shotshell ammunition, visit www.remington.com.

About Remington Arms Company, Inc.
Remington Arms Company, Inc., headquartered in Madison, N.C., designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as solutions to the military, government and law enforcement markets. Founded in 1816 in upstate New York, the Company is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating manufacturers. Remington is the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company distributes its products throughout the U.S. and in over 55 foreign countries. More information about the Company can be found at www.remington.com.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn.--(AmmoLand.com)- In response to an announcement today regarding a National Parks Service program encouraging hunters to voluntarily switch to alternative ammunition, the National Shooting Sports Foundation rejected NPS’s categorization of traditional ammunition as a health threat. NSSF is offering to work with the National Park Service to develop measures to educate hunters about steps they can take to prevent scavengers from ingesting lead fragments of spent traditional ammunition. The park service is proposing to ban, at a minimum, the use of lead bullets, shot and sinkers in the park system by NPS personnel.

While no scientific evidence supports restricting the use of traditional ammunition containing lead components, the firearms industry believes that establishing voluntary measures is a more reasoned step than banning traditional ammunition, a drastic policy decision unsupported by science. NPS has raised concerns that lead bullet fragments found in game meat could cause lead poisoning in humans, a charge not borne out in scientific studies, including a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

“While we’re not opposed to voluntary measures, we maintain there is no need for them,” said Steve Sanetti, president of NSSF, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. “The firearms industry supports science-based decisions about wildlife management. Under current regulations, there is no scientific evidence showing that the health of wildlife populations and humans is at risk from the use of traditional ammunition.”

In a press release, Grand Teton National Park and National Elk Refuge officials encouraged hunters to voluntarily switch to alternative ammunition during the 2009 elk and bison seasons. The voluntary measures are being advocated even though the manager of the elk refuge has told NSSF there have been no population impacts on ravens and eagles connected with the use of traditional ammunition.

NSSF says that educational messages can help inform hunters about options related to voluntary measures, such as how to choose alternative ammunition and how burying game entrails can reduce the chance of scavenger birds ingesting fragments from spent bullets in game carcasses. “Hunters were the first conservationists and are second to none in their support of and concern for wildlife,” said Sanetti. “Surveys have shown that hunters are agreeable to taking voluntary measures, and our educational efforts in California to promote the burying of entrails was successful. We would like to work with NPS on this.”

The use of traditional ammunition does not pose a health risk to human beings, a fact underscored by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study on North Dakota hunters who consumed game. The study showed there was no reason for concern over eating game taken with traditional ammunition. There has never been a documented case of lead poisoning among humans who have eaten game harvested with traditional ammunition.

Earlier in the year, the park service announced a ban on traditional ammunition that applied to park personnel involved with culling sick and wounded animals and indicated it would consider widening the ban to all hunters. The firearms industry and conservation groups criticized the ban in a press release, calling it “arbitrary, over-reactive and not based on science.”

“In some areas today, wildlife management is being driven by fear of litigation, not by science,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel.

For example, in California the Fish and Game Commission was forced to consider expanding a ban on traditional ammunition in areas protected for the California condor in response to a lawsuit settlement. Today, however, the commission followed the recommendation of the Fish & Game Department and recommended not to expand a ban on traditional ammunition in those areas. The department had previously cited lack of conclusive evidence to support an expansion of the ban.

Said Keane, “Any decision made about federal lands with regard to ammunition products should be based on thorough scientific study of population impacts. Currently, there is no scientific evidence that indicates wildlife populations are being negatively impacted. We are calling on Congress to step in and provide the necessary oversight to prevent any unilateral actions by NPS on this issue. To date, the NPS decision-making process has not been transparent and based on sound, thorough science.”

Keane also expressed concern over the cost to hunters forced or coerced into purchasing alternative ammunition products. “Non-traditional ammunition is expensive and about doubles the cost of a box of bullets,” he stated. “In these difficult economic times, imposing voluntary or mandated restrictions on the use of traditional ammunition will serve to keep people from hunting and have a negative impact on the Pittman-Robertson Conservation Fund.”

