What type of ammo can I use to hunt in California if most ammunition is made with lead?

Question

Firearm microstamping, ballistic imprinting and ballistic engraving are all names given to a technology that has been developed with the goal of aiding in ballistics identification; it involves the use of laser technology to engrave a microscopic marking onto the tip of the firing pin and onto the breech face of a firearm. When the firearm is fired, these etchings are transferred to the primer by the firing pin and to the cartridge case by the breech face, using the pressure created when a round is fired. After the spent cartridges are ejected, these microscopic markings are imprinted on the cartridges, which can then be recovered by police and examined by forensic ballistics experts to obtain information to be used to trace the firearm through its life to, hopefully, the purveyor of the crime.[1] This technology will be required in California starting in 2010.

Answer 1

Thanks for the lowdown on the microstamping, I live in the PRK* myself and want to move to gun friendly states.

My best guess as to lead free ammo would be arrows, but I don't know anything about bowhunting regulations in the PRK*

My opinion: this microstamp legislation you talk about is just another "feel good" law.

I could think of several ways to defeat the system, off the top of my head. I not going to say because i don't want to give ideas to the wrong crowd.

I will say that it will make already expensive firearms even more expensive.

AND, What's Next?

Serial Numbers on ammunition?

---Ballistic fingerprinting has never saved lives, responsible gun owners have.

Answer 2

The Socialist People's Republik of Kalifornistan has outlawed the use of lead bullets anywhere in the range of the condor.  If there is such a place that has not yet been disignated by KGB (Kalifornistan Governmet Bureau) as being within the range of the condor, supposidly lead bullets can be used there.......for now.......until PETA finds out about it.  PETA and KGB work closely together to be sure that they keep gun owners under their oppressive thumbs.  Between the fires, earthquakes, mudslides, PETA and KGB, I'd be looking for some place else to live.  If you stay there, you are just going to have to learn the new official language....Spanish.

Answer 3

Move.

You do know kalifornistan passed a law where every bullet and casing on ammo sold at the beginning of next year requires a lazer etched serial number. And all you old ammo must be turned in as it will be illegal by 2011. And since this lazer etching is expensive next to impossible ammo will no longer be sold in that "state" since manufacturers won't bother with the expenses. Yes beginning 2009 ammo will be illegal to buy essentially in Kalifornistan.

You'd have to use lead free but I don't know where you can get it and it costs over double of regular ammo.

Edit: This is different from microstamping, it's ammo encoding. A number on the INSIDE of the casing and the REAR of the bullet itself. Only can be done by lazers, basically not worth the cost to ammo manfacturers to do it, the idea is patented and that's all liberals need to hear. So it's not microstamping with the firing pin and ammo will essentailly be illegal in that welfare state beggining 2009. The only way to get ammo would be from another state and this would be illegal. They have tried these bills in over half the states. I only think Kalifornia passed it and it either was voted against or dies in committee due to lack of backing in other states. I think it might of been passed in Pukeachussetes but I don't know for certain.

Answer 4

Barnes X are copper bullets.

Sorry to hear about that law.

Too bad that reloading is so easy that it's pointless.

Too bad that a layer of scotch tape on the base of the cartridge

case would defeat the other rmeasures.

Too funny how foolish laws get passed?

Answer 5

Sounds like ur gonna be shooting some jacketed rounds for a while. Takes gonna be rediculous if the end up making you use FMJ's from now on.

Answer 6

Depending on what caliber you shoot you might have to start re-loading.  Lead free bullets in rifle calibers are move availible than complete catridges.  I doubt any ammo manufactures are going to stand up to the California government like Barret did I can't see them switching over to many of their production line in a hurry.  And I doubt they would let you easy to find stuff like non-exspanding steel core.

Answer 7

As Irv so eloquently pointed out, microstamping and otherwise putting identifying information on ammunition has nothing to do with law enforcement, where it would be useless. And the lead in hunting bullets has not been shown to harm condors. These measures are simply a method of attempting to make ammunition hard to get. It's an old tactic. Decades ago, the anti's thought that if they failed in making guns illegal, they might tax or otherwise regulate ammunition out of existence, and these are just the latest methods of doing so.

And also, as others have pointed out, Barnes X solid copper bullets have been around a long time, but they're fairly expensive, and you may need to handload to take full advantage of them.

Answer 8

Micro-stamping.... another ploy to chip away at your 2nd Amendment rights.

If I were you, I'd either move, or work for change. Seems like the environmentalists have convinced your states legislature that all those lead bullets lying around is causing damage to wildlife. I bet more critters are killed in Kali by motor vehicles then spent bullets. How come you guys are still allowed to drive??