Lead poisoning...

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The funny thing is when people see a casting pot RCBS, Lyman or Lee; there like it's so small. Yes, we don't us a lead smeller.
 
I have been fooling with molten lead since I was 17 (78 now) and after I started reloading I was getting regular physicals I got them to include testing for lead. After the third or fourth year the tests were normal my doctor asked why the lead concerns. I explained why and he said it was pointless unless I had my behavior a lot. And I have shot only once in an indoor range.
 
I spent many years writing and reading pointless government memos. No physical ill effects but I’m absolutely nuts as a result.

I’m close to an annual check up and for once I’m going to ask they check for lead.

Actually I shoot only at two ranges (both indoor), one is the NRA HQ and the other more modern still. They each say the air handling is the best available. Who really knows?
 
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As a follow up from my indoor range shooting...NRA HQ does allow cast bullet shooting and the few times I’ve shot cast bullets the great billow of sooty smoke travels quickly AWAY from the firing line. But the range is so brightly lit it’s embarrassing to cause all that smoke so I quit with cast bullets.
 
I have my lead levels tested every physical. And it is always between 10 and 15. I have not cast bullets in a decade or more, my lead is from breathing in elemental lead blown out of the muzzle of firearms.

The OSHA standard in the workplace is 50 micrograms of lead per cubic meter, averaged for an eight hour day.

Each 158 grain lead bullet blown out of 38 Special spews 5641 micrograms per shot

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Just look how much of that is lead from the primer, which is why lead free primers are on the market. I don't know the numbers, but shooting plated or jacketed bullet and using lead free primers will reduce the amount of elemental lead in front of your face.

these numbers are from old reports, they are for reference.

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this is a 1970's indoor range, in which pistol and smallbore shooters used in the winter time. The only ventilation are two standard sized doors, one far right, and the other on the right out of the camera view. Even today, leaving this room leaves a lead taste in the mouth. Can't image what it was like with ten to 20 shooters blazing away.

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Has anyone else had issues with elevated lead in their body?
Have you gotten tested?
Do you test regularly?
Why did you get tested in the first place?

Yes
Yes
Yes
I was shooting at an indoor range and saw a thread here that suggested you get tested.

I was WAY high. (>60 μg/dL)
I traced the issue to the indoor range I used to shoot at.

Stopped going there and levels came down over time.
Still reload and shoot (but don't cast) no issues once I quit the indoor range.

Edit: If you shoot at an indoor range probably a good idea to get tested.
I felt fine even though my levels were high.
 
Thanks to everyone who has posted in this thread.

I realize that this subject has been brought up before (maybe many times before) but I see no harm in revisiting it from time to time to keep us honest with good habits.

Not to mention the influx of new shooters who may be considering taking the logical next steps of reloading and casting.
 
It would seem that the more dangerous source is aerosolized lead from indoor shooting ranges?

I'd like to take an incense stick and see the direction of the airflow at my local indoor range, but that would probably get me kicked out.



Not sure how many people are aware, but the most expensive physical component of an indoor range is the ventilation system (certifications are another pile of dough)...
 
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Y-T71 said:
I realize that this subject has been brought up before (maybe many times before) but I see no harm in revisiting it from time to time to keep us honest with good habits.
Click to expand...

No harm in that...

We always benefit from a mirror that reflects our poorer, less refined tendencies and shortcomings brightly.
 
Y-T71 said:
I realize that this subject has been brought up before (maybe many times before) but I see no harm in revisiting it from time to time
Click to expand...
Y-T71 said:
Not to mention the influx of new shooters who may be considering taking the logical next steps of reloading and casting.
Click to expand...
Whether or not reloading (let alone casting) is the next "logical step" after taking up shooting is also a subject that has been brought up many times before. I personally don't think it is.
And I love handloading. I used to cast too - before I got lazy and started buying all of my bullets, instead of just the jacketed ones. ;)
 
The Glockodile said:
It would seem that the more dangerous source is aerosolized lead from indoor shooting ranges?

I'd like to take an incense stick and see the direction of the airflow at my local indoor range, but that would probably get me kicked out.



Not sure how many people are aware, but the most expensive physical component of an indoor range is the ventilation system...
Click to expand...


Take some talc with you. it want take much to see what the air flow is.

When I shot at a indoor range, it was always early in the morning. I check for air flow all the time. A lot of times they failed to get all of the air handling equipment turned on. If there was a problem I moved to a different part of lanes since they had multiple zones.
 
.308 Norma said:
Whether or not reloading (let alone casting) is the next "logical step" after taking up shooting is also a subject that has been brought up many times before. I personally don't think it is.
And I love handloading. I used to cast too - before I got lazy and started buying all of my bullets, instead of just the jacketed ones. ;)
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I certainly agree in these parts anyway.

Pre-pandemic when I’d hang out at the range before and after shooting I met/saw only a very few reloaders—maybe 2 employees and waay less than 10% of the shooters scrambling around picking up brass. No one shot nor cast their own bullets. The reloading guys at the gunshows didn’t even sell casting related stuff.