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of every box of ammunition and each firearm goes to the Pittman-Robertson Fund, which is the keystone for state wildlife conservation projects.

About:
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org

Extreme Shock Ammunitions Green 223 55 CT-2

Extreme Shock Ammunition

CLINTWOOD, VA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Extreme Shock Ammunition, known for producing the world’s most advanced ammunition, has added the .223 55 grain CT-2 (Copper Training/Tactical) to its innovative line of lead free, environmentally friendly, or “green,” ammo. This round was engineered for tactical and training purposes.

The 223 55 CT-2 is specifically engineered to offer all the same desirable characteristics of Extreme Shock’s compressed Tungsten core ammunition. The CT-2 is the economical solution to a Firing Range’s lead nightmare. This round will allow ranges to operate on expensive target steel without fear of steel damage or injury from ricochet. The CT-2 projectile consists of a patented compressed copper powder blend of the highest quality. Each round is encased in a copper jacket and topped with a green ballistic tip to aid in fragmentation and identification. Loaded to safe SAAMI pressure specifications, the CT-2 is safer for use in firearms than other brands of frangible or training ammunition.

The 55 grain CT-2 is available in a 20 round box with an MSRP of $20.18 as well as a 6 round blister pack with an MSRP of $6.05.

To learn more about the full range of products offered from Extreme Shock Ammunition, please visit www.extremeshockusa.net, call Extreme Shock USA at (276) 926-6772.

About:
Extreme Shock™ is the safest, most technologically advanced small arms ammunition produced in the world. Extreme Shock™ offers superior performance with enhanced safety features that greatly exceed that of lead core ammunition.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn. – -(AmmoLand.com)- A report issued yesterday by the California Fish & Game Commission on blood lead levels in California condors is inconclusive and supports the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s contention that there is no scientific basis for the state’s ban on hunters using traditional ammunition in condor regions.

“The problem all along with linking the use of traditional ammunition and the health of the California condor has been lack of conclusive scientific evidence that justifies banning ammunition containing lead components,” said Steve Sanetti, president and CEO of NSSF, trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. “This report only serves to support industry’s position that the ban is unwarranted.”

“The report’s data certainly does not justify the commission’s intent to increase the scope of the ban to include upland and small game in the condor region,” added Sanetti. “Expanding the ban will only create another barrier to hunting, reducing funds derived from license fees and tags that support wildlife conservation in the Golden State.”

The firearms and ammunition industry vigorously opposed the effort to ban use of traditional ammunition in condor regions, citing lack of conclusive evidence to support claims that some condors had higher elevated blood lead levels from ingesting ammunition fragments while scavenging entrails from hunter-harvested big game. Nevertheless, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the ban into law, which went into effect July 1, 2008.

Then last month the F&G Commission announced its intention to consider expanding the ban to cover small and upland game hunting, a move the F&G Department did not support since condors do not feed on small game and hunters retrieve upland birds from the field. The fact that no scientific evidence exists for condors feeding on small game supports the department’s position.

The report, which the commission approved by unanimous vote, covers the first sampling of blood lead levels in free-flying California condors since the ban went into effect. In its summary, the F&G Department and F&G Commission caution that the data was not “systematically collected” and “thus, the information should not be considered conclusive of any ’cause and effect’ relationship between the prohibition of lead projectiles in condor range and blood lead levels detected in condor.”

The department and commission note that the “sources of lead in sampled condors are unknown, relationship of sampled condors to hunting activity are unknown, and . . . the condor feeding habits for this period . . . are unknown.”

Said Sanetti, “Given all of these caveats, no one should rush to give credence to this report as evidence supporting the state’s ban on traditional ammunition.”

