Where is the lead exposure coming from most likely?

[John G C 1]

Had my blood tested. I am one point over normal for lead, so doctor said not to worry at age 62 but try to reduce exposure. He said he thought smoke from the firing of my pistol is a likely source.

OK, here is what my shooting routine is. Where do you think I am picking up the most lead?

I shoot 50 rounds a day, five days of week. A case a month, easy. Sometimes more.
I always shoot outside.
I shoot mostly 9mm or 45 ACP, jacketed ammo. FMJ but not TMJ.
I do not immediately put clothing worn to shoot in into the laundry, as some recommend.
I normally clean my gun after each session. I do not always wear gloves when I clean.
I clean inside the house, with windows open when weather permits.
When finished cleaning, I wipe down the surface of my desk with a "heavy metal cleaner" spray.
Wash hands in cold water with soap afterwards.

So what do you think is most likely source of lead?

I guess I should always wear gloves. OK.

Would lead dust still come into the air from cleaning given that the barrel is wet with Pro 7 cleaner or Hoppes when it is brushed?

Would shooting TMJ make for less lead over all and solve the problem?

I will listen to all recommendations and say thanks here.

 

[rule303]

I think it is unlikely from that low level of exposure that it is your source of elevated blood lead levels. It takes quite a bit of inhalation exposure to do that- think casting bullets regularly without a respirator inside a building, or working in a lead foundry. I would get your water tested, and look for other possible sources of ingestion.

 

[wally]

Basically two ways I know of, breathing particles created by the primers/bullets while shooting -- less likely since you shoot outdoors, but if the prevailing winds are in your face and blow it back at you, it could be. Or ingesting lead residues that transfer from your hands/clothes when you eat or drink. People who smoke while shooting or afterwards before cleaning up can inhale lead residues that transfer from their hands to their cigs. The lead residues produced by shooting shouldn't be the organic lead compounds (like tetraethyl lead or lead naphthanate) that can be absorbed through the skin. But if your "heavy metal cleaner" spray reacts with lead to produce this type of compound, it could be making matters much worse.

You clean your gun after every 50 rounds, five days a week? Seems excessive to me and makes you spend more time handling lead residues.
Do your wash your hands after shooting, reloading, cleaning etc. before doing anything else?

Would shooting TMJ make for less lead over all and solve the problem?

It would help, but I think using lead-free primers would help more.

Since you clean indoors, do you use a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner?

 

[buck460XVR]

So what do you think is most likely source of lead?

.

What is the age of the house you are living in? There may be other factors contributing to your lead levels than just shooting. Like others here, I believe the biggest issue you have with shooting is primer residue and the shooting outside is reducing that exposure. Type of jacketed bullet isn't the issue. The exposure to cleaning solvents is more of a reason to wear rubber gloves than lead residue. Is this the first time you've had your lead levels tested or did you have a previous baseline?

 

[FLNT4EVR]

It's probably coming from your tap water.

 

[Malamute]

This came up elsewhere. The person had elevated blood lead levels. He reloads. Handling the cases, especially after decapping, and the dust from dry case tumbling can be a major source, as it seemed with him. He was somewhat careful about washing afterwards, but was still getting exposure. They did some testing in the house, it was determined that there was lead dust on the floor by his reloading bench, and,...he was tracking it up to the second floor where his small childrens room was. I don't recall exactly what all the steps were to remediate the issue, but he did manage to isolate the lead better, I think he went to wet tumbling, may have started changing shoes at the door of the his reloading room, and he managed to reduce his blood lead level and reduce or eliminate tracking it around the house.

I'm not at all surprised that handling fired guns can give some lead exposure from fired primer residue. Handling fired brass can also.

 

[John G C 1]

Wow, lots of good thoughts. Thanks.

-----Unfortunately, I do not have a old baseline test. This is the first time I have been tested.

-----I do wash my hands after shooting and cleaning. Don't smoke.

