Lead poisoning...

[dannyd]

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.

Ten years ago loaded about 24,000 rounds a years now down to about 12,000 rounds a years. I think at about 3,000 your going to safe.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Ten years ago loaded about 24,000 rounds a years now down to about 12,000 rounds a years. I think at about 3,000 your going to safe.

Sweet baby Jane! That's about four years of loading for me. I maybe go through a box of SPP primers in a year and half that in LP, LR, and SR (each, not combined).
I think for us low-volume handloaders, lead from indoor ranges might be the key. It isn't necessarily our smoke but the people on both sides of us. My lead levels are low and I know because I get tested for other reasons but I think the bottom line is, if you shoot at an indoor range, get tested. YOUR round count isn't necessarily the problem.

BTW: You need to update you avatar. At today's prices, $47 will only get you about 9 gallons.

 

[dannyd]

Sweet baby Jane! That's about four years of loading for me. I maybe go through a box of SPP primers in a year and half that in LP, LR, and SR (each, not combined).
I think for us low-volume handloaders, lead from indoor ranges might be the key. It isn't necessarily our smoke but the people on both sides of us. My lead levels are low and I know because I get tested for other reasons but I think the bottom line is, if you shoot at an indoor range, get tested. YOUR round count isn't necessarily the problem.

BTW: You need to update you avatar. At today's prices, $47 will only get you about 9 gallons.

Yes, I don't ever have any old stock primers or powder.

At one time I shot 6 days a week 5 nights indoor range and Saturday at the out door range.

I also feed my son-in-law and grandson; I have never owned a 45 acp but I have loaded 10,887 rounds for my son-in-law.

I work from home; my truck is 11.5 old with about 56,000 miles, so I don't buy much gas. That averages to 28 gallons a month only drive to the range or doctors.

 

[Maineshooter1]

Another thing to consider too is when I was a kid we always crimped our split shot on our fishing lines with our teeth (nature's pliers).

Maybe that's what's wrong with me?.....

That or the mercury we’d play with when a thermometer inevitably broke.

 

[dannyd]

Read Compete Guide to Hand-loading by Phillip Sharpe ; how they clean guns with mercury and handled lead. Wonder some of old guys don't have three eyes.

 

[CQB45ACP]

My wife and I recalled how we intentionally broke thermometers to play with the mercury and rub it on coins (don’t recall which coins).

Today entire schools are shut as the hazmat team comes and cleans it up.

 

[BJung]

I remember when my MS science teacher passed out mercury and let us play with it in our hands. He'd say that if you rubbed it enough it'll disappear. I'm okay and so were most of the students. I don't know about the guy who rubbed the mercury into his system.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Mad as a hatter—hat makers used mercury to form the brim of fine felt hats and the frequent exposure drove them insane. Now I’ll read Wikipedia to confirm.

Edit: close enough for government work

 

[Palladan44]

I had a lead test and it was considered "elevated"
With a BLL of 8. Safe levels or normal levels are supposedly around 5 or less.

I didn't really worry, because I've heard that the OSHA "stop work" BLL are around 35 or 40ish something like that.
So I think I'm just a "high normal" level, but nothing to really worry about other than to start "mitigating exposure" which I've started doing.

I stopped shooting indoors, with all that aerosoled lead in the air goes right into the lungs.... OK, I still go there on cold winter days--- but it's about 1/8 the amount I used to.

I keep my reloading bench cleaner now and switched to Xtremes plated bullets for 9mm (which is my highest volume shooting load) which should also mitigate some lead exposure.

Started buying high volume (9mm) brass in bulk, deprimed and cleaned for a couple extra pennies, and now I don't deal with as many spent primers- which I'm of the opinion that are a big source of lead exposure.
I scrap once fired 9mm now, it's simply just too economical to buy it for .02 c cleaned and deprimed then to deal with it. This is just for now, this could change.

I deprime and clean my own brass for the lesser volume loads like 357mag and 44mag, in which I shoot almost exclusively HARD CAST LEAD. Ain't gonna switch that up, noooo waaay.

 

[The Glockodile]

Because of how slowly debilitating Lead is - it makes me wonder how many former handloaders who are now Nursing Home Residents that look older than their chronologic age have this issue.

 

[Crosshair]

All lead is not the same. Just as all alcohol is not the same.

Ethyl Alcohol makes you drunk. Methyl Alcohol kills you.

With lead, the danger is primarily with organic lead compounds. Which are easily absorbed into the body. Primers use such compounds, along with paint and leaded gasoline, which is why ventilation is so important at indoor ranges.

Elemental lead is FAR less easily absorbed. Just don't eat it and you're almost certainty fine.

 

[The Glockodile]

Elemental lead is FAR less easily absorbed. Just don't eat it and you're almost certainty fine.

Respiratory secretions are actually swallowed, I think...

 

[1KPerDay]

I have been as high as 13 μg/dL and due to that information I changed some of the ways I processed brass and reloaded. Since that high point I have managed to get my levels to fall pretty consistently since. My last check-up I was at 3 μg/dL.

Can you be specific about what you changed?

 

[1KPerDay]

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.

You didn't have issues at 60, and have had no issues since.... what were the concerns with high lead levels for you? I'm curious because I've read that some people respond to lead differently than others. I'm almost paranoid to have mine checked. It's probably 120341204

 

[mcb]

Can you be specific about what you changed?

