Minimizing Lead Exposure

[JV_2108]

Easy enough to wash hands, maybe even your face after shooting.

Shooting outdoors would seem preferable to indoors in terms of exposure.

Ammo - FMJ would seem to be a way to help when it fits your shooting needs or sport requirements. There's also some Winchester WinClean stuff I've seen.

What ideas do you folks have and/or extent do you go to?

If FMJ is a big help, is there anything in 22 LR, or do you need to move up to 22 mag (saw nothing 22LR FMJ in the Natchez catalog)?

[P. Plainsman]

My thoughts:

* FMJ / WinClean / Federal American Eagle non-toxic ammo are all good ideas for practice. I find the Fed AE NT 9mm ammo surprisingly accurate and decent stuff.

* Wear disposable latex gloves when cleaning guns and wash your hands thoroughly before and after cleaning. I fear we underestimate the lead exposure risk in gun cleaning. Stray lead dust landing on your skin at the range is bad enough; how about lead fouling suspended in solvent? Terry Murbach once wrote here that he tends to let his sixguns go hundreds or thousands of rounds without cleaning; shoots them until they genuinely "need it." I'm starting to move a little in his direction. I don't clean after every session anymore.

* Shoot outdoors as much as you can.

* Wear a hat while shooting. Always wash face, hands and arms thoroughly with soap and cold water after you shoot, especially if you are prone to stop off for a post-range-session burger and beer, as I am. I wash my hair too, especially if I've been shooting without a hat.

[22-rimfire]

I thought I would post some of the dangers for the metal lead from an MSDS sheet in case some are not aware of these things

Inhalation:

Lead can be absorbed through the respiratory system. Local irritation of bronchia and lungs can occur and, in cases of acute exposure, symptoms such as metallic taste, chest and abdominal pain, and increased lead blood levels may follow. See also Ingestion.
Ingestion:
POISON! The symptoms of lead poisoning include abdominal pain and spasms, nausea, vomiting, headache. Acute poisoning can lead to muscle weakness, "lead line" on the gums, metallic taste, definite loss of appetite, insomnia, dizziness, high lead levels in blood and urine with shock, coma and death in extreme cases.
Skin Contact:
Lead and lead compounds may be absorbed through the skin on prolonged exposure; the symptoms of lead poisoning described for ingestion exposure may occur. Contact over short periods may cause local irritation, redness and pain.
Eye Contact:
Absorption can occur through eye tissues but the more common hazards are local irritation or abrasion.
Chronic Exposure:
Lead is a cumulative poison and exposure even to small amounts can raise the body's content to toxic levels. The symptoms of chronic exposure are like those of ingestion poisoning; restlessness, irritability, visual disturbances, hypertension and gray facial color may also be noted.

[brickeyee]

"Wear disposable latex gloves..."

Latex is useless against the solvents and oils used in firearms cleaning and maintenance.
Use nitrile (usually blue) for at least some protection.

[P. Plainsman]

Latex is useless against the solvents and oils used in firearms cleaning and maintenance.
"Useless," eh? I'm listening, but you're gonna have to hum a few bars of that. I use one pair for each cleaning session and then dispose of them. Hands don't smell like solvent when the gloves are removed and the visible dark fouling on the gloves is not visible on the skin. My blood lead level went down when I started cleaning with latex gloves.

But correlation isn't causation. I also stopped shooting indoors around the same time. As I said, I'm listening.

[JV_2108]

"Useless," eh? I'm listening, but you're gonna have to hum a few bars of that. I use one pair for each cleaning session and then dispose of them. Hands don't smell like solvent when the gloves are removed and the visible dark fouling on the gloves is not visible on the skin. My blood lead level went down when I started cleaning with latex gloves.

But correlation isn't causation. I also stopped shooting indoors around the same time. As I said, I'm listening.

From your description (no solvent smell or staining on your hands), it sounds like you're getting pretty good protection. However, nitrile will generally afford better protection to many solvents and oils.

I'm familiar with glove selection to afford chemical resistance as part of my job. If we anticipate a particular potential chemical exposure scenario, we make sure the gloves meet the need. Here's a chart comparing glove types vs solvent protection. http://www.tasco-safety.com/workgloves/chem.html

The trouble is these charts typically address specific chemical compounds and not Nitro-solv or Copper Cutter (?) or the gun oils that folks here use. And they don't address mixtures. Anyone have info on the composition of some of these cleaners and oils? A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) should be available from each manufacturer and help in working this out.

[brickeyee]

Latex is not effectiove against petroleum based solvents/liquids.
"Not recommended where open flame is present and not effective against oil, grease or petroleum products or high concentration derivatives of these products."

These are the typical solvnets used in gun cleaning.

[HSMITH]

JHP or TMJ bullets are far better for lead exposure reduction than FMJ. FMJ has an exposed lead base, and lead vapor is released when shooting them.

Another big one if you reload, tumbler media. Change it frequently, don't handle it, don't breath the dust. Generally treat your tumbler media like lead dust.

[HUMAN HUNTER]

WHEN WASHING YOUR HANDS ALWAYS USE COLD WATER HOT WATER WILL OPEN THE POURS IN YOUR SKIN AND ALLOW THE LEAD IN.