Should I get tested for lead poisoning?

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jtd00123

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I sometimes shoot at an outdoor range about an hour from home. Last weekend I shot roughly 40 rounds, shotgun shells, then collected the casings to toss into the bin. It was two months since I last been to the range. On the drive back, I chewed some gum on the drive home, and being a little out of practice and thus out of habit, I realized that I forgot to wash my hands. Should I be worried?

Also, if there is anyone who forgot to wash their hands after shooting, or regularly doesn't, and had their blood levels tested, I would like to know the results as well.

Thanks.
 
I doubt you experienced enough lead residue to show on a test.

When I take my friends shooting we shoot 5 times that round count and eat our pb&js before returning home
 
Probably not nearly enough to be poisoned by lead. Per Mayo Clinic, symptoms include....

High blood pressure
Abdominal pain
Constipation
Joint pains
Muscle pain
Declines in mental functioning
Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
Headache
Memory loss
Mood disorders
Reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm
Miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women
 
After smelting wheelweights, casting thousands of bullets, reloading my own cartridges and shotshells for 10 years, I asked my doctor to do a blood test for lead. It came back no problem.

One episode like you describe shouldn't be worrisome.
 
ONE day of shooting? Heavens no. Even if you were on a dirty indoor range shooting cast lead bullets.

Handling a few spent shotgun hulls? Not a worry. At all. Good chance you'd get far more lead exposure from handling your keys.
 
While it's not a good idea to be casual about lead, unless you do this on a regular basis, don't sweat it.
Lead will leave the body on its own, given the chance.
Our bodies are lot tougher than all the hand wringers expect.
Otherwise, the human race wouldn't even still be here.
Just to be on the safe side, you might want to refrain from eating before washing, after a range session.
And throw your clothes directly into the washing machine when getting home.
And remove and clean your shoes before traipsing all over the house.
If you want to be really paranoid, change clothes at the range and wash with sanitation wipes, before even getting back into the car.
And then just switch to archery.
 
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I do every year when I have my physical. They are already drawing blood and it doesn't cost me any more.
 
You should know that those buffalo hunters of the 18th and 19th century usually put bare lead balls in their mouth when they are chasing and shooting. No doubt they swallow MUCH more lead than you did everyday. So don't worry about your health, your body is much tougher than you can imagine.
 
No, but good hygiene is a must when shooting. If you are really worried though, your doc can run a simple test to check lead levels in your blood.

That said, no way handling a piece of gum and chewing it after shooting is going to pose a problem.

There is a good sticky on lead levels. Worth reading.

Welcome to THR
 
I have struggled with high lead levels for years so I have gone the rounds on this. I also shoot a couple of times per week, cast my own bullets and reload so I think you are ok.

I would not worry about this. Chances are that you did ingest some very small amounts of lead but, unless you are having symptoms, I wouldn't give it a second thought. You are exposed to lead all of the time in the air and water and your body does expel it over time. Even if you did go to the doctor and had a test, he probably won't recommend any actions except... not doing it again.

My research and experience has lead me to believe that there is an unfortunate group of people who absorb lead and don't expel it as well as others. I read folks here who have been chewing on lead sinkers since they were 8 and have never had elevated levels. Unfortunately, I fall into the group who seems to have a problem with it. The #1 thing I have done to keep my levels down is take vitamin c every day. Even wearing a mask, gloves and taking all precautions, my levels hovered in the 30s for a long time. I started taking vitamin c every day and they dropped to the low teens in less than 6 weeks. If you are worried and don't have medical issues that prevent you from taking it, take vitamin c for a couple of weeks and forget about it.
 
I have been casting and shooting boolits for well over 50 years and no known effects yet.

Not to mention the fowl, rabbits and squirrels full of lead shot the family and I have devoured for many years.
 
Relax. It takes long term, repeated, exposure for there to be any issues with lead. If you work in that kind of environment and cast bullets in a poorly ventilated room, a few years of doing so might give you grief.
 
