what to use instead of lead balls

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i was standing on the bank of a lake in LA county, talking to some friends.
Two copchick F&G's came up and were going to cite me for not having my fishing license displayed on my back. were barking orders to my back. Ordering me to show them some ID.
when i turned around both had their hands on their weapons. they turned a little green when they saw the gold badge on my belt.
But, i seriously thought they were going to draw on me, for not having my License displayed on my back!
lost what little respect i had for that agency that day.

one of the many reasons i live in the woods of Idaho!
 
jim mencken said:
i have a chance to go black bear hunting but can,t use lead balls in california what and where do i get a non lead ball???
Click to expand...
Rotometal 281 alloy, which is 58% bismuth and 42% tin. You need to get some and cast it, to see where the sights send it. ALL bismuth tends to be brittle, so might shatter upon impact and thus not get the best results. This alloy seeks to cure that...

281 Alloy

LD
 
deerstalkert said:
no Tom, the felony would occur when asked if it was a compliant non lead load and one responded yes, when in fact it was lead.
500.00 fine for using lead. 15k/5years for lying to a cop. and Calif F&G wouldn't bat an eye charging you.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Excellent incentive to not live there. No wonder folks are flocking to Texas.
 
Can you pull a bismuth ball? I would be reluctant to stuff anything down my bore that i cannot pull out, including steel...here's an idea though...how about some modern sabots? Don't they make non-toxic saboted conicals? Throw away the plastic sabot and use a patch..or just use the sabot.

Just remember, our guns are designed for lead and soft materials only...other metals could damage your rifling...i am not sure how much using a patch or sabot mitigates this factor when using other metals...just a thought..
 
i escaped close to 30 years ago and it has only gotten worse! a buddy/family member that joined the department just as i left has his 30 in now.
the shiiiii ah stuff he tells me about is both sickening and frightening.
Yet people in general just go about their lives. amazing species, human kind.
getting back to Jim menckens problem, Jim, if you can't find any commercial nontoxic balls if that is what you want to hunt with, i will cast some alloy balls for you.
But, i read the legislation on the toxic and non toxic ammo in CA. and it appears that to comply, the ammo/balls have to be certified via a fee program they use to bleed manufactures. there is a list of certified manufactures. there is lots of sleeze speak in the law and not sure if balls cast by me and imported by you would be compliant! made my hair stand up reading CA. law again. impossible to decipher in 1982 and still impossible to understand. except for the exemptions for LEO's and other gov't agents.
 
sorry if i went a little berserk earlier, just today is an anniversary of sorts. got a old man worked up about the man he used to be, in a place he used to love. born and raised over the mountains to the west of you. spent many years up and down the length and breadth of California.
i grieve for what it has become.
I am grateful that you can even still hunt black bear there. I talked myself hoarse when the initiative was floated to ban Cougar hunting.
enjoy your time with your daughter and best of luck getting a bear.
PS used to be lots of Black Bear around Kennedy Meadows.
 
deerstalkert said:
sorry if i went a little berserk earlier, just today is an anniversary of sorts. got a old man worked up about the man he used to be, in a place he used to love. born and raised over the mountains to the west of you. spent many years up and down the length and breadth of California.
i grieve for what it has become.
I am grateful that you can even still hunt black bear there. I talked myself hoarse when the initiative was floated to ban Cougar hunting.
enjoy your time with your daughter and best of luck getting a bear.
PS used to be lots of Black Bear around Kennedy Meadows.
Click to expand...
Still are. More black bear all over than folk realize.

wm
 
jim mencken said:
i have a chance to go black bear hunting but can,t use lead balls in california what and where do i get a non lead ball???
Click to expand...
So have you figured it out? Id like to hear your way around using lead. Sounds like a real headache all around but I'm glad people are least hunting still. What are the restrictions on bear hunting like?
 
jim mencken said:
i have a chance to go black bear hunting but can,t use lead balls in california what and where do i get a non lead ball???
Click to expand...
This is a question related to your issue for others that may chime in. Would a lead free solder be doable in casting your own? Would it be too light in weight?
Larry
 
The .495 balls weigh in at 151gr
I have a pound and a half of material left which will make ~70 balls
I have shot these from my 50 cal Dixie with 75gr 3F and a .010 patch - minute of deer at 75 yards.

20220206_105337_HDR.jpg
 

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