NSSF questions the report’s use of standards for humans as the basis for measuring blood lead levels in condors. The standard “background” blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter (ug/dL) for condors is the same threshold for concern established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a human child.

“To our knowledge, there is no baseline blood lead level established for condors, or any other species of animal, and it strikes us as arbitrary to use a human threshold for a bird species,” said Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for NSSF.

Data in the report was derived from blood lead levels sampled during calendar year 2008 and was provided to the F&G Department by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Samples were taken from 72 free-flying condors in California in 2008. During the January to June period, 59 percent of condors sampled had blood lead levels considered above background levels (greater than 10 ug/dL), and 45 percent of condors had levels above background during July to December of 2008.

The data, said the F&G Department and Commission, is considered inadequate for “any in-depth or meaningful comparative analyses regarding the possible consequences of the ’2008 lead ammo ban’ in condor range. However, the department and commission conclude that the data provides a basis for future comparison. Beginning in fall 2009, a more comprehensive data collection plan is expected to be in place.

The commission’s intent to expand the ban is in response to a lawsuit settlement between the state and plaintiffs the Natural Resources Defense Council and Center for Biological Diversity that stipulates the commission will consider amending regulations requiring alternative ammunition for taking small and upland game within the condor range.

For more information about traditional ammunition and how it relates to the California condor, see http://www.nssf.org/media/FactSheets/Lead_Ammunition.cfm.

About:
NSSF, founded in 1961, is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition and recreational shooting sports industry. It promotes the safe ownership and responsible use of products its members make and sell. For more information, visit www.nssf.org

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn.—-(AmmoLand.com)- The National Shooting Sports Foundation strongly encourages the National Park Service to reconsider its policy banning the use of traditional ammunition made with lead components on park lands and points out that neither humans, wildlife populations nor the environment are harmed by the use of such ammunition.

“The National Park Service’s decision is arbitrary, over-reactive and not based on science,” said Steve Sanetti, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. “Studies show that traditional ammunition does not pose a health risk to humans, or wildlife populations as a whole.”

The park service appears to have made its decision without requesting input from wildlife management and conservation groups, or ammunition manufacturers. “There is no evidence of traditional ammunition harming humans or wildlife populations that would warrant this kind of drastic policy change,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel.

Hunting is allowed in some national parks in order to reduce herd populations or remove wounded or sick animals, and NSSF maintains that traditional ammunition is best suited for these tasks. Traditional ammunition costs less, and hunters are more familiar with its performance. Hunters also are agreeable to taking voluntary measures, such as burying entrails after field dressing game, to prevent scavengers from ingesting lead fragments.

Maintaining healthy wildlife populations has always been a priority for hunters, who have contributed approximately $5.6 billion to protect wildlife and habit over the past 70 years through excise taxes paid on firearms and ammunition.

The park service’s news release does not cite scientific evidence that wildlife populations are being negatively impacted by the use of traditional ammunition, and there is no indication that park visitors’ health was affected in any way by hunters and wildlife managers using traditional ammunition.

Ammunition containing lead components has been the choice of hunters for well over 100 years, during which time wildlife populations in America have surged. While lead ingestion appears to occur in a small number of individual animals, overall populations are unaffected. Also, there has never been a documented case of lead poisoning among humans who have eaten game taken with traditional ammunition, and a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study on North Dakota hunters who consumed game confirmed that there was no reason for concern over eating game taken with traditional ammunition.

Unfortunately, the park service’s decision to ban traditional ammunition adds to the misinformation being circulated by anti-hunting groups to promote fear among wildlife managers and hunters about traditional ammunition. The park service’s news release makes erroneous comparisons between organic lead found in gasoline and the metallic lead used in ammunition. Banning lead in gasoline and paint was related to public health concerns because of the widespread nature of these substances and ingestion of paint chips by young children. These issues are not associated with lead in ammunition.

