Co-founder and CEO, EcoBullet
Roland Polzin is the co-founder and CEO of EcoBullet, a veteran-owned ammunition company in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He served twelve years as an officer in the German Army's mechanized infantry, left as a captain in 2018, and is a certified military shooting instructor. He writes about lead exposure at the firing line, primers, and range training.
My background
I spent twelve years in the German Army, from 2006 to 2018, as an officer in the mechanized infantry (Panzergrenadiere). As deputy commander of a company of 140 soldiers, I was responsible for planning and running our training for deployment, and as a certified military shooting instructor, I have spent a large part of my career on firing ranges, behind the shooters.
I deployed to Afghanistan and Mali, and I hold a master's degree in education from Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg.
Why I started EcoBullet
Years on firing ranges leave a mark. Peter, my co-founder, and I both saw it: headaches after long range sessions, blood tests coming back with elevated lead levels, and fellow soldiers dealing with health issues that nobody connected to their time on the range.
Lead is toxic, and with conventional ammunition a shooter at the firing line breathes it in. The two main sources of airborne lead at the firing line are the primer, since conventional primers contain lead styphnate, and the exposed lead at the base of the bullet, which the hot gas strips off at ignition. Lead-free primers have existed for decades. We made them the standard in every box we sell, and we enclose the lead core of our 9mm and 300 Blackout bullets, including the base. Our goal is simple: keep lead away from the shooter.
I want to note that our .223 still uses an FMJ projectile with an open base while we test TMJs that meet our standards for precision and safety. However, all our ammo is designed and made to achieve Least-Lead Exposure™ for the shooter.
What I write about
- Lead exposure at the firing line and what actually reduces it
- Primers, bullet construction, and what "lead-free" means on a box
- Range training for individual shooters, ranges and agencies
Latest articles
- Lead-Free 9mm Ammo: Which Part Is Actually Lead-Free?
- Is There Subsonic 300 Blackout Ammo With a Lead-Free Primer?
- Who Makes Lead-Free Ammunition in the USA?
- Why Are Shooting Ranges Switching to Lead-Free Training Ammunition?
- Is Lead-Free Ammo as Reliable as Standard Ammo? What an Independent Test Found
- Does EcoBullet Ship Ammo to My State? 2026 State-by-State Guide
- Eco vs Regular! Independent Testing, Real Results (GBGuns test)
All of my articles, including the hunting and conservation guides, are on the EcoBullet blog.
Contact
Questions about our ammunition, or a topic you would like me to write about? Email info@ecobullet.us or connect with me on LinkedIn.