Hi,

Long time lurker, recent returnee to shooting here I rediscovered shooting as a sport during lockdown, and have started the process of joining a club with the intention of shooting HFT and FT. I've been really enjoying it so far, and I've gone and bought an S400 .177 carbine to add to my old .22 HW99s.

I was just this week getting ready to drop a wedge of £££ on a target specific .177 rifle and big scope for FT, but have been mightily put off by reading about the impending lead ban, and the wording of the consultation itself. It looks unlikely that outdoor shooting of lead will be viable, and the sale of lead pellets will v likely be banned altogether anyway. I would stock up, but there's not much point in that if we can't use them

I aim to keep my guns so my lads can enjoy them when they are old enough, and really don't want to invest a lot of money in what may end up as a paperweight. So, I ordered some samples and have tried most of the non-lead alternatives in both calibres in the garden this week. I was pleasantly surprised to get 0.5-0.75in at 30 yards (rested) quite readily with Barracuda Green (although that was the only good performer). R&D will bring that right down I'm sure. Muzzle energy is the same as lead RWS Hobbies from the '99.

But .177 looks really iffy moving forward, especially with PCPs. Through the S400 the non-lead was, erm, ‘interesting’. Shotgun groups with every pellet bar the JSB (1.5-2in groups, so no use for hunting) and barely 8fpe at best. Even with a spotless barrel, not all of the RWS Hyperdomes stayed on a 17cm card!! I'm not sure any amount of progress is going to sort that out.

On that basis I will be keeping my wallet firmly shut for now. Is anyone else feeling the same? Surely there will lots of others itching to buy kit, but holding off until there is some clarity. I've had a good search about but can't find any comments from gun shops, airgun or pellet manufacturers on what is surely an immediate existential crisis for them?!

ATB,

Jon