Lead poisoning?

[LastManOut]

Has anyone ever heard about lead poisoning from shooting lead bullets? The ignition of the powder with the lead causing fumes that can harm women of child bearing age? Lead in primers? Lead in powder?

I've heard some strange ones before, but this may be odd enough to be true.

[soberbyker]

Has anyone ever heard about lead poisoning from shooting lead bullets? The ignition of the powder with the lead causing fumes that can harm women of child bearing age? Lead in primers? Lead in powder?

I've heard some strange ones before, but this may be odd enough to be true.

http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ehs/msds/lead.html

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owad...MBLES&p_id=949

[chalmitch]

When getting blood test by the family quack you need toASK to have a lead titer drawn. It is a specialized test in a brown colored tube. I work around DC motors with carbon brushes, the binding agent inthe brush is lead. Allowable is 10, mine is at 15. You only need testing every other year.

Best regards,
chalmitch

[RandomTask]

When shooting outdoors, I wouldn't worry about lead vapors. Don't use lead ammo indoors.
No mater where you shoot, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling any lead ammo.

[LastManOut]

Wow! Thanks for the info. I wouldn't have thunk it. The guy that gave me this info said he bought cartridges with fully copper jacket bullets for when his daughter shoots. He mentioned the lead-free primers as well.

[MarcS]

To reduce your lead exposure:

-Shoot outdoors whenever possible or find a very well ventilated indoor range
-Wash your hands immediately after shooting in cold water. cold water constricts the pores in your skin so less absorbs
-Wear gloves when cleaning your guns. Most gun solvents are none too good for you either.

[1927A1]

When casting either work outdoors, or have a good ventilated hood over the pot to pull heat/lead out of the building. I gave up on casting years ago after reading a report on lead vapors.

The thought of solvents ran through my mind the last time I cleaning my pistol. Six years ago my father passed away from bone cancer that was linked to the solvents he used in the printing industry.

[MarcS]

The thought of solvents ran through my mind the last time I cleaning my pistol. Six years ago my father passed away from bone cancer that was linked to the solvents he used in the printing industry.

Frankly, i just clean my glock in hot soapy water.

[autorim]

Yes, it is a real threat. You have already received good advice. Just make SURE that the ventilation system is on and operating properly if you shoot on a indoor range. Exhaust fans are powerful and use lots of electricity. If the range owner is on demand metering, they may be reluctant or refuse to turn the fans on until other power usage is low. Ask the operator.

Reloading with a progressive loader can expose you to handling lots of lead bullets. Do not eat or drink while you are loading and wash thoroughly when finished.

[Farbmeister]

Most lead is NOT from bullets. The PRIMING compound has lead sulfate (or some other lead compound). The small bit of lead that comes off the bullet is going down range. FAST. The lead in the primer is siting right with you.

This explains why reloaders get high lead levels in their blood. Tumbling cases with the spent primer in place agitates lets all the lead out. Ditto when you deprime.

Lead on a bullet will come off on your fingers, but typically it does not get airborne or ingested unless you lick/eat/drink from your grubby paws.

So stop sucking on cast boolits like they are hard candy, and the uber safe will tumble/decap or remove the tumble media outside instead of letting that big ol'e cloud of dust in the house.