[S391]

I was just curious if there were any special precautions that I should be taking if I load lead cast bullets?

Thanks, just trying to be as safe as possible.

Steve

[Chris Keen]

Dont eat, drink, or smoke while loading. And WASH YOUR HANDS immediately afterwards.

[S391]

Chris Keen, on Nov 17 2009, 09:57 AM, said:

Dont eat, drink, or smoke while loading. And WASH YOUR HANDS immediately afterwards.

Pretty much what I thought, thanks. I'm going to pick up some rubber gloves to wear as well..... I'm going to switch to FMJ or copper washed bullets when this batch is gone but I wanted to make sure I was taking every precaution in the mean time.

[G-ManBart]

S391, on Nov 17 2009, 11:00 AM, said:

Chris Keen, on Nov 17 2009, 09:57 AM, said:

Dont eat, drink, or smoke while loading. And WASH YOUR HANDS immediately afterwards.

Pretty much what I thought, thanks. I'm going to pick up some rubber gloves to wear as well..... I'm going to switch to FMJ or copper washed bullets when this batch is gone but I wanted to make sure I was taking every precaution in the mean time.

It's not what you asked about, but it's related to lead exposure. One thing many people forget or overlook about lead exposure is that it also comes from the tumbling media we clean our cases in. Even if you shoot a TMJ/CMJ bullet, the case gets primer residue on it, and that's a lead product (lead styphnate). The residue gets into the tumbling media, so it's all over the cases by the time they're done tumbling and it's in the dust that comes when you separate the cases/media...so all of that is potential exposure. It's best to separate somewhere outside and try not to inhale the dust....a dryer static sheet in the media will help cut down on the dust. Also, when you're handling the cases afterwards there's still some residue on them so it's best to wash your hands afterwards and not eat/drink while loading even if lead bullets aren't involved. That residue/dust is actually easier to absorb into your system than what you can get by touching lead bullets in many cases.

Don't bother with plated/copper washed bullets...they cost as much, or nearly as much, as bulk FMJ/TMJ from places like Montana Gold, Precision Delta Zero etc and they're simply not as good. R,

[MarkCO]

I did a lot of research on lead poisoning a while back and wrote an article that got published in several newsletters and periodicals. It is located on my webpage: http://dfuse.us/lead.html. Anyone may reprint this article for their club and or range newsletter provided you cite me as the author, like this one did (Page 43): http://www.dcra.ca/M...003NewFonts.pdf. I constantly receive "Thank-you" e-mails from shooters who read this and then got concerned and asked their doc to check lead levels and found out they had some level of poisoning.

What G-ManBart said is certainly true as well. Hope this helps.

This post has been edited by MarkCO: 17 November 2009 - 10:13 AM

[Sarge]

Chris Keen, on Nov 17 2009, 10:57 AM, said:

Dont eat, drink, or smoke while loading. And WASH YOUR HANDS immediately afterwards.

On a related subject, Chris. I noticed you use the D-wipes or some product along those lines. Do you find them to be pretty effective after a match? I can't always wash my hands after shooting and they can be pretty grimey. Would straight baby wipes work well followed by the wipes you use?

Thanks.

[S391]

MarkCO, on Nov 17 2009, 11:12 AM, said:

I did a lot of research on lead poisoning a while back and wrote an article that got published in several newsletters and periodicals. It is located on my webpage: http://dfuse.us/lead.html. Anyone may reprint this article for their club and or range newsletter provided you cite me as the author, like this one did (Page 43): http://www.dcra.ca/M...003NewFonts.pdf. I constantly receive "Thank-you" e-mails from shooters who read this and then got concerned and asked their doc to check lead levels and found out they had some level of poisoning.

What G-ManBart said is certainly true as well. Hope this helps.

Thank you!

This post has been edited by S391: 17 November 2009 - 10:17 AM

[Chills1994]

I have heard that a blood test for lead only costs 90 bucks. So if you don't have health insurance right now, 90 bucks wouldn't be too bad of a price to pay to get a baseline established. Then a few months from now, have it checked again.

Outside of tumbling media dust, I think the next biggest source of lead is being inside an indoor range.

[Chris Keen]

I've had my lead levels check 4 or 5 times, and never paid more than a co-pay for the doctors visit.


Kevin, I think the D_Wipes are formulated to remove heavy metals, like lead. Baby wipes are not. I would spend the $4 on the D-Wipes if I were you.

