Government confirms 2026 start date for lead ammunition ban

The Government has announced the lead ammunition ban that’s been hanging over shooting for years. Environment minister Emma Hardy confirmed shots with more than 1% lead will be banned, plus rifle bullets exceeding 3% lead content.

The timeline’s tight. Legislation comes in summer 2026, followed by a three-year transition ending in 2029.

Military, police, elite athletes and outdoor target ranges get exemptions, along with small calibre bullets for live quarry and airguns.

BASC fought hard to secure those exemptions but isn’t happy about the rushed timeline. “The Government has shortened the expected time frame for shotgun ammunition from five years to three years on the assumption that the ammunition is readily available. That is not the case,” warned BASC’s Terry Behan.

The ban also applies to rifle ammunition in larger calibres, including .243, which now falls within its scope. BASC warns this could cripple deer management for 60,000 stalkers.

The GWCT is more positive, pointing to their Loddington shoot successfully using steel for two seasons and Denmark’s three-decade success with lead-free ammunition.

The Government estimates the ban will stop 7,000 tonnes of lead entering the environment annually and save a million birds from lead poisoning.

Bottom line: time to start planning your transition to steel or other alternatives, whether you like it or not.

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