Reloading safety question

[rbahri5206]

I just got into reloading a few months ago and I am a bit concerned with exposure to all the stuff involved, especially because I just had another kid 3 weeks ago and I also have a 3 year old to, but here is my situation, I reload in the garage only wear latex gloves anytime I am near the bench also wear a dust mask when I dump my tumbler and I don't allow my son in the garage whe. I dump the tumbler but he is in the garage while I reload playing, as far as my newborn I always take my shirt of and wash my hands in the laundry room as soon as I come in the house before I go near him, also wash of my other son if he was in the garage with me, also take a shower as soon as I can, with this in mind am I putting my kids in any risk? Thank you in advanced

[XDRoX]

IMO you're kids are at zero risk of any type of contamination. Totally normal to be so worried and overprotected of them. You're a good dad.

Even if you did none of those things your kids would still be safe from any sort of contamination from you. Even if your kids did find a way to some lead any healthy baby or toddler's body will rid itself of the lead just like an adult. Probably better than us.

My son plays in the garage while I reload, handles bullets and brass often, and has been in the garage while I emptied my tumbler plenty of times. He's almost 4 years old. He had his lead test at age 2. My daughter we just tested at age 1. Both came back completely lead free.

My wife asks to have them tested because we live in an old house and all the gun stuff I have. So if you're worried at all just have them lead tested at your next checkup.

[XDRoX]

I've also heard of shampoo specially made to help rid the body of lead.

I did get lead poisoning once from shooting a ton of lead bullets in a very poorly ventilated indoor range. Me and my buddy felt like we got hit by a truck for about the next 2 days. It sucked. I haven't been back to that range since.

[ahren111]

Oh crap, this is all bad!! Your kids may start growing 3rd arms as soon as tomorrow please get rid of all you reloading stuff now!!! Send it to me ASAP!!

[huckberry668]

I'm not a fan of stainless or wet tumbling of brass but this is one good argument for it, no dangerous dust. I kept my kids away from my reloading activities till they were 5. I'd suggest keeping your 3 year old away. You never know what they'd put in their mouths.

The actual reloading doesn't really present harm in my experience. I used to load and shoot 30k rounds a year mostly in indoor ranges with lead bullets. Had blood tested for heavy metal every year but always came out below normal levels. Reload is safer than most people think as long as you take care, mask, ventilation, gloves or washing hands.

[rbahri5206]

Thank you for the reassurance and advise I was very worried I might somehow harm my kids, as far as shooting indoors I hardly do it once again thanks to all for putting my mind and ease

[Cowboy T]

There is one danger with reloading, and that's from the vibratory tumbling. Lead testing around tumblers has proved this time and again. And yes, it is entirely appropriate to keep growing children away from dangerous lead exposure, which the dust from tumbling certainly constitutes. Unlike with adults, whose brains are fully developed, lead overexposure *CAN* and *WILL* monkey-up a little kid's brain development. You are therefore absolutely right to be concerned.

That's about the only real danger, though. Fortunately, there is an effective way to mitigate it.

What I do is tumble and sift my cases outside, without exception. I position myself so that I never do this into a head-wind. A cross-wind or tail-wind is what you want. Let that lead styphnate blow away from you. However, just in case, I take a shower after a tumbling session.

This is also an excellent case for the wet-tumbling method using the stainless steel pins. This is what a buddy of mine does. He's got a 9-year-old and a 1-year-old and has himself been shooting and reloading for a lot of years. Like you, he's concerned about his kids. He does the wet-tumbling method, which avoids all that dust in the first place. That, and the brass comes out looking like new money, no matter its initial condition.