Of course ammo was comparatively cheap in those days and the perceived cost savings from reloading wasn’t apparent.

Today I don’t know ANY other reloaders personally nor do I have any face-to-face contact with any reloaders and I’m not even sure you guys aren’t bots.

I do have neighbors with virtue signally yard signs saying save kids, not guns. Don’t think they reload.
 
.308 Norma said:
Whether or not reloading (let alone casting) is the next "logical step" after taking up shooting is also a subject that has been brought up many times before. I personally don't think it is.
And I love handloading. I used to cast too - before I got lazy and started buying all of my bullets, instead of just the jacketed ones. ;)
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I got asked a kinda funny question at the neighborhood father's day shoot. A fella and his new girl/soon-to-be-new-wife (???) came over and we showed off single actions. New girl has old Smiths. Saturday she brought out a pair of .22's : a 17 and an 18. Very nice! Anyway, he was shooting a Ruger Bisley Vaquero .45Colt and came over, chatted a bit, and asked me, "I hear a lot about reloading, mostly that its for people who want to shoot more, not save money, so I'll ask you since you do reload: is it true that if you reload you don't actually save money, you just get to shoot more for about the same dollars? And you end up buying more guns to spread out the cost?"

I have to admit for about two seconds I was dumbfounded speechless. I told the truth, though, "Yup. That's the way it always happens. The only way to save money reloading is if you hunt, for free or nearly so, for food not sport; or, you hunt to keep vermin away from your cattle and crops. Otherwise, it's just a way to keep your supplies up."

And that's when the light bulb turned on. I think I made a new reloader. :)
Maybe. :scrutiny:
 
CQB45ACP said:
I certainly agree in these parts anyway.

Pre-pandemic when I’d hang out at the range before and after shooting I met/saw only a very few reloaders—maybe 2 employees and waay less than 10% of the shooters scrambling around picking up brass. No one shot nor cast their own bullets. The reloading guys at the gunshows didn’t even sell casting related stuff.

Of course ammo was comparatively cheap in those days and the perceived cost savings from reloading wasn’t apparent.

Today I don’t know ANY other reloaders personally nor do I have any face-to-face contact with any reloaders and I’m not even sure you guys aren’t bots.

I do have neighbors with virtue signally yard signs saying save kids, not guns. Don’t think they reload.
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Never know. Turns out the gal and her hubby in the big house by county line rd with all the "This house believes..." rainbow coalition signs in their yard is not only a gun owner but a lot more pro2A than any of us figgered. They stopped by for BBQ and burgers, brought a half a deer from their smoker, real good stuff, and we all chatted. Cautiously. She said they put the signs up to pi$$ off the people on the other side of the intersection - which means in the next county - who really are like that. They're transplants from Colorado so, go figure. Never knew Coloradans had that kind of sense of humor.
 
You have to tell your doctor to do it but I have my levels check every year when they draw blood for my physical. I would start that as normal procedure now, so if you do change down the road you will already have “before” data.

I reload, cast and used to shoot at least two matches a week and practice as well. 70,000 rounds a year was not unheard of. The only time my lead levels became elevated was from shooting weekly indoor matches. I quit shooting indoors except for a few sanctioned matches a year and it went back down over time.

The rest is washing your hands and not using higher temps than necessary when melting lead.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Never know. Turns out the gal and her hubby in the big house by county line rd with all the "This house believes..." rainbow coalition signs in their yard is not only a gun owner but a lot more pro2A than any of us figgered. They stopped by for BBQ and burgers, brought a half a deer from their smoker, real good stuff, and we all chatted. Cautiously. She said they put the signs up to pi$$ off the people on the other side of the intersection - which means in the next county - who really are like that. They're transplants from Colorado so, go figure. Never knew Coloradans had that kind of sense of humor.
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Could be, but here, until the recent revelation of child indoctrination which played out on national TV, on voting day the former 60/40 split had become 40/60 the wrong way. And that’s the functional equivalent of putting your money where your mouth is.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Never know. Turns out the gal and her hubby in the big house by county line rd with all the "This house believes..." rainbow coalition signs in their yard is not only a gun owner but a lot more pro2A than any of us figgered. They stopped by for BBQ and burgers, brought a half a deer from their smoker, real good stuff, and we all chatted. Cautiously. She said they put the signs up to pi$$ off the people on the other side of the intersection - which means in the next county - who really are like that. They're transplants from Colorado so, go figure. Never knew Coloradans had that kind of sense of humor.
Click to expand...

You're giving me some really interesting ideas...
 
I've not ever cast lead, but I do reload about 3K rounds a year (so I'd say I am a casual reloader). I've only shot at indoor ranges a few dozen times and most were modern well ventilated. I was tested for lead last year as a result of a previous discussion on THR. I tested very low at 1 MCG/DL (<5 considered good) and will continue to be tested each year going forward.

I am kind of a lead Nazi, wash my hands with lead removing soap after every shooting, cleaning of guns, or reloading session. I never eat during any of those activities. I am very strict with the kids (now in their 30's) as well.
 
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