Lead Poisoning Question

It is a very real concern.

My lead levels are elevated, at 19 micro-grams/deciliter.

I get tested annually at the VA.

I get my lead tested every year or two regardless of where I am shooting. I wouldn't assume anything and just get tested. It takes all of 2 minutes.

annual lead test at my physical.

TomJ said:

Can I correctly assume that shooting there for an hour and a half once every 30 to 60 days is not a cause for concern? I understand that without knowing how high the lead levels are may make this difficult to answer.

Click to expand...

I would not shoot there at all. If you know someone who has high lead levels from exposure in that environment, I would stay the heck away.

What do you know about that range? Do you know the lead levels in the air, on the surfaces? Probably not.

My experience is that I do have elevated lead levels. And it has gone up 0.7 in four months. I believe my greatest exposure is due to indoor 50 foot bullseye shooting. My other Bullseye shooting is outside. At one range, one side is more or less enclosed. There is a wall behind the shooting line with some large "window" openings. I shot a regional in the enclosed area and my lead levels shot up to 12. I have no idea if it due to one exposure or to many, but since then I shoot in the area with no wall behind the firing line.

Lead exposure is no joke. The greatest source of exposure, to a shooter, is cast lead bullets out of a firearm. Followed by lead from the primer. These particles are out in front of you, you breathe them, they go right into your blood stream through your lungs. People die of lead poisoning, it will ruin your nervous system, lead is no joke.

Here are some references on lead and shooting ranges


Reducing Exposure to Lead and Noise at Outdoor Firing Ranges

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2013-104/pdfs/2013-104.pdf.

Preventing Occupational Exposures to Lead and Noise at Indoor Firing Ranges

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-136/pdfs/2009-136.pdf

Lead Poisoning and the Shooter,

Oct 2014 Shooting Sports, page 32 for article

www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nra/ssusa_201410/

Loaded with Lead: How gun ranges poison workers and shooters
Seattle Times 17 Oct 2014

http://projects.seattletimes.com/2014/loaded-with-lead/about/

Pro Tip: How to Deal With Lead Exposure

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/pro-tip-how-to-deal-with-lead-exposure/

LEAD POISONING – It can happen to you

http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Heider/LeadHazards.htm

Every annual at the beginning of the year - it's a simple blood test

Ways to minimize lead exposure.

ALWAYS wash your hands after shooting, handling cases, cleaning guns, reloading, etc.

If shooting at an extended event or outing wash hands often or use D-Lead wipes or at the very least Handicap-Wipes.
D-Lead wipes and info can be found here:
https://esca-tech.com/ProductList.php?category=1100

They can also be found on Amazon.

Do not eat while doing the above.

If you reload and use tumbling media to clean brass wear dust masks when pouring media / cases into / out of sieve or separator. Wash hands afterwards.

Using these tips and only shooting at indoor ranges that have very good air filtration I keep my lead levels at below the minimum measurable amounts when having my blood tested. My levels are always < 2 mcg/dL.

You can also have your water tested to see if lead pipes are leeching into your drinking water.

If such is the case, at the minimum a good filter is required.

I wear those blue nitrile gloves not only when cleaning, but also when handling brass from the tumbler. If I know that I am only shooting revolvers for fun at the range, I'll even wear them shooting. Simply peel them off and no lead residue

There is a serious problem in the SOF community with lead content in shoot houses.

This is something good to learn about.
I figured my only risk was when I am bullet casting. So I don't do that too frequently.
I didn't realize the small lead particles laying in the air after you shoot cast bullets.

Slamfire, how often do you reload and shoot your cast bullet reloads?

Funny, true story.

A year or so ago, I was sufficiently concerned with the issue that I went to my personal doctor for lead-level testing. I shoot (or hang out) at a local indoor range three or four or more days a week, and the RSOs are regularly tested; I figured I would, too.

Now my doctor is a good gun guy and long-time friend. He texted me when the test results came back:

"Your blood lead levels are too low. I prescribe more time on the range!"

Who am I to disregard the medical advice of my doctor....

