They are solid brass machined so no problem to use them reversed and no lead so you could try some if it would help your problem. They are expensive though!

Most brass has some lead in it. The local hardware store had to throw away all of their existing stock of brass plumbing fittings that were not certified 'California AB1953' (lead free) a few years back.

The only bullets listed by Cutting Edge as 'lead free' are their pure copper offerings (link below).

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Somewhere (can't find it now) I recently found a board where someone had emailed Cutting Edge inquiring about their brass projectiles and the reply was that they are not 'lead free', but that they may make them so in the future.

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