NSSF and its member companies who possess significant knowledge about lead and its use in ammunition hope to be part of any regulatory process to encourage the park service to reconsider this hastily concluded policy before it goes into effect by the end of 2010.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn. — Following calls from anti-hunting groups to expand California’s ban on traditional ammunition statewide, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition and hunting industry — urged hunters to contact the Fish and Game Commission, the Department of Fish and Game, the governor and their state legislators to demand science-based wildlife management and not allow anti-hunting interest groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity to destroy the American heritage of hunting — a critical wildlife management tool.

Proponents of a statewide ban on traditional ammunition argue it is necessary in order to safeguard animals and the health of hunters. However, many of the species that proponents of the ban claim to be “at risk” have flourishing populations; this demonstrates successful wildlife management practices that are based on managing species populations, not individual animals. Furthermore, a recent CDC study failed to show any evidence that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition posed any human health risk to hunters.

“Banning traditional ammunition is poor public policy that is not supported by sound science and is being driven by an anti-hunting agenda,” said NSSF President Stephen L. Sanetti. “Advocates of this ban have a fundamental misunderstanding of the basic science underlying wildlife management. Their lack of understanding on the subject and disdain for America’s hunting heritage will hurt the entire state as significant tax revenue derived from hunters is lost.”

A 2006 study by the Responsive Management Company to determine the awareness level and opinions of California hunters concerning a potential ban on lead ammunition concluded that such a ban would negatively impact hunter numbers in California and the state’s economy.

According to survey results, 75 percent of hunters in the state use traditional ammunition for such reasons as finding non-lead ammunition too costly, not as effective or not as available as lead ammunition. Only 16 percent of hunters support the ban on traditional ammunition compared to an overwhelming two-thirds of hunters, and 77 percent of big-game hunters, who oppose the ban.

Hunters in the study were very clear when asked what their reaction to a lead ammunition ban would be: They would hunt less, cease hunting altogether or hunt outside California, a move that would certainly hurt state money derived from federal excise taxes. These are taxes that hunters pay when purchasing hunting and shooting equipment and are later returned to California for conservation and education programs, including species protection, habitat improvement and hunter access and safety. Last year California received more than $7.4 million from these taxes, monies that will disappear as hunters leave the state.

Significant losses to businesses, many of them independent retail stores and bed and breakfasts associated with hunting in California, are also to be expected.

Data derived from John Dunham and Associates shows that hunting plays a pivotal role in California’s economy. Hunting supports more than 21,000 jobs statewide — jobs that pay California residents more than $818 million annually — and benefits the state economy to the tune of more than $2.8 billion a year.

“It is imperative that sportsmen and hunters contact the governor and their state representatives to help ensure that this ill-considered ban is not expanded throughout the state,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “A statewide ban would only serve to hurt hunters, conservation efforts and the economy, while doing nothing to impact animal populations as lead is already safely and easily managed.”

Brenneke Ammunition

Germany – The German firm Brenneke®, long known for their superb shotgun slugs, is now introducing their revolutionary Quik-Shok® Copper centerfire rifle bullets to U.S. hunters in loaded cartridges.

The Brenneke Quik-Shok Copper bullet is a completely lead-free design, providing a combination of excellent penetration with “controlled fragmentation” that results in a more powerful terminal effect than conventional rifle bullets can produce-regardless of bullet material.

While a conventional rifle bullet expands slowly and progressively during penetration, creating a single wound channel, the Quik-Shok Copper expands very quickly upon contact, then separates into four segments that continue to penetrate deeply. The result is a highly dynamic terminal action that creates expansion far larger than the bullet’s initial caliber, four wound channels versus just one, increased hemorrhage and more primary shock and blood loss than ordinary bullets can generate.

The principles of the Brenneke Quik-Shok Copper have been successfully researched and field-tested for well over 20 years. Traditional lead-based bullet designs are not adequate to create a lead-free projectile with exceptional accuracy, good velocity and fast, humane effectiveness on big game. The Brenneke Quik-Shok Copper’s distinctive design addresses these concerns, the result be ing a projectile with effectiveness that meets or exceeds that of any lead-based construction.