BOARHUNTER

Pat Riot said:

Ways to minimize lead exposure.

ALWAYS wash your hands after shooting, handling cases, cleaning guns, reloading, etc.

If shooting at an extended event or outing wash hands often or use D-Lead wipes or at the very least Handicap-Wipes.
D-Lead wipes and info can be found here:
https://esca-tech.com/ProductList.php?category=1100

They can also be found on Amazon.

Do not eat while doing the above.

If you reload and use tumbling media to clean brass wear dust masks when pouring media / cases into / out of sieve or separator. Wash hands afterwards.

Using these tips and only shooting at indoor ranges that have very good air filtration I keep my lead levels at below the minimum measurable amounts when having my blood tested. My levels are always < 2 mcg/dL.

Click to expand...

To add to this one thing that I learned is that it's recommended to wash your hands with cold water. This closes your pores so less of it comes through your skin.

TomJ said:

Thanks for the responses. I’ll avoid that range going forward.

Click to expand...

I know of a range that was sued by their employees for elevated lead levels in the range and shop.

I’ve always sort of brushed this off unless there was clearly poor ventilation or there was a large amount of lead visibility on my hands.

I’ll take better precaution now

The primary source of lead poisoning is the lead particles that get on your hands and then are transferred to your mouth and get ingested.

We can also carry lead residue into our homes from range activity and pass it on to household surfaces, where the kids get it on their hands... and then into their mouths. Kids are a lot more sensitive to lead poisoning and it can affect the development of their little brains.

The lead mostly comes from hot burning powder releasing lead vapor or particles from the bullets it contacts. This happens with lead bullets but also can come from jacketed bullets with an open lead core at their rear. Lead also comes from fired primers that have lead styphnate in them. The lead residue dispersed into the air is deposited on the gun, the shells, hands, face, hair, clothing, hats, shooting bags, shoes, etc.

Wash hands and face immediately. Take a shower and wash hair (before you lay your head on your pillow) every time you shoot. Also, put clothes in the wash (after shaking them out, outside) as soon as you return from the range. Keep shoes worn at the range out of the house, too, washing them off from time to time.

If you handload, wear gloves or wash immediately after handling bullets or shells. Consider using coated or plated bullets. It is a good idea to wear a face filter mask and have good ventilation if you melt lead to mold bullets.
.
If you shoot a lot, consider getting a blood test for lead periodically - as others have mentioned.

Sorry for the "lecture" tone of this post (I have school teacher genes from my parents) but I think this is a totally overlooked hazard at most ranges - and few people who shoot think about the potential impact of lead on their kids. Oh, and I got tested last year and had elevated lead levels -- I shoot about once every two weeks at an indoor range.

What makes lead insidious is that it's cumulative. Once it's in your organs, it's there for the rest of your life, and the amount can increase, but it does not decrease.

Less exposure, by any amount, therefore, is better.

I never really paid particularly close attention to it until I noticed one day at the (indoor) range that I kept noticing a sweet taste in the air, as if someone broke open a packet of powdered sweetener. I left promptly after suspecting it was lead related (remembering from my HS chemistry days that lead is sweet).

I am much more careful these days, especially now having a child and casting my own projectiles from wheel weights.

the romans used lead in food to improve its flavor. the women used it as makeup. they even cooked in lead pots. and their clay jars had lead in them to hold them together.

Jammersix said:

What makes lead insidious is that it's cumulative. Once it's in your organs, it's there for the rest of your life, and the amount can increase, but it does not decrease.

Less exposure, by any amount, therefore, is better.

Click to expand...

I am pretty sure that we had another discussion here at THR a few months back that indicated that the body does process & eliminate lead , to a degree.

this is really informative, may have my level done. if you take high doses of vitamin e it will make your body retain lots of the lead you take in.

Catman42 said:

the romans used lead in food to improve its flavor. the women used it as makeup. they even cooked in lead pots. and their clay jars had lead in them to hold them together.

Click to expand...

No wonder their empire collapsed.

460Shooter said:

No wonder their empire collapsed.

Click to expand...

Yeah what was the average life expectancy? 50? Lol