PSA: Lead Safety on the Range

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holdenarm

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Folks -- read this study last night, and recommend it to others: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5379568/

The TL;DR is that lead exposure is a very serious risk even for recreational shooters. Some of the folks studied had blood lead levels 4-5x, or even 10x the amount considered safe. The risk is consistent whether you shoot indoors or outdoors. It's hard to control because much of the risk comes from airborne lead released from primers and is released close to the face -- most modern primers use a lead-based compound. People who clean indoors ranges are probably at the highest risk, given lead dust settling everywhere. Lead is fairly permanent in soil, so outdoor ranges should not be near areas that are farmed or gardened if possible.

We focus a lot on safe firearms handling, but this stuff matters too. Here are a few steps you can take to protect yourself: https://www.army.mil/article/228869...ome_from_firing_range_by_following_these_tips.
 
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I shoot a lot of black powder stuff and we cast lead boolits. My blood lead level is normal. We don't use modern primers either. One of my neighbors had to quit his job at an indoor range because his lead levels were way high.
 
That's interesting -- I suspect it makes sense. You're careful when you cast the bullets, your volume of fire isn't super high -- so you're not getting loads of primer vapors and lead dust on everything.
 
holdenarm said:
your volume of fire isn't super high
Click to expand...
you would think... but you would be wrong.

there was another thread recently on lead testing. I think this issue gets overstated frequently. do you have high lead levels?
 
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I used to shoot a lot more and reload a lot more than I do now. I also worked for quite a few years in electronic circuit board assembly, hand soldering boards, screen printing boards with solder paste and also running a wave solder machine. From all my lead exposure, I should have had high lead levels. Had my blood tested for heavy metals and nothing showed up.
 
I didn't rust the government before coronavirus, now exponentially less. It seems everything they don't want you to have is a serious risk: 2 strokes, lead, cars, soda, gas heat, gun violence, beef, carbon dioxide, freedom, etc
 
For me, the big focus is keeping my young one away from lead exposure as it would have a far greater impact on her developing brain. Access to the reloading area is limited and all tumbling is done outside. I keep a rug down on the floor in that area that could get thrown away when needed.

Post range trips ritual includes washing clothes immediately and showering before hugs and kisses.

For my own safety, it’s pretty basic. I wash my hands well after shooting. 100% of my shooting is outside so ventilation doesn’t really concern me.

Oh and ammo/primer prices are certainly keeping my exposure down.
 
Lead exposure is like most of life a complete and total crap shoot. You have no idea how lead exposure from shooting and reloading is going to effect you personally so why be an idiot about it.
 
Clothing.

If you have a old washer, its a way for the lead to spread to the family. Personally I think its more subjective on how lead residue gets in peoples blood. Smokers, smokeless tobacco, drinking, eating on the firing line, etc.
 
Breathing vapors
Breathing dust
Dirty hands
lead solvents
Are the primary vectors I avoid. just simple awareness and avoidance. not plutonium contamination protocol crazy. with good success too.
 
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I suspect being a driver in the 70's prior to lead-free gas was a higher risk.
 
My Dad was flagged for elevated lead in a blood test a few years back. He has been casting and shooting for decades. He did the calculations and based on his lead levels he’d be in really big trouble at his current pace if he lived to about 150 year’s old or something. Wash your hands, take some simple precautions and don’t fear the boogeyman.
 
I'm not negating the threat and danger of lead in the blood but....I lived in Pittsburgh during the era of the steel mills blasting out multi colored smoke filled with toxins. I breathed in fumes from lead fueled exhaust. I played with lead cast toys. I shot on an indoor rifle range with minimal air exchange. On the same range the coach had us boys dig out the lead from the backstop so he could sell it to buy more ammo for the team. I reloaded and shot lead bullets for decades. I frequently didn't wash up from a range trip before hitting the fast food place for a meal. I shot on a company indoor range also with minimal air exchange that CALOSHA forced the closure of because of the lead in the air. All of that and my lead levels when tested were minimal. I don't do any of the stupid stuff anymore like not washing after handling lead or shooting but fortunately for me at least it turned out ok.

I think if fate isn't tempted by casting in an enclosed room without proper ventilation or shooting in a basement again with out proper ventilation the individual should be ok. What I became aware of, was not leaving lead residue on door knobs or on carpeting when walking from my reloading area into the house proper. Children are the most vulnerable to lead and we need to be sure not to expose them to direct or second hand lead contact.
 
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