Target clays= pollution??

icecold

icecold

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
14   0   0
Just heard some rumblings on trap range lead and clay pollution? What are clays made of that causes ground water pollution? I guess ground water must be the concern? Can anyone educate me?
Also is trap ammo shot still all lead? Thanks
 
It’s not what the clays are made of but what holds them together that is the problem. Something called poly cyclic hydrocarbons. Apparently the PCH can be carcinogenic. This problem is mostly gone now as modern clays do not use the stuff and is biodegradable and environmentally safe. It’s the older stock that has the issue.

However, the Ministry of the Environment has recently put out a request for gun ranges to watch lead and clay fragment levels ( I assume for PCH). This may cause financial hardship for a lot of ranges if the guidelines are stringent.

Yes, trap ammo is still mostly lead.

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...28-New-MoE-lead-abatement-policy-in-BC-ranges
 
icecold said:
Just heard some rumblings on trap range lead and clay pollution? What are clays made of that causes ground water pollution? I guess ground water must be the concern? Can anyone educate me?


Also is trap ammo shot still all lead? Thanks
Click to expand...

Are you from Ontario or BC?
 
Last edited:
I’m just wondering how the government can put the financial burden on a small gun club as long as it was following the environmental procedure for the time??
Joe
 
Certainly the top priority for all levels of government as far as the environment is concerned. Clay target clubs. Good thing they have their priorities straight.
 
Their are biodegradable targets on the market, Lawrys products line was the first to come out over here, White Flyer offers a couple of lines now as well, both are enviromentally certified. Lead will eventually be an issue for every club, whether we like it or not.
 
stubblejumper said:
And most people don't like the biodegradable targets, because they have been found umbroken, with up to six or eight holes in them.
Click to expand...

So, 35+ years ago, I didn't shoot much, but I do recall the guys at our club were a cheap bunch and we regularly recovered and reused pickups for trap. I also remember a number of them had multiple holes and were not broken. Is this really a new phenomenon with the Biodegradable targets? I don't go wandering out to check my targets for holes, but I do often see dust and sometimes even a deflection of the bird's flight. I'll roll my eyes, but just part of the game.

I'm OK with bio targets and anything else reasonable that will reduce our impact.
 
Rob! said:
So, 35+ years ago, I didn't shoot much, but I do recall the guys at our club were a cheap bunch and we regularly recovered and reused pickups for trap. I also remember a number of them had multiple holes and were not broken. Is this really a new phenomenon with the Biodegradable targets? I don't go wandering out to check my targets for holes, but I do often see dust and sometimes even a deflection of the bird's flight. I'll roll my eyes, but just part of the game.

I'm OK with bio targets and anything else reasonable that will reduce our impact.
Click to expand...

Target hardness and inconsistency is nothing new, sometimes manufacturers would even change the hardness for how far they have to ship.
 
Aren’t they designed to take a number of hits prior to breaking. Or so I’ve been told by a very experienced shooter.

He had a accurate number. Just don’t want to quote something I’m unsure of. It was more than 3 and less than 8. Haha.
 
Some are starting to like them for the white smoke they give off, at a dollar a holla a even playing field for everyone with consistently is fair.
 
Rob! said:
So, 35+ years ago, I didn't shoot much, but I do recall the guys at our club were a cheap bunch and we regularly recovered and reused pickups for trap. I also remember a number of them had multiple holes and were not broken. Is this really a new phenomenon with the Biodegradable targets? I don't go wandering out to check my targets for holes, but I do often see dust and sometimes even a deflection of the bird's flight. I'll roll my eyes, but just part of the game.

I'm OK with bio targets and anything else reasonable that will reduce our impact.
Click to expand...

We still pick up unbroken targets, and it is very rare to find one with more than two holes, one hole is by far the most common. Yet I have seen pictures posted of biodegradable targets with eight holes in them, and the person that took the pictures remarked that three to five holes, is not at all unusual with the bio targets. Losing targets with three to five holes, is certainly going to be noticeable when shooting a 410.
 
Clay and pitch both come from the ground. Targets go back to the ground. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ( but only with a good hit). Governments and their agents make up the rules. And they change them as and when they see fit. Practicality and fairness are not part of this process.
 
Ashcroft said:
Clay and pitch both come from the ground. Targets go back to the ground. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ( but only with a good hit). Governments and their agents make up the rules. And they change them as and when they see fit. Practicality and fairness are not part of this process.
Click to expand...

Funny, I do believe that lead comes from the ground as well. I'm getting the feeling that this is just more "piling on" by the anti-gunners in Government. After a certain point it just becomes like water of a ducks back, I really don't give a flying #### anymore.

The one thing governments do not like to do ever, is admit that they made a mistake; they will find some way to pass the blame on to somebody else and send us the bill.
 
Edenchef said:
Funny, I do believe that lead comes from the ground as well. I'm getting the feeling that this is just more "piling on" by the anti-gunners in Government. After a certain point it just becomes like water of a ducks back, I really don't give a flying #### anymore.

The one thing governments do not like to do ever, is admit that they made a mistake; they will find some way to pass the blame on to somebody else and send us the bill.
Click to expand...

I am told by some who should know, that the lead and pitch issue is nothing but another plank in the strategy to remove firearms from people. Lead occurs naturally in significant amounts in BC and you don't hear about health issues related to lead even in areas adjacent to lead mines.

Surprisingly, since we started shooting more clay targets the grasses and shrubs at our range have grown considerably.

As far as bio targets go, we find many unbroken bio targets with 3-6 holes, however these are almost always in the dome area which does little for the structural strength of the target. I have been told that bio targets will affect grass in particular, as in burning it, similar to applying too much fertilizer. If you look at the White Flyer web site you will see that they state accumulation of bio target material can affect soil pH. Supposedly, it makes the soil more acidic which in turn is more likely to cause lead to dissolve in the ground water. That said, I have also been told that a number of clubs have tested their ground water and so far none have found lead in the ground water. About 3 years ago, White Flyer announced an Eco target. Still not on the market however.

You might want to look at your clubs range license. Depending on the PFO, you might find that steel shot is not permitted. So steel is not permitted, lead is not permitted, you can see where this is going.
 
Salter and edenchef,
This is what I’m afraid of. Mentioning lead pollution and carcinogenic clay pigeons can change uninformed public opinion more than screaming gun control. The NIMBY factor.

Even when we prove otherwise, it will be an uphill battle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom