Non-Toxic Lead Replacement Material
Lead has been used as a projectile material since the development of gunpowder. It is heavy, malleable and cheap. It is also highly toxic and many countries are bringing in legislation banning lead for use in cartridge shot and fishing weights. In the UK and many parts of Europe waterfowl can only be hunted with non-toxic shot. Alternatives such as tin and steel have much lower specific gravities than that of lead, resulting in reduced range and wider patterning.
We have developed a tungsten-polymer blend that is easily compounded and which can be extruded, profiled and injection moulded. It is available in specific gravities of up to 11.3, the same as lead. Cartridges loaded with this tungsten-polymer shot have been shown to have excellent ballistics and energy transfer to the target.
Bullets made from tungsten-polymer have been fired at over 1000m/sec and development of jacketed bullet cores is now underway.
The material has found extensive use in the USA for injection moulded fishing weights.