Now we're told that 'green' ammo is toxic

First, we're told that lead ammunition is toxic, and must be banned. Now, we're being told that the tungsten in the "green" alternative is carcinogenic.

In the 1990's the U.S. Army introduced a new set of "green" training ammunition designed to be less toxic and more environmentally friendly than the lead-filled rounds used before. But these new bullets may have left firing ranges contaminated and exposed soldiers to a new health hazard. Soon-to-be-released research suggests that a key element in the new ammo, once thought to be safe, may in fact be carcinogenic. The Army has stopped production of the bullets.

More than 90 million rounds of the "green" [pdf file] training ammunition has been used in the United States, since its introduction. It relies on a blend of tungsten and nylon, or tungsten and tin. That gives the bullets the same density and firing properties as the original, but without using lead. Tungsten was considered non-toxic. And it was thought to be "non-mobile," unlikely to dissolve and travel, so it wouldn't get into the groundwater.

But new research by University of Arizona Research Professor of Pediatrics Mark Witten points to a different conclusion: Tungsten may elevate the risk for cancer.

Sounds as if the only alternative is to ban ammo--all of it.

At times like this, I can't help but remember the story of Texas Ranger Charlie Miller:

Texas Ranger Charlie Miller was minding his own business when a concerned citizen came up to him, noted the hammer cocked back on the big 1911 dangling from the Ranger's belt, and asked, "Isn't that dangerous?" Charlie replied, "I wouldn't carry the son-of-a-bitch if it wasn't dangerous."

Exactly. Being "dangerous" is kinda the point of guns and ammunition. If someone you shoot lives long enough to die of cancer, I figure he got a reprieve.