SkullLordCN said:
You should know that those buffalo hunters of the 18th and 19th century usually put bare lead balls in their mouth when they are chasing and shooting.
Click to expand...

It actually surprised me a while back when I went fishing.

As a kid when I went fishing with my dad I was taught that when attaching a split (lead) sinker to a line, you put the line in the groove and bite it shut. I did this for YEARS as a kid fishing never thinking twice as that's just how I was taught - my dad didn't know any better.

As an adult I got very much into guns and learned early on to be careful about lead. Didn't even realize until I went fishing again after a long break and instinctively put the lead in my mouth to close it that "Holy crap - I just put a piece of lead in my mouth.".

I've adjusted my habits now and carry a pair of pliers in the boat to close the lead sinker; can't say what my lead-level is as I've never been officially tested but I didn't have any issues as a kid.
 
I've been thinking about this recently too. At work I had just been reviewing some material on lead safety and was wondering what the exposure level is like in the shooting sports. There seems to be a big focus on lead paint removal since it generates lots of dust. In that case plenty of gear is needed. I guess the main difference is the amount, with paint you are creating clouds of dust, on the range the exposure is a minimal amount vaporized from the projectile (and even less from the plated bullets). I wash my hands liberally but am wondering about my clothes and face.

One thing of note, I have heard use cold water. Hot water opens your pores and makes it easier for the lead to get inside, or so I've heard. Makes sense to me.

What is your post range procedure? Do you shower as soon as possible? Remove clothes as soon as possible? Do you wash your hands and call it good? Do nothing? Shoot in full hazmat?
 
mgmorden said:
It actually surprised me a while back when I went fishing.

As a kid when I went fishing with my dad I was taught that when attaching a split (lead) sinker to a line, you put the line in the groove and bite it shut. I did this for YEARS as a kid fishing never thinking twice as that's just how I was taught - my dad didn't know any better.

As an adult I got very much into guns and learned early on to be careful about lead. Didn't even realize until I went fishing again after a long break and instinctively put the lead in my mouth to close it that "Holy crap - I just put a piece of lead in my mouth.".

I've adjusted my habits now and carry a pair of pliers in the boat to close the lead sinker; can't say what my lead-level is as I've never been officially tested but I didn't have any issues as a kid.
Click to expand...
Lead poisoning is a very slow process, normally need months, even years of exposure. The only way I know to get yourself into immediate trouble is to swallow a large chunk of water-soluble lead compound. But who will do such a suicide thing?:p
 
Thanks for the responses. Glad to hear that I didn't consume enough to do any damage. I have no symptoms, just overly cautious about that stuff.
 
You should know that those buffalo hunters of the 18th and 19th century usually put bare lead balls in their mouth when they are chasing and shooting. No doubt they swallow MUCH more lead than you did everyday. So don't worry about your health, your body is much tougher than you can imagine.
Click to expand...

Male life expectancy in 1850 was 38.3 years ;)

Laphroaig
 
I hope not, cause I've been known to eat a sandwich after shooting. I don't do this a lot, but I've done it more than just a time or two. I've also been reloading for more than 30 yrs., and my lead tests are always well within the norm.

You have nothing to be concerned about, though washing your hands after reloading or shooting is always the best policy.

GS
 
Lead accumulates over time. The body also slowly rids itself of the metal. It takes frequent exposure to relativley high levels of lead to be of much concern. Unless you work at an indoor range, or hang out there weekly, I wouldn't sweat it.
 
High blood pressure
Abdominal pain
Constipation
Joint pains
Muscle pain
Declines in mental functioning
Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
Headache
Memory loss
Mood disorders
Reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm
Click to expand...

Any of us over 50 probably have the majority of these symptoms; memory loss, yep; muscle pain, yep; joint pains, yep; declines in mental functioning, yep; reduced sperm count, probably..:D
 
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