The Brenneke Quik-Shok Copper will initially be offered in 155 grain weights for the .30-06 and the .308. Additional calibers are planned. The .30-06 loading produces 2,953 fps velocity and 3,001 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle, while the .308 generates 2,789 fps and 2,675 ft.lbs. at the muzzle.

While best known in the U.S. for their slugs, Brenneke has manufactured rifle bullets since 1898, and tens of millions of Brenneke bullets have been sold around the world. The firm pioneered many elements of bullet construction taken for granted today, including one of the first boat-tail designs in 1910 (the Brenneke TIG®, or “torpedo tail”), and a sharp cutting edge “wadcutter” bullet in 1930. Both of these designs continue to be manufactured today. The new Quik-Shok Copper is the latest in a long line of projectile innovation that dates back over 100 years.

See the new Quik-Shok Copper at Brenneke’s booth no. 6842 at the SHOT Show 2009.

Fiocchi Ammunition

Fiocchi - -(AmmoLand.com)- High-Performance Load Features .40 Caliber SinterFireâ„ ¢ Bullets Fiocchi Ammunition, the cutting-edge innovator in the munitions business, has developed a new .40 caliber handgun round featuring SinterFireâ„ ¢ frangible, lead-free bullets. This new, non-toxic round is intended for the training market, with specific applications for use at indoor shooting ranges, closed-quarter steel plate shooting, as well as for use by police departments in tactical training scenarios.

The experts at Fiocchi chose the copper/tin composite SinterFire bullet for this line as it yields the proven benefits of functional reliability (due to the bullet’s molded-in taper crimp), uniform dimensions, perfect weight, superior accuracy and repeatable performance. These bullets, which contain no jacketing or plating, literally crumble to dust upon impact with hard surfaces. Containing a proprietary lubricant, Fiocchi’s new .40caliber SinterFire frangible, non-toxic cartridge provides the additional benefits of increased velocities at reduced pressures, reduced bore wear and minimized bore fouling.

Fiocchi’s innovative .40 caliber SinterFire non-toxic round is also the fastest in the manufacturer’s entire .40 caliber product line. Comprehensive ballistic testing has revealed that when fired from a 5-inch test barrel, Fiocchi’s hot, new round produces a sizzling 1,265 fps muzzle velocity due to its lightweight 125-grain bullet. With more than 130-year reputation resting on each round, Fiocchi strives to achieve ammunition perfection with every round it produces.

For more information on Fiocchi’s new .40 caliber SinterFire non-toxic Frangible ammunition or Fiocchi’s full line of rifle, pistol, rimfire, shot shell and unique rounds contact: Fiocchi Ammunition, 1662 Nevada Way, Boulder City, Nevada, 89005 †¢ 702-293-6174 †¢ or visit www.fiocchiusa.com.

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Winchester Ammunition

Winchester Ammunition – -(OutdoorWire.com)- Increased customer demand and regional lead-free regulation combined with the growth of varmint hunting have resulted in the need for a new lead-free bullet, the .223 Rem from Winchester® Ammunition. The new .223 Rem is a part of the Winchester SUPER-X® line. This product uses a patented tin core technology to achieve a totally lead-free bullet.

“Shooters and hunters require lead-free ammunition in various regions of the U.S., and it is our goal to make sure they have a legal, high-performance product,” said Glen Weeks, Centerfire Product Manager for Winchester Ammunition. “Our goal with this new .223 Rem product, as well as all of our lead-free offerings, is to make sure that shooters have a wide range of Winchester lead-free products available.”

Winchester offers a diverse line of lead-free ammunition in shotshell, centerfire handgun, centerfire rifle and .22 caliber, including the recently expanded E-Tip selection, new .22 LR and .22 Win. Magnum offerings.

