Greetings,
Misfits at the MN Legislature introduce a lead ammo ban to coincide with a lead fishing tackle ban.  Please contact your legislator and senator.

HF3813 and 3792

MN Clay target league sent out a Fact sheet on these bills.  

-Recently a number of Minnesota State Representatives, and one Senator, have introduced legislation to ban lead-based ammunition in the state. Their proposed legislation specifically identifies that "...the league must adopt league rules that prohibit using lead ammunition and require using nontoxic ammunition at all shooting sport practices, competitions, training, and other events."

It's absurd as usual.

I don’t think it matters how nutty the proposal is.  Though the lead ban thing with the idea it will reduce or eliminate exposure to kids can be easily thrown back in their faces.  Follow the Science.  Oh yea.  There is none!  Unless the kids are eating shot shells their exposure to lead is zero.  Plus anyone that understands how a shotgun shell is constructed will know the pellets really don’t touch the barrel or travel with enough velocity/friction to produce lead gas.  I would be far more concerned with municipalities still using lead pipe for water delivery.  Duluth for one still has that problem.

Maybe the enlightened legislators can fund a study to actually find out if kids are exposed to lead in the normal course of a trap shooting season?  The easiest way to sink this ship is to speak their language and be fully in support of their ideas but with “science” to actually prove their point.  It would have to be multiple studies as it is too easy to cook the books.  More kids are exposed to lead paint and lead in the water than they ever could be exposed to it via trap shooting with far more damage.  The most dangerous things kids do.  DRIVE.  If we want to reduce that exposure as they want to with the lead…. simple solution.  Also prevent everyone from driving or traveling in cars until they are 25 when the injury/death rates start to decrease.  Every life matters and if we can stop putting 16-25 year olds in vehicles so many lives will be saved!  If any exposure to lead is harmful to kids then surely any exposure to a vehicle is even more dire.  Say I would totally support all weapons and ammunition whatever if they will author many bills removing any exposure to really anyone under 25 from being in a vehicle.  The science and data supports us doing everything possible to end the carnage and damage done to millions here in MN.

I don’t think there is much or any market for non toxic trap, skeet, 5-stand, and sporting clays shells.  Maybe the State of MN could provide all of the shells for the kids?  Or even half of the cost?  It is just nuts.  Say the cost of non-toxic trap loads is $30 per box.  With each kid shooting a minimum of 400 shells over a season.  With 13K kids just doing trap last spring… I think that comes out to about.about 6.2 million bucks.  Six million for more public charging stations for cars or paying for shot shells?  What is the priority?

Also there has been ZERO injuries from trap shooting and the other disciplines since the league began.  ZERO.

I am pissing in the wind.  We all have become complacent over many years.  It does nothing to send an email to someone that is so entrenched and from another planet.  They won’t listen until you understand their mindset and speak their language.  Once you do in a super friendly way they are always super easy to defeat.

Follow the Science.  Unless they want to go down that path… non starter.  Not that it will matter but everyone in the legislature took an oath when then took office to defend the Constitution of the US and the MN Constitution.  How many can list just a few items from the Bill of Rights?  Plus out of all the priorities in the state, does anyone really think some of these firearms proposals are the highest priorities.  More people are negatively impacted by fentanyl across the entire state and die on a daily basis then are negatively impacted by lead exposure that almost certainly does not exist for HS, recreational, and competitive trap shooters.

I believe my daughter put about 15K shells through her tubes last year in competition and practice.  Her bloodwork is normal.  She also has a 3.98 overall GPA graduating this spring from HS.  She already is in college as a PSEO student.  She has one class at her HS.  Band.  I am so sorry and disappointed the author of the bill could not get this moving earlier.  It could have saved my daughter and countless others…

I bet Christmas dinner is interesting at your house