r/Californiahunting • u/LeastDerangedNowiFan • 1d ago
Ammo/gun question
Hi, never hunted before but i'm considering going after small game (rabbit/squirrel) next week. I read the 2026 mammal PDF and If i'm right, you could use a rifle, shotgun (3 rounds max), or pistol to hunt these things? I saw no mention of mag capacity other than the shotgun one so I'm assuming I can bring my legally owned +10 round mags. Also for the lead free part, this is what i'm seeing:
Prohibition on the Use of Lead Projectiles
and Ammunition Using Lead Projectiles
for the Take of Wildlife (T14 CCR §250.1)
(b) Definitions
(1) A projectile is any bullet, ball, sabot, slug, buckshot,
shot, pellet or other device that is expelled from a
firearm through a barrel by force.
(2) Nonlead ammunition is any centerfire, shotgun,
muzzleloading, or rimfire ammunition containing
projectiles certified pursuant to subsection (b)(3) or
subsection (f).
(3) Shotgun ammunition containing pellets composed
of materials approved as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, as identified in Section 507.1 of
these regulations, is considered certified.
(4) A nonlead projectile shall contain no more than one
percent lead by weight, as certified pursuant to
subsection (b)(3) or subsection (f).
(c) General Provisions
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is
unlawful to possess any projectile containing lead in
excess of the amount allowed in subsection (b)(4)
and a firearm capable of firing the projectile while
taking or attempting to take wildlife.
(2) The possession of a projectile containing lead in
excess of the amount allowed in subsection (b)(4)
without possessing a firearm capable of firing the
projectile is not a violation of this section.
(3) Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the
possession of concealable firearms containing lead
ammunition, provided that the firearm is possessed
for personal protection and is not used to take or
assist in the take of wildlife.
I don't see any part here that says the ammo NEEDS to be on the CA certified lead free list, just anything that the Federal gov says doesn't contain lead like any steel birdshot? The guns I might use come in wacky calibers like 5.7mm and 6.5 Carcano which do not have any approved rounds. I know that SS198LF 5.7mm ammo was designed to be lead-free for USGOV contracts, would I be able to get away with using it to take game?
Thanks.