The new SUPER-X .223 Rem lead-free features:
- Muzzle velocity: 3,050 feet per second
- Bullet weight: 55 grains
- Rounds per box: 20
- Symbol: X223RT
- Availability: Spring 2009

For more information about Winchester Ammunition and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com

Winchester Ammunition is proud to be a leader in conservation:
NILO Farms®, established by John M. Olin in 1952, is Winchester’s prestigious hunting preserve providing guests with quality hunting on more than 640 acres of natural habitat. As one of the finest hunting and shooting facilities in the country, NILO Farms® represents the best in game management and safety. Many of the land management practices developed at NILO Farms® have proven to be an example for other waterfowl and upland game bird preserves to follow. For more information about NILO Farms, visit www.nilofarms.com.

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Winchester Ammunition

Winchester – -(OutdoorWire.com)- As a result of increasing customer demand for lead-free products across the United States, Winchester® Ammunition will offer three lightning-fast, lead-free rimfire bullets, chambered for both .22 Win. Mag and .22 Long Rifle (LR) cartridges, beginning in 2009.

The Winchester SUPER-X® lead-free bullets are well-suited for practice and ideal for small game, varmint and pest control. They are designed for maximum expansion and they are extremely accurate. These products use a patented technology to achieve a totally lead-free bullet.

“Winchester Ammunition engineers our products for hunters and target shooters to assure they have quality, high-performance ammunition that also complies with local regulations in their hunting and shooting areas,” said Greg Kosteck, Director of Marketing for Winchester Ammunition.

These three rounds join Winchester’s wide selection of traditional lead projective rimfire products designed for precision target shooting, silhouettes, plinking, small-game, varmint hunting and pest control.

The new SUPER-X .22 Win. Mag features:
- Muzzle velocity of 2,200 feet per second
- Bullet weight: 28 grain JHP
- Rounds per box: 50 rd. plastic pack
- Symbol: X22MHLF
- Muzzle velocity of 1650 FPS
- Bullet weight: 30 grain THP (tin hollow-point) & TRN (tin round nose)
- Rounds per box: 50 rd plastic pack
- Symbol: X22LRHLF & X22LRLF

For more information about Winchester Ammunition and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.

Winchester is Proud to be a Leader in the Shooting Sports
Winchester Ammunition pledged $500,000 to permanently endow the NRA’s Marksmanship Qualification Program, thus becoming the exclusive sponsor of the officially renamed Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

The Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program is a self-paced shooting development program. Open to adults and youngsters alike, the program measures an individual’s shooting proficiency against established par scores in 13 courses of fire across three disciplines: pistol, rifle and shotgun.

By supporting the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, Winchester is providing everyone the chance to explore the benefits that hunting and shooting sports have to offer.

To learn more about the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, please call 703-267-1505 or visit www.nrahq.org/youth.

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NRAhuntersrights.org

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA - -(OutdoorWire.com)- For generations, hunters have been shooting deer with lead bullets and eating the venison with no ill effects. In fact, there is not one documented case of a citizen ever becoming ill because of eating venison taken with a rifle bullet.

Moreover, a recent CDC study, in which more than 700 North Dakota residents were tested for lead levels, found not one single individual with unacceptably high amounts of lead in the blood. That study was requested by the North Dakota Department of Health in response to allegations made earlier this year that venison intended for food banks contained excessive levels of lead.

Now, Minnesota is set to test up to 25,000 pounds of venison intended for food banks in the state, having the meat X-rayed before it is distributed. The decision came when random testing revealed that 5.3 percent of sampled deer meat contained “lead fragments.”

Such overreaction is expensive. Testing the meat will lighten the state’s coffers to the tune of 30 cents a pound.

But the unnecessary expense is not the only problem. The testing will delay the delivery of badly needed food to hungry families. It’s being collected from all over the state and moved to the Twin Cities for testing. State officials are even considering eliminating its game donation program altogether.

