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YIKES!!! While searching for discs I came across this CL ad soliciting 78's for target practice claiming they are better for the environment. I'm not sure if this is true but I am certainly saddened by this possible demise of thousands of 78's.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/wan/3659308044.html

when i was in newealand i bought a big stack of 78's, some were broken, and some were apsolutaly terrible!, me and my cousin turned the air rifle on those so the weight was less in the suitcase on the way back home, there was only about 4 or 5, it was fun!, i would never shoot a good 78 though!, i dont see why they would be good for the environment!, i think they should be put to a stop!, its not like the 78s shatter or explode either, they just get a large hole punched in them!, they should just use real targets!,

If they tried that with Edison discs there could be some serious injuries caused by ricochets and shrapnel!

If you're a good enough shot, a .22 or an air rifle should go right through the center hole...

I thought about that. It would be my consistent excuse for missing entirely!

Years ago I received a number of classical 78 albums from a friend who knew of my interest. He was at an estate auction, and when several boxes of 78s came up for bid, the guy standing next to him said he was going to bid on the records to use for target practice. My friend couldn't bear the thought of this outrage, so he bid and won three boxes of albums, which he then gave to me. I think he said he paid a dollar a box!

I was browsing 78s at an antique store when another customer said he had lots of them and always uses them for target practice. That really pinched a nerve, so I asked him if he would sell them to me instead. He didn't even want to think about it.
Andreas

Phillistines.

Seems ironic that bubba-truck drivin', gun-totin', Nimrods should be so concerned about "the environment"...

Would someone please explain to me why clay pigeons are so "dangerous to the environment"... last time I checked, clay was a naturally-occuring "organic" material...

Of course it's all big BS, the only true statement was that they hope to get these 78s a lot cheaper than clay pidgeons. In large quantities they may be correct, since clay pigeons cost about 30-50 cents a piece in bulk, 78s in bulk may come cheaper. They probably found or think that they can get away with blasting shellac, but not vinyl. Can't get more earthly than clay though...
Andreas

Good lord.

Some of us... wait, how did you put it? Oh yes, "bubba-truck drivin', gun-totin', Nimrods" collect gramophones and occasionally browse this forum. Keep your bigotry to yourself, please.

Now, to answer your question....
Traditional clay pigeons contain 20 to 40 percent "pitch tar" (a residue from coal tar,) which is considered potentially carcinogenic. There are environmentally friendly biodegradable clay pigeons such as "GAFS" that do not contain the pitch which one could easily substitute in place of 78s.