Ammunition Lead Explosure

[mls204]

Do you go to the doctor regularly? Does he do a blood-workup on you, to check your cholesterol and other stuff?

Tell him you're a shooter/reloader and your concerned about lead levels and you'd like him to add a lead test to your regular workup.

My doctor did this for me, didn't cost me anything extra (insurance covered it), and I was relieved to find out my lead level was low-normal even though I've been shooting and reloading for years.

good tip. will definitely ask my dr to do that at my next checkup.

Only way to know for sure is to pull one and look at the base. If you see lead (like you do in most FMJs)...

What I meant was, since CMJ & JHP bullets don't have an exposed lead base does that make them as safe to reload with as plated bullets?

[EmmaGoldman]

Primers are a more significant and dangerous source of lead exposure than bullets. The amount of vaporized lead from a primer is more than 10x what comes off a bullet.

[BamBam-31]

xrMike and EmmaGoldman both echo what I've learned as well. Most lead contamination will be from vaporized lead from freshly spent primers and exposed bullet bases. Both are minimized if shooting outdoors or if shooting in a well ventilated indoor range.

If reloading, as long as you practice good hygiene afterwards and don't drink/eat during reloading, you should be fine. Then there's always products like D-Lead (soap, wipes) that help remove lead. Good thing to have around after reloading or shooting in general.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25339/catid/16/D_Wipe_Towels

[EmmaGoldman]

There's even a D-lead shampoo. It helps prevent lead poisoning, but also gives you the hair of someone strangers on the street might suspect of eating paint chips.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

OMG I accidentally all my bullets. Is this dangerous?

No. These too will pass.

[elnielsen]

If you fear lead poisoning, eat cilantro.

I posted about it before, I was told by a nutritionist, and in my post it was confirmed. It does help pull heavy metals out of your bloodstream.

Also confirmed, manly men cried ***** at anyone who worried about handling lead, dipping fingers in molten lead, whatever, and state that as long as you don't ingest it you'll be fine. You probably wont let your kids play on monkey bars, play in mud, and force them to use antibacterial soap after simply being alive another 6 hours, anyway.

All of which I agree with. I was using long sleeved clothing, a filtered painting mask, and gloves. But I don't think you have anything to worry about even if you end up with lead stain all over your palms, as long as you don't inhale smoke from the pot, or eat any lead, like those of us who did survive the dreaded monkey bars, eating mud, and building a tolerance to microbes, you'll be fine.

[gunboat]

If the possibility of lead poisoning from reloading and shooting frightens you - -- take up knitting -

[SixPointEight]

If the possibility of lead poisoning from reloading and shooting frightens you - -- take up knitting -

If you don't think the lead vaporized off the base of the bullet can present a health risk, you're lying to yourself. I work at a range, so I minimize my lead exposure during my OWN shooting by using plated bullets.

Though in all honesty, I don't give much thought to it. As long as I don't get the lead poisoning that comes in 100gr+ doses out the end of the barrel

[anto]

Ever eat lucas? I ate that stuff like crazy when I was little. Couple years ago they banned it because EXCESSIVE lead content. I'm talking like 1,000% the normal accepted levels.



stuff was delicious