The reloading process itself isn't so big a deal. Naturally, there is a residual residue of lead styphnate compound on your tumbled cases, if you're dry-tumbling with, say, walnut or corn cob. So, if you have your kids helping you, just make sure they don't put their fingers in their mouths or eat/drink while they're helping you. Same for proper hygiene afterwards; just wash your hands (same for your kids) very well. You'll be fine. The aforementioned buddy has his 9-year-old depriming cases for him, which she thoroughly enjoys. To her, it's not only hangin' out with Dad, it's also "helping him hunt!" She's thus also being useful, which she thinks is very cool. Yes, they both thoroughly wash up afterwards.

When I reload, I do so with my own home-cast bullets, affectionately called "boolits". For that reason, I wear a latex glove on the hand that's doing the boolit seating.

[Bill Steele]

It might not be as detrimental as having the wrong isotope laying around from your quest for total energy self suffciency, but if I had children, I would not be dry tumbling fired brass at home. In fact, I would be inclined to not bring once fired brass home with me. I would also not take my kids to indoor ranges, period.

But then, I am the super careful type. I didn't have any boys, but if I had I wouldn't have allowed them to play football either. I sent our daughter to private schools at back breaking expense, not because I thought the teachers were going to be all that much better, but because I just didn't like the "Lord of the Flies" dynamic in the public schools. She works at Harvard now, so some of the decisions must have be OK.

Better safe than sorry can be kind of boring, but when it comes to kids I think it is the right idea.

[offdutyalot]

This is a very good question and shows the mentality of responsible gun owners. I have been a member here with little posting until I started reloading. I see very responsible and helpful info from members especially along the topics of safety and laws.

OP-great question and I have learned from it as well. I have 2 daughters 9 and 11 and I had Leaukemia in 2008 at 29 years old, so I am conscious of health risks as well.

[stilly]

This is a very good question and shows the mentality of responsible gun owners. I have been a member here with little posting until I started reloading. I see very responsible and helpful info from members especially along the topics of safety and laws.

OP-great question and I have learned from it as well. I have 2 daughters 9 and 11 and I had Leaukemia in 2008 at 29 years old, so I am conscious of health risks as well.

I keep all of my children locked up and in the safe and those that are too big to fit in the safe have to stay out in a plastic box...

My other two 4 legged kids stay outside all the time and I neglect them quite often...

Sorry, that was all that I could add to this and I am too lazy to hit the X in the upper right of the window... Okay, you caught me, I am a liar too... So hopefully we all learned and had a laugh.

[CalTeacher]

As with anything else in life that carries risk, just practice proper safety precautions and never become complacent. As long as you understand the risks and know how to properly manage and avoid them, then you'll generally be fine.

Also, try not to learn proper safety procedures through trial and error. Always be double sure of what your doing and be aware of your surroundings. If you're uncomfortable doing something then don't do it.

I found out the hard way why one shouldn't cast bullets whilst leaning over a pot of molten lead with sweat dripping from my forehead! I still have the shattered pair of safety glasses on my bench to remind me the importance of keeping my head out of my rear.

[chknlyps2]

I have kids at home and I wash my brass in soapy water before I tumble it. I use a few drops of soap in a quarter bucket of water, let it soak a bit then slosh it around. I took another bucket and used a hole saw to cut most of the bottom with 1" holes then covered the bottom with 1/4" hardware cloth (coarse screen). I use that bucket to rinse the soapy water off with a hose as I roll it around then let it dry in that bucket before I tumble it. The media stays way cleaner this way also.

[johnny1290]

just my opinion, but I also think the tumbling is the only area of concern. Kids used to play with lead toys, I had some as a kid, they're just not edible.

[offdutyalot]

I keep all of my children locked up and in the safe and those that are too big to fit in the safe have to stay out in a plastic box...

My other two 4 legged kids stay outside all the time and I neglect them quite often...

Sorry, that was all that I could add to this and I am too lazy to hit the X in the upper right of the window... Okay, you caught me, I am a liar too... So hopefully we all learned and had a laugh.

BWAAAAHHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!!

Oh that made my day,......

[thomashoward]

Just wash your hands.
don't snort any tumbling dust, you won't come down for three days ( joke)

No dust tumbling

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/