Steeling the show – tackling steel shot at the British Shooting Show

Tweed, camouflage and fleece gilet clad punters gathered at the NEC last week for the 2024 British Shooting Show, where the newest offerings from the biggest brands in shooting were on display. The Countryside Alliance was also there, covering many of the hot topics which face shooting, one of which was the lead to steel shot transition.

The main four shotgun cartridge manufacturers had stands at the show, featuring their latest technologies and additions to their range of steel shot cartridges. This comes at a critical time for the shooting sector as we approach the fourth anniversary of the announcement by shooting organisations of the voluntary transition away from lead shot and single use plastics for the shooting of live quarry with shotguns.

We are now four years into the voluntary transition, and there is a risk of complacency, or even disregard creeping into the minds of some in the shooting community, with an HSE ban potentially giving a further five extra years for the transition away from lead shot. In truth, five years of transition is necessary to enable a full switch in production away from lead for all cartridges, with clay pigeon shooting loads making up the majority. However, the necessity for game shooting to transition away from lead as quickly as possible remains, and any complacency could seriously harm the credibility of game shooting. With the now good availability of non-lead cartridges, the Alliance urges all those who care about the future of shooting to observe the voluntary transition period, which culminates at the end of the coming shooting season. Sticking to the voluntary transition period is key for many good reasons, such as getting game onto the plates of as many families in Britain as possible, and showing those who seek to restrict shooting that we are a responsible community, one that has grasped the initiative.

As seen at the British Shooting Show, there are now lead-free cartridges that are suitable for every gun in proof, from 19^th century hammer guns to the latest over-and-under, with many more products coming to the market in the near future. The four best-known cartridge manufacturers in Britain have all introduced biodegradable wads for steel-shot cartridges, some of which dissolve in water, some decompose more similarly to wood, and all are harmless to the environment. Such is the confidence in these biodegradable wads that one of the manufacturers will also be using discs of their new biodegradable wadding in some lead loads, claiming that not only do they function more effectively than fibre, but they are also better for the environment.

Over the last few seasons, steel shot has been proven to be just as lethal as lead, even at range. Therefore, rather than waiting for lead shot to be banned, move to steel or other non-toxic loads this coming season.

Image: British Shooting Show