I moved all my case prep equipment out to the garage instead of in my reloading room and wear nitrile gloves when doing a lot of work with spent cases and tumbling media. I also got better at washing my hands anytime I handle my case prep equipment or when leaving my reloading/gun room. For my volume shooting I try to only use bullets with no exposed lead on the base. I loved Montana Gold CMJ bullets, they have gotten pricy so I shoot a fair bit of polymer coated lead and plated bullets to keep the lead encapsulated and costs down. I think the big ones were moving the case prep to the garage and being better about washing my hands.

 

[Y-T71]

You didn't have issues at 60, and have had no issues since.... what were the concerns with high lead levels for you? I'm curious because I've read that some people respond to lead differently than others. I'm almost paranoid to have mine checked. It's probably 120341204

Look out everybody, it's Lead Man!

 

[The Glockodile]

You didn't have issues at 60...

The "I" or "you" part in how one feels becomes somewhat moot with Neurodegenerative Disease.

 

[BJung]

The "I" or "you" part in how one feels becomes somewhat moot with Neurodegenerative Disease.

I get all of those from just getting old and being married.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Don't eat, drink or smoke while casting. Wash really well before doing those 3 things after casting as well. Another thing to look out for is white powdery lead oxide on your raw material. That can go airborne and be breathed in.

At the temps we cast the lead is not being vaporized. Lead poisoning happens mostly by ingesting (ie; paints chips and kids) that's why it's imperative to clean yourself up really well after processing or casting lead before going hand to mouth.

I know veterans that have bullets left in their bodies from wars. They are not being slowly poisoned by them......


And I have been tested. I was slightly elevated, but not in the dangerous zone. The nurse at the clinic asked me a series of questions: Do you make stained glass windows? No. Do you live in an older home with possible lead paint? Yes. Do you shoot and or cast bullets? Yes. She advised to just make a better practice of cleaning up and being mindful of my environment around my common areas and my family (small kids etc.). There are vitamin and diet changes you can make to reduce the levels of lead in your body as well.

That's probably because most of the ammo used on the battlefield is mostly steel for penetration. Some of it has a steel tip and core.

The fed determined that waterfowl were being poisoned by ingesting lead, hence the lead shot restrictions. I'm not going to question that because I don't have an opinion one way or another. I'm not a wildlife biologist so that's way out of my lane.

I'm one of those posters that said I had high levels of lead in my blood. If you load, shoot or cast with lead get an annual blood test for elevated levels of lead.

Same with eating dog food. Chinese dog food can kill you.

 

[The Glockodile]

The fed determined that waterfowl were being poisoned by ingesting lead, hence the lead shot restrictions. I'm not going to question that because I don't have an opinion one way or another. I'm not a wildlife biologist so that's way out of my lane.

Always brings this picture to mind.

 

[CoalTrain49]

View attachment 1085538

Always brings this picture to mind.

We have a lot of eagles here. I see them every day. They eat fish and waterfowl. In the eastern part of the state they eat wounded game birds. I think the shot regulations for game birds has probably saved many eagles.

 

[The Glockodile]

We have a lot of eagles here. I see them every day. They eat fish and waterfowl. In the eastern part of the state they eat wounded upland game. I think the shot regulations for game birds has probably saved many eagles.

The literature seems to indicate so...

 

[CQB45ACP]

We have a lot of eagles here. I see them every day. They eat fish and waterfowl. In the eastern part of the state they eat wounded game birds. I think the shot regulations for game birds has probably saved many eagles.

While I certainly don’t see them everyday Eagles have made a big comeback in the mid Atlantic. Lots of nesting pairs along the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay and inland.

One of the greatest threats they face near water are ospreys. The osprey is very territorial and will drown eagles by driving them into the water and holding them there (how else would they do it? Water boarding?). It’s painful to watch but there’s nothing you can do (yes, I’ve seen an attack in progress.)

But really, eagles are just majestic, attractive vultures which incidentally are also making a comeback and are also protected.

Canada geese are the real nuisance around here. Not migrating ones, but residents. Golf courses, park ball fields, school sports fields, and further out into rural farm land…devoured by the onkers. Hunting on the Bay & eastern shore effectively manages migratory birds, but you can’t hunt in neighborhood 1/4 acre lots whether it’s lead shot or not And they tried hunting on farms but the cows and chickens freaked out and quit producing milk and laying eggs.

My upcoming annual checkup, I’m getting tested for lead levels for the first time.

 

[Dudedog]

You didn't have issues at 60, and have had no issues since

No issues at the time per say, other than memory loss and being cranky, but those were probably due to old age and work more than lead

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.

Use a cigarette lighter, flame should bend downrange if there is good airflow
Of course that just shows airflow not if the air is clean..
Straight up (no wind) = not good.

 

[longdayjake]

I don't cast but until recently I touched lead with my bare hands every single day. I got tested several times. The only time my lead levels went up was when I was shooting a lot. Touching lead is fine if you wash your hands. We have employees who I've warned to take their clothes off before sitting on their furniture and to remove their shoes before they enter their house. One of them ignored my advice and then was freaking out because his toddler tested high. Luckily it was only because it was a finger prick and the lead was on her hand. They later drew blood from a vein and she had almost no detectable lead in her blood. But I imagine if she was to put her hand in her mouth like many toddlers do, she would eventually get higher levels. I mention this story only because the real risk of lead is for kids. If you shoot a lot or work around lead just know that it will be on your shoes and your clothes so anywhere you walk or sit will get lead on it. And once it's where you live, there is risk. Our employees have to wear gloves and they wash their hands a lot but we have to explain to them that their vehicles and anything they touch will likely get lead on it. Basically, your steering wheel/shift knobs/turn signals will have lead. So don't pick your nose while you drive.