Rifle shooting’s three-year lead countdown

Implementation dates confirmed for lead restrictions

The Government has set the dates for banning the sale and use of lead ammunition in Britain. Parliamentary under-secretary of state Emma Hardy has signed off the regulations, fixing 1 April 2029 as the date from which most of the new restrictions will apply.

The rules for rifle shooters are carefully defined. For live quarry shooting, the threshold for the lead ban falls at 6.17mm and above, encompassing larger calibres. However, smaller calibres, such as the popular .22 rimfire and .22 centrefire, remain unaffected. Airgun pellets are also exempt. 

Outdoor target rifle shooters, meanwhile, face a shorter, two-year deadline for ditching lead: 1 April 2028. But the option of sticking to lead remains open to them, as long as they use it on a registered range with lead recovery measures in place.

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Sector reaction mixed

The sector’s response has been mixed. Welcoming the smaller calibre and airgun exemptions, Niall Gallagher, technical compliance manager at the British Pest Control Association, said: “It’s particularly important for pest professionals that small-calibre rifles and airgun pellets remain outside the scope of these restrictions, as these are commonly used tools for controlling pest species safely and effectively.”

Focusing more on what is in scope rather than what is outside it, BASC expressed disappointment that the threshold would bring the commonly used .243 within the scope of the restrictions. “This risks adversely affecting around 60,000 deer stalkers,” warned deputy director of shooting operations Terry Behan, who added: “If the Government wants an effective deer management policy, it must ensure that deer managers have access to the appropriate tools to do the job.” 

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Clarity welcomed despite concerns

If little else, the timeline’s announcement brought much-needed certainty to an industry long overshadowed by the impending ban. “The confirmed implementation dates now provide clarity for the sector,” said Mr Behan. “BASC will support our members and the wider shooting community as we adapt to these changes and transition responsibly to non-lead alternatives,” he said.