Pentagon spends millions seeking environmentally friendly bullets

The Independent (U.K.) ^ | 09/05/03 | Andrew Buncombe

[Pokey78]

The Pentagon is spending millions of dollars to develop "environmentally friendly" lead-free bullets for all of the US Armed Forces.

They will still kill you, the thinking seems to be, but the environment will not suffer so much. "[With lead bullets], there is a cost in health, human safety and clean-up," said Bob DiMichele, a spokesman for the US Army's environmental centre. "This is not a fire-and-forget kind of thing. Eventually, we have to pay somebody to go out there and clean up that lead."

The Pentagon is paying Minnesota-based Alliant, the world's largest ammunition maker, $5m (£3.2m) to develop lead-free combat bullets.

This year, the company won a $25m contract from the US Air Force for copper polymer bullets that will not ricochet if fired in an urban area.

The army had been testing unleaded bullets for target ranges. The new bullets would also be for combat. "We want [Alliant] to develop one lead-free bullet that will work all the time," said Mr DiMichele. "One that can kill you or that you can shoot a target with and that's not an environmental hazard. We are talking about green ammunition for pistols, rifles and machine guns."

Mark de Young, Alliant's vice-president, said that finding a lead-free alternative was not straightforward. "It's just harder to make good bullets without lead," he said. "We are trying to replicate the good performance of lead, but what we have is not as good. If lead were not toxic, we would not be having this conversation. It's the best."

[demlosers]

Oh great a PC bullet.

[meadsjn]

I wonder where lead came from before it was turned into bullets. It's a good thing that it doesn't occur naturally or we'd all be in danger!

[NJ Freeper]

Everytime I think I've read it all, along comes a story like this to prove me wrong.

[anobjectivist]

Ooohh they're not as affective...now every target that has kevlar or some other protection is that much safer.

Won't there also be a range penalty?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[templar]

"This is not a fire-and-forget kind of thing. Eventually, we have to pay somebody to go out there and clean up that lead."

Are there any genuine studies that show that lead from bullets, particularly FMJ military bullets, presents an environmental hazzard?

[rangerX]

Another Pentagon circus. Aliant is a powder and firearm maker, not a bullet maker. Barnes has been selling solid copper bullets for hunting for years, and they work great. I can't believe they would pay $25 Mil to have these guys build a new bullet from scratch when just about any reloader would go out and buy a Barnes X-bullet. They make them from .224 caliber up to .458 caliber. Idiots.

[Rudder]

Very simple solution:

Use gold. Never will they have to spend money to police a war zone and the money being used to develop a lead alternative will pay for the gold used.

[Lurker]

That's exactly what I thought. Barnes Copper Solids.

I guess the Pentagon doesn't get the Midway Catalog.

L

[rangerX]

Barnes is advertising a new 168 grain solid in .308 that they say will drive tacks at 1000 yards. May have to see how my Savage like it.

[Lurker]

Really? I use the Sierra 168 gr Match King in my M1A, but I worry about penetration because of its HP design.

Are they available yet? Are their loads for them?

I may have to try a couple of hundred of those out.

(Oh great, another bullet means another powder means more time at the range working up the load.... Good thing Mrs. L likes to shoot as much as I do)

Thanks for the heads up.

Regards,

L

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[zygoat]

What about all those sinkers and splitshot littering our riverbeds, lake beds and the ocean? I guess I'd better shut up in case those whackos' monitor this site.

[rangerX]

Here's the link


http://www.barnesbullets.com/whats_new/match_grade.htm

[Lurker]

Thanks very much.

Now I wonder how much they cost......

L

[MD_Willington_1976]

The military already has SLAP (Saboted Light Armor Penetrator) ammo, I know they have it in .50 cal but dont they have it in smaller calibers? I have seen it for sale for civilian use, maybe online or in Shotgun news.

Besides they need all that lead for the batteries in electric cars "</sarcasm

[RippleFire]

More details here - http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/4075320.html . They are making tungsten bullets. The tungsten comes from China.

[ElkGroveDan]

Remember the Lone Ranger? He used silver bullets! Maybe the Army could try that. Sure they cost more -- and they require more powder to propel them with the same kinetic energy, but they don't contain lead.

Maybe we could make bullets out of flower petals? Instead of gun powder, we could just throw them at the enemy...

[Oztrich Boy]

silver bullets! Maybe the Army could try that

Use gold.

tungsten bullets.

Would Depleted Uranium be a solution?