-----The spray cleaner I use to clean up is Hex Off. I spray the surface and then wipe, but I see how that might make things worse. I will be more careful to make sure I wipe off the surface fully.

-----House is twenty years old, so no old pipes.

-------I will test my water. I had not thought of that. I am in the country and have a well. I should test it again anyway, as I have not done so in probably 8 years.

-------I do not reload.

-----vacuum cleaner runs the intake through water. I wonder if the water would take out any lead dust?

-----If I have shot only 40 or 50 rounds and know I am going back the next day, a bore snake run will do. So not a full clean every fifty shots.

Water test seems good place to start.....and gloves with each cleaning. I should have my wife get tested too, just in case.

 

[Malamute]

Some say its best to wash hands with cold water, warm water opens up the pores of the skin and may allow more absorbtion.

They make D-lead soap and wipes. Some people use them to help reduce exposure/intake.

What do you do with your fired brass? Do you handle it?

Let us know if your wife has elevated lead levels, and if you reduce yours.

 

[denton]

From what I've been told, it's not that hard to rid yourself of lead. High doses of vitamin C are supposed to do the trick. Best to ask someone who actually went to med school.

 

[psyopspec]

After doing some basic google research into my own local water source, I chose to start using a ZeroWater filter for drinking water in the house. Their filters are easily found, not overly expensive, and the pitcher I bought came with a device for testing for solid contaminants (Total Dissolved Solid, or TSD). In my case, the filter reduces tap water from 300 ppm to 0 with a fresh filter.

Note this does nothing against bio contaiminants, but is purpose-built against lead and other solids. I am a lay person, and not a water specialist, nor do I work for the company.

 

[Malamute]

From what I've been told, it's not that hard to rid yourself of lead. High doses of vitamin C are supposed to do the trick. Best to ask someone who actually went to med school.

I don't know if it removes it or blocks absorption of more.

 

[2bfree]

Lets see here. I live in an area known to be high in lead and arsenic, just down the road from an old smelter. I shoot about 200 rounds a week, I reload all my own ammo, pick up my brass by hand. Most days I don't ever get around to washing my hands, vacuum about once a month, I was a smoker till last August. Had my blood checked in August also, Lead 2.0 mcg/dL.
I am starting to think the whole lead risk from ammo is a bit overblown, maybe I do shoot at a outdoor range.

 

[Malamute]

Yeah, and one persons anecdotal circumstances can give definitive conclusions and certainly apply to everyone else.

 

[John G C 1]

I am the only one who seems to pick up pistol brass so I often have boxes of it in the car riding around with me until I can find someone to take it. 45 AC is usually easy to give away, but trying to give away 9mm is tough around here.

So maybe I should not be carrying boxes of used uncleaned brass around in my car!

I did buy some D-lead soap.

Wouldn't it be odd if in the end it was all the used brass I collect and haul around.

 

[Malamute]

Good question. What may affect one guy may not have the same effect on the next. Its not inconceivable that it may have some bearing. Changing the routine may give some useful input in your circumstances.

It seems that vitamin C and I think calcium can both affect lead absorption and/or retention.

 

[2bfree]

Yeah, and one persons anecdotal circumstances can give definitive conclusions and certainly apply to everyone else.

Never said it did, it was a story about ME, no one else.

 

[Malamute]

Well, you said you thought the concern was overblown based on your experience of one. It reminded me of people that doubted the cancer risk of smoking since they knew someone that smoked for ages and never got cancer. Sorry if I misunderstood your intent.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

As long as you are not shooting indoors and are washing your hands before eating, I agree that you should be looking for other lead sources unrelated to guns/shooting.
Also the health impacts of such low lead levels are probably nothing to worry about. Rapid brain growth occures in children and there is no brain development at all after about age 28.

