Lead Poisoning

[zero_chances]

I wish I would have known that lead was so bad for you when I was a kid. When I would shoot my pellet rifle, I would generaly carry a pellet or two between my lips if the hunting was good cause I had a single shot break barrel. I always was handling the little pellets, i remember my hand would get a silvery tint to it after a day of shooting. And also, lead dust would build up in the barrel and i remember blowing it out and it would make a lead dust cloud. I hope that I do not get messed up too bad from doing that. I am 17 now, was probably 11-14 were my big pellet gun years.

 

[obxned]

I went to schools that were proud to have asbestos to keep us all safe from fires, never sat in a car seat, drank water that wasn't purified and milk that was unpastuerized, didn't have seatbelts until I was way past 21, drove a Corvair, ate lots of fried foods and cow brains, and shot at indoor ranges that had no exhaust fans. My friends did too. None of us are dead or drooling idiots yet.

It is good to have an awareness of the problem, but there are much greater dangers out there to spend your time and energy worrying about.

 

[JohnL2]

Yeah, shooting is inherently risky with exposure to combusted chemicals, but I think or would hope that the ammo manufacturers are innovating as we speak to come out with new products to keep the dangers to a minimum.
I know my money is in my hand and my mind is on the lookout for these products.
Hmm, I wonder which is more toxic for you? Smoking an unfiltered cigarette or a shooting session with your average copperjacketed ammo?
Thank God I quit smoking long ago.

 

[K-Romulus]

lead-free ammo is around, but $$$

You can find "clean fire" ammo that uses lead-free primers and TMJ bullets from most manufacturers these days. Speer, Magtech, Winchester, Remington, and Fiocchi are all brands that I have seen (I like Magtech the best for price/quality). Not to mention the frangibles for rifles with the lead-free primers.

They are all more expensive than regular ammo, though, by a few dollars a box. The frangibles seem to be the most expensive; depending on the source it could be as much as twice the cost of FMJ. And you often have to hunt down online sources for frangible or TMJ since many gun shops don't stock them. And there is no lead-free ammo option for .22lr.

I remember seeing a recent press release mentioning that ATK/Federal (?) had come up with new, more reliable lead-free primer that would be phased into its regular ammo production since it was actually less expensive than leaded primers.

My online sources for lead-free ammo:

Sportsman's Guide for Magtech CleanRange 9mm (~$10/50) and .40 (~$13/50), prices with Club discount - and shipping is extra.

Ammoman for ATK/Federal's DOD-contract non-toxic/frangible 5.56 ($400/1000 shipped) (be sure it is stock# XM556NT1)

TTI Armory for its non-toxic/frangible .308 (~$17/20 + shipping). (I get about 1MOA with this at 300 yds, plenty good for an 8" plate)

These four are the only ammo that I shoot now. Since I can't afford to shoot as much as I used to, I just make "each round count."

 

[crazydog]

Great info !!!

Thank you all !!!