[spankymac]

Chris Keen, on Nov 17 2009, 02:46 PM, said:

I've had my lead levels check 4 or 5 times, and never paid more than a co-pay for the doctors visit.


Kevin, I think the D_Wipes are formulated to remove heavy metals, like lead. Baby wipes are not. I would spend the $4 on the D-Wipes if I were you.

Chris, any recommended brand?

Banks 

[S391]

Chills1994, on Nov 17 2009, 12:01 PM, said:

Outside of tumbling media dust, I think the next biggest source of lead is being inside an indoor range.

Thats what worries me; I'm heading into the season where we shoot all of our IDPA matches in doors and I want to try and limit how much lead I'm exposed to.

This post has been edited by S391: 17 November 2009 - 01:16 PM

[Sarge]

spankymac, on Nov 17 2009, 02:52 PM, said:

Chris Keen, on Nov 17 2009, 02:46 PM, said:

I've had my lead levels check 4 or 5 times, and never paid more than a co-pay for the doctors visit.


Kevin, I think the D_Wipes are formulated to remove heavy metals, like lead. Baby wipes are not. I would spend the $4 on the D-Wipes if I were you.

Chris, any recommended brand?

Banks 

I don't know how many brands there are but Dillon has them in the blue press and on the website. They are basically lead removing wet wipes.

[Chris Keen]

I got mine from Brownells.

[Chris Keen]

http://www.esca-tech.com/

[G-ManBart]

S391, on Nov 17 2009, 03:00 PM, said:

Chills1994, on Nov 17 2009, 12:01 PM, said:

Outside of tumbling media dust, I think the next biggest source of lead is being inside an indoor range.

Thats what worries me; I'm heading into the season where we shoot all of our IDPA matches in doors and I want to try and limit how much lead I'm exposed to.

Keep in mind that everything you're wearing at the indoor match will be contaminated with lead from the air in the range...even with a good ventilation system. It's a smart idea to keep them separate from normal laundry and wash them by themselves....if you throw them in the hamper everything gets a little bit of lead on it. Not a big deal in some cases, but it's not worth messing with. I come home from the indoor range, take off those clothes, throw them in the washing machine and then jump in the shower before I do anything else....no sense in spreading it around the house. R,

[bulm540]

If you shoot a lot of lead bullets have your MD test your lead levels when you go for your yearly phyiscal. I had mine tested and it was normal. I shoot moly coated bullets.

[RePete]

If and when I handle lead bullets, I wear surgical gloves, but still wash afterwards.

[redmanfixit]

EDTA is an additive for food and has a variety of applications in industry and medicine. It is a chelating agent in the human body and is suitable for picking lead up off of surfaces as well. Good in hand wipes and also for cleaning up clothing and surfaces around your reloading and tumbling areas. Look for it in the list of ingredients on labels.

[Chris Keen]

I finally got my Blue Press magazine in the mail today and I noticed that Dillon carries the D-Wipe towels that I was talking about. I use these to clean my hands, after shooting. Especially when there is no other way to wash up (such as out on the practice range).

http://www.dillonpre...6/D_Wipe_Towels

[bossharley]

bulm540, on Nov 17 2009, 11:42 PM, said:

If you shoot a lot of lead bullets have your MD test your lead levels when you go for your yearly phyiscal. I had mine tested and it was normal. I shoot moly coated bullets.

I was told by one of our NRA instructors that any positive test (above recommended limits) had to be reported by the Dr to the State and investigated.
Some members at one of my clubs mentioned that they didn't get tested for that reason, I wish I knew if this was true as I would like to be tested.

Here in the the NE, they are looking for every excuse to close ranges, regulate shooting etc....

[calishootr]

a worker at a rival indoor shooting range got his blood tested, and the state then came back that all indoor ranges had to be tested(they wernt required prievious to that) I won the lottery, had the highest level the state had seen in yrs, butthen again we were doing EVERYTHING wrong, from dry sweeping the range to lousy ventilation, notto mention atthe time i was shooting 9 matches a month, and workingthe range 4-5 nites a week...spent 3 hrs on the phone with the cali state osha people and was convinced had i had kids, they would have been taken away by CPS....a lil celation(sp) therapy, backing off on matches and a few yrs down the road, the levels are back to waaaay under normal...

when i load,i load with gloves, when i sift brass, and spin the squirrel cage, i use a respirator....