The restriction came into law when the REACH (Amendment) Regulations 2026 took effect on 1 April 2026, and the deadline is 1 April 2029: from that date lead shot can neither be placed on the market nor used. The 2029-30 game season is the first that cannot be shot with lead. One carve-out survives: elite athletes, as defined in the legislation, keep a conditional exemption for lead shot.
Lead shot’s end date is set: 1 April 2029.
The 2028-29 season will be the last with lead in the bag for clay and game shooting, with only limited exemptions remaining. The message from the HSE is clear: a successful switch depends on preparation.Now is the time to test alternatives, check patterns and make sure your gun and cartridges are ready.Have you started trying non-lead loads?