All of this in light of some concrete facts:
- Humans have been consuming game shot with traditional lead ammunition for more than a century with no documented health problems.

- All individuals tested in the CDC study who consumed game harvested with lead ammunition had blood lead levels below an unsafe level.

- Lead ammunition alternatives are expensive and more difficult to obtain.

- Most other state wildlife agencies have publicly called for hunters to continue donating meat to Hunters for the Hungry programs.

When states like Minnesota show nervousness over venison’s imaginary health concerns, anti-hunting groups use it to object to the use of lead ammunition. The Humane Society of the United States, for example, recently called for a ban on all lead ammunition.

Such unfounded fears hurt hunters, hungry people facing uncertain economic times, and, ultimately, game populations, for game sharing programs play a key role in helping states reach their wildlife management objectives.

Calls to ban lead ammunition, clearly lacking in scientific evidence, will ultimately do more harm than good. Minnesota’s testing program is needlessly flaming that fire.

For more information on this developing story, visit www.NRAhuntersrights.org .

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National Shooting Sports Foundation

NSSF Alert - -(AmmoLand.com)- During the past week the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry — has received inquires concerning state legislation that would require the serialization of ammunition on a mass production basis.

Bullet serialization — the process by which each individual round of ammunition is identified and marked with a laser engraved serial number — is not feasible from a practical standpoint and any legislation mandating such action could rightfully be considered a de facto ban on ammunition.

While legislation has been introduced in more than 20 states, NSSF has successfully defeated all of these bills. NSSF will continue to closely monitor state or federal legislation to require bullet serialization and will continue to issue Legislative Alerts to industry members and Second Amendment advocates in those states when bills are introduced or scheduled for a hearing or vote.

Demonstrating the effectiveness of the NSSF Legislative Alert system, several bullet serialization bill sponsors withdrew their bills immediately following public outcry stemming from the NSSF alerts — in the case of Kentucky, this was within 48 hours of the bill’s introduction.

To learn more about bullet serialization, please visit the NSSF Media Resources page.

To track bullet serialization legislation, and other legislation in your state, please visit the NSSF Legislative Action Center page.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, has sent you this message. Legislative action alerts and updates are made possible through the generous support NSSF receives from its members. Join NSSF in always shooting for more. Visit www.membershipmeansbusiness.org .

NSSF’s Mission Statement “Our purpose is to provide trusted leadership in addressing industry challenges and in delivering programs and services to meet the identified needs of our members.”

Click here to visit the NSSF Web site and see how we accomplish this mission.

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United States Sportsmen’s Alliance

Columbus, Ohio --(TheOutdoorWire.com)- The United States Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) emphatically opposes the anti-hunters’ recent call for a nationwide ban on lead ammunition. Such a statement is an extreme policy proposal that is not supported by the facts.

On November 10, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) issued its call for the lead ammunition ban after the release of a report from the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) that had been conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It reported on the possible dangers of consuming wild game harvested by lead ammunition.

The report found that while the levels of lead in the blood of those tested who were frequent consumers of wild game taken with traditional, lead ammunition appeared to be somewhat higher than those not consuming wild game; none had levels approaching those that would be of concern to the CDC. In fact, in its own press releases, NDDoH indicated food pantries could continue accepting venison, provided the meat was appropriately processed.

USSA Senior Vice President Rick Story states, “HSUS should stop hyperventilating and actually read the report since it makes clear that the average level of lead in the people tested is actually lower than the level of the average American. That fact completely undermines its call for banning traditional ammo.

Story continued, “It should come as no surprise that America’s leading opponent of hunting, fishing and trapping has mischaracterized the findings of the CDC report. It will resort to any means necessary to deny the rights of sportsmen.”

