Hunters’ Guide to Complying with California’s New Lead Ammunition Restrictions

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015

The National Rifle Association (NRA) and its affiliate, the California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA), are now distributing the Hunters’ Guide to Complying With California’s Lead Ammunition Restrictions. This helpful and important guide serves as a comprehensive resource for hunters who need to know about California’s lead ammunition restrictions. The guide will aid hunters in navigating California’s complex lead ammunition regulations especially when using traditional lead ammunition for hunting while it remains legal in certain areas for a limited time.

As previously reported, the new law will require the use of non-lead ammunition for all hunting statewide beginning July 1, 2019. In the years leading up to the total statewide ban, lead ammunition use for hunting will be incrementally restricted in phases. The guide explains each of the three phases in detail, and will help hunters comply with these patchwork restrictions as they take effect.

The guide’s centerpiece is the Phased Implementation Lead Ban Compliance Table, which can be used as a quick reference to determine whether a particular hunt will require using non-lead ammunition. Other portions of the guide detail the potential issues arising from using lead ammunition, as well as some of the law’s more subtle nuances that create legal traps for the unwary.

The NRA and CRPA have made the Guide available to the public free of charge. We recommend that you always consult the electronic, rather than a printed version of the guide because regulations may change and the guide may be updated. If you do not see the answer to a question you have or believe there is an error in this guide, please provide feedback to: contact@crpa.org.

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