Lead Poisoning and the Shooter

[KahrGuy9]

Lead can only enter your system by breathing it in or ingesting it, not thru skin contact. The only way to know what you are is to get a blood lead level test, and after 6 months to a year after that. Levels depend on how often you shoot and how many rounds of what type bullet. Full copper jackets will have no lead versus moly coated lead. Primers have lead styphenate residue. I just tested at 22 and that has been level for the last 2 years. I shoot 4-6 times a month outdoors, about 1,500 rounds of moly lead. The only shooter I know that was treated had a level of 78 and went into to ER for severve symptoms. Chelation is not something to be done at home as it rips out all of the metals in your body, especially potasium.

[Lead Waster]

Op I think there is a mistake here. As pointed out, full metal jacket bullets have exposed bases, but jhp knackered hollow points have exposed tips but enclosed bases. So your recommendation of tmj, plated or fmj should say jhp, not fmj.

Thoughts?

[Lead Waster]

Sorry, knackered = jacketed.

The kkindle fire has possibly the worst autocorrect known to man.

[KahrGuy9]

Op I think there is a mistake here. As pointed out, full metal jacket bullets have exposed bases, but jhp knackered hollow points have exposed tips but enclosed bases. So your recommendation of tmj, plated or fmj should say jhp, not fmj.

Thoughts?

I'm talking about this bullet,
base of bullet is jacketed, JHP

http://montanagoldbullet.com/index.php/catalog/product/gallery/id/146/image/255/

and not this bullet
base of bullet is exposed lead, FMJ

http://montanagoldbullet.com/index.php/catalog/product/gallery/id/144/image/250/

Found a good read on blood lead level also

http://dfuse.us/lead.html

[sl0re10]

Lead can only enter your system by breathing it in or ingesting it, not thru skin contact. The only way to know what you are is to get a blood lead level test, and after 6 months to a year after that. Levels depend on how often you shoot and how many rounds of what type bullet. Full copper jackets will have no lead versus moly coated lead. Primers have lead styphenate residue. I just tested at 22 and that has been level for the last 2 years. I shoot 4-6 times a month outdoors, about 1,500 rounds of moly lead. The only shooter I know that was treated had a level of 78 and went into to ER for severve symptoms. Chelation is not something to be done at home as it rips out all of the metals in your body, especially potasium.

Dont think this is correct. I think prolonged skin contact can enable absorption.

[billybob_jcv]

Dont think this is correct. I think prolonged skin contact can enable absorption.

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxguides/toxguide-13.pdf

Routes of Exposure

Inhalation – Primary route for occupational exposure. Larger particles (>2.5 μm) that are deposited in the ciliated airways (nasopharyngeal and
tracheobronchial regions) can be transferred by mucociliary transport into the esophagus and swallowed.

Oral – Primary route of exposure for the general population.

Dermal – Studies in animals have shown that organic lead is well absorbed through the skin.

Another interesting tidbit that indicates that regardless of whether we shoot or not, we will still be exposed to some lead:

Environmental Levels

Air
The concentration of lead in air samples (2002) is <0.05 μg/m3.

Sediment and Soil
The natural lead content of soil typically ranges from <10 to 30 μg/g. However, lead levels in the top layers of soil vary widely due to deposition and accumulation of atmospheric particulates from anthropogenic sources.

Water
Levels of lead in surface water and groundwater in the U.S. range between 5 and 30 μg/L.

[ParadigmShift]

I would like to request this thread to be stickied. Very important health tips that are applicable to many here. Thanks very much to the OP for this.

[turkeyenchilado]

Good post ,I prefer to shoot out doors once a week. I just make sure i use hand sanitizer or wash my hands especially when i take snacks to the range .