While portraying its call for a lead ban as not being “anti-hunting,” HSUS’ track record makes clear that its true goal is to outlaw all hunting, trapping and even fishing. One way of accomplishing this is to push sportsmen towards higher cost products that will limit how much ammunition they purchase and the number of times they are able to participate in their sport.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

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Whitetails Unlimited

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin – In a departure from our usual press releases, this is a completely personal view, and not information or a position from my employer, Whitetails Unlimited. Both personally, as a hunter who enjoys consuming the deer I kill, and in my position as editor of Whitetails Unlimited Magazine, I have been very interested in the lead in venison story. I have read everything about it I can get my hands on, and have formed my own independent opinion based on what I’ve found.
My friends and relatives know that I pay close attention to things like this, and have been calling me asking about what they should do this hunting season. Frankly, there isn’t one clear answer, and because of that I’m not comfortable in telling them what they should do. So I’ve been telling them what I’m going to do, and why; and that they should draw their own conclusions. I’m sharing those conclusions here, but remember that I’m not telling anyone what they should do, just what I’m going to do this hunting season. I’ll start with the what, and then the why.

The first conclusion I’ve made is that even if I change nothing this year, everything will still be fine. (No one anywhere has reported any symptoms of lead poisoning from eating venison, and lead levels in the blood of hunters are not elevated.)

Second, based on the very conservative level of risk that I’m willing to accept, I am going to change a few things this year:
- I’m going to spend more time at the range, to make sure that my first bullet will hit exactly where I want it to, to ensure a one-shot kill. (I work hard to know my range and skill level, and I pass on any shots that have a low chance of success.)
- I will discard more meat around the wound channel. Proper bullet placement and using one bullet will reduce how much meat needs to be discarded. (Tiny bits of lead have been found a foot away from the bullet path in some test carcasses.)
- I will not rely on washing the carcass to eliminate the lead. (Tests have indicated that washing just moves the lead around, rather than actually washing it away.)
- I will not feed venison to any friend or relative of mine under the age of six, or a woman who is pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or nursing. I have no hesitation in eating it myself, or serving it to anyone else I care about. (Young children, babies and fetuses are at the most risk from lead, and it just seems prudent to try to eliminate all the risk you can. This may be overcautious, but there is nothing lost by being over careful in this situation.)
- I’m going to keep reading everything I can about the topic, and if something changes I will re-evaluate my position. (Ignoring an actual problem is just as brainless as overreacting to a nonexistent problem. I face risk every time I get in my car, and yet I still drive, but I do so in a manner that reduces my risk as much as possible. Hunting, and eating what I shoot, is no different.)
What I’ve decided to do this hunting season is based on the level of risk that I am willing to accept. A couple of people I know want to be more safe than me, and have asked how to reduce the risk closer to zero. Here is what I’ve told them:
- Take up bowhunting.
- Use a muzzleloader or shotgun. (Tests using muzzleloaders and shotgun slugs report much less lead fragmentation. I believe that this is because slugs and muzzleloaders travel much slower than rifle bullets, and fragment less on impact.)
- Switch to a bullet that does not contain lead. Or use a bonded bullet, and combine that bullet type with a caliber that moves more slowly, reducing the likelihood of fragmentation.
Hunting is a wonderful experience, and consuming what I take is part of that experience. There is no need to put myself, or those I care for, at risk. But by being informed and taking some simple, prudent precautions, I can reduce that risk to a level with which I am completely comfortable.
Again, these are my personal conclusions, based on my research, and this is simply what I am going to do this year. It is incumbent on all hunters to make every aspect of their hunting experience safe for themselves and those around them. Do your research, have fun hunting, and enjoy your venison!

Jeff Davis, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

About:
Founded in 1982, Whitetails Unlimited is a national nonprofit conservation organization. Our mission is to raise funds in support of education, habitat enhancement and acquisition, and the preservation of the hunting tradition for the benefit of the white-tailed deer and other wildlife. When it comes to the whitetail and its environment, WTU’s degree of professionalism and dedication has earned us the reputation of being the nation’s premier whitetail organization.

Visit Whitetails Unlimited .

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