UK Government Proposal
On 10 July 2025, the UK Government announced new legislation to ban lead in ammunition for most uses across England, Scotland, and Wales. Legislation is expected by summer 2026. Exemptions will apply in certain cases, including for small calibres, airguns, shooting ranges, military and police use, elite sport, and museum collections.

Terry Behan, deputy director of shooting operations for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) emphasised that the shooting sector had already initiated a voluntary transition back in 2020 alongside other countryside organisations. However, they argue that moving from five to three years, especially for shotgun cartridges, is too rapid given supply constraints and urged the Government to mirror the Health & Safety.

BASC has succeeded in securing exemptions for small calibres, airguns, and shooting range usage, but remains critical of reclassifying calibres ≥6.17 mm (.243) as “large,” noting this could disrupt deer management, impacting thousands of stalkers and undermining broader conservation and food production efforts. They also highlight their successful voluntary lead-free transition since 2020, strong industry progress (e.g., over 150 sustainable cartridge types now available), and urge for a phased and flexible approach that recognises ammunition availability and preserves rural shooting’s role in environmental stewardship.

Fore more, see: https://basc.org.uk/basc-response-to-lead-ammunition-ban/