How much of the strong negative reaction was because of the well-funded efforts of the NRA to use scare mongering tactics to increase the sales of guns and ammo?  I have plenty of guns but I think the NRA is a bunch of scammers who are in it for their own jobs and as an arm of the gun manufacturers to make them more money.  
I use barnes copper bullets and they work great for me.  No issue whatsoever.  Lead is poison.  no disputing that.  If we can use less, then we should.