Mike

 

[patmccoy]

Your original post stated you were 1 point over normal, however there is no specific number for normal -just a range. For kids it was under 10mg/dl, but recently the feds reduced that to 5 mg/dl (gotta have tighter restrictions to keep all the employees). Adults in the lead industry (batteries, etc) can go back to work if there are under (I think) 50 mg/dl,

I have run from a high of 56mv/dl (helped clean the indoor bullet trap, wearing clean suit and respirator - but with a full beard the respirator does not seal properly and causes higher velocity intake through the non-sealed portion, and thus increase in lead level) to a low of 21mc/dl) 1000 mg of vitamin C ( a chelating agent) per day has slowly decreased the number (both highs and lows, which vary by season and indoor shooting).

Lead is stored in the bones, and even with reduced exposure it can take a long time (many years) for the lead to be leached out of the bones, then expelled in the urine. You may have old accumulations if you did lots of automobile mechanical work as a youth, and washed up with gasoline (the old fully leaded stuff). That's the best explanation I've come up with for my high levels in light of the reduced exposures as of late. Last test was 21.7mc/dl, with no lead casting, exposure to lead soldering, and greatly reduced indoor shooting.

 

[John G C 1]

Yes, I can say confidently I have had no brain growth what so ever for quite some time.

As for old accumulation, I had not thought of that.

I was a 6 on the new scale, so I guess that is not too bad. I will add some Vit C to my morning routine.

 

[2bfree]

Well, you said you thought the concern was overblown based on your experience of one. It reminded me of people that doubted the cancer risk of smoking since they knew someone that smoked for ages and never got cancer. Sorry if I misunderstood your intent.

Hence the smiley face after that statement.

 

[hso]

6 micrograms/deciliter?

That's a reasonable number for an adult depending upon a wide range of contributing factors. What you need to worry about is if the number rises. That said, if you're collecting brass and not putting it in a sealed bag you're potentially contaminating your vehicle and yourself. If you're shooting outside and washing your hands before leaving the range and you're not eating or drinking on the range or before you wash your risk of exposure for FMJ modern ammunition should be very low.

Ask your doctor to run a ZPP and not just a BLL. ZPP values will show whether you're getting a recent uptake instead of just carrying around a long term supply of lead.

 

[JSH1]

Yes, I can say confidently I have had no brain growth what so ever for quite some time.

As for old accumulation, I had not thought of that.

I was a 6 on the new scale, so I guess that is not too bad. I will add some Vit C to my morning routine.

Do you hunt and eat the meat? I recall a study in North Dakota shown large amounts of lead residue left in the meat after being shot with a lead bullet and those that ate game meat having higher lead levels then the general public.

 

[buck460XVR]

As for old accumulation, I had not thought of that.

This is why I asked if you had had a previous test for baseline before. You could actually be going down in blood lead levels and not know it. Lead accumulation in the body can take place over an extended period of time. Lead is naturally occurring in many instances. Dust coming thru open windows can be contaminated. Soil around your home can be contaminated from lead deposited there from other sources years ago. I have heard of backfill used in new home/road/subdivision construction being contaminated. This is soil contaminated(possibly by illegal dumping) somewhere else, and hauled in. Do as your doctor says, reduce exposure as much as you can and monitor your blood levels.

 

[JohnKSa]

Wear nitrile gloves while cleaning. Don't know if that's a big source of lead, but it's a cheap and easy precaution.

Also, be sure that the outside of your guns (the parts you are likely to touch when handling them) are clean. Many people handle their guns when they are not actually shooting them (dryfire practice, etc.) and if they are contaminated, their hands will be contaminated afterwards.

I recall a study in North Dakota shown large amounts of lead residue left in the meat after being shot with a lead bullet and those that ate game meat having higher lead levels then the general public.

While it is true that eating meat shot with lead bullets does increase the lead levels, it's worth pointing out that the study showed that EVERYONE in the study (even people who ate a lot of game meat) had levels well below the recommended maximum. Even the group with the highest lead levels still had average lead levels more than 25x lower than OSHA's limits and more than 5X lower than the NIOSH recommended maximums in effect through 2015.

It's worth pointing out that there is a significant push to lower the threshold for lead levels. If that move gains momentum, a ban on lead is going to be inevitable.