Blood lead

jimbo14 said:
Finicky? In what way? I'll start reloading this winter and am curious what you've found. I'm thinking about going lead-free.
Click to expand...

First off they jammed up my vibra prime that worked 100% with CCI primers. So I went the manual route with the yellow plastic tips. Occasionally had issues with that too, seems like the odd Fiocchi primer would get stuck/turned around???

So reading Brian Eno's site I discovered the Pal filler. MUCH better but still not 100%. I think the primers aren't as uniform as they should be...or the dillon tubes are different dimensions (not likely).

As for reloading itself on my 650 I get the occasional issue where the primer won't go in. I've played with it and now move the case a little while seating if I feel it's not going in and slowly press the handle. Maybe 1/75 cases do that. I'm leaning towards the odd out of spec primer. I also did get a primer stuck in the tube and obliviously no warning other than the lack of pressure when I went to seat. I tried to pull out the inner tube but of course they all came out and I had to dismantle the primer assembly. Next time I'll tap the tube first.

It all sounds worse than it is and I'm waiting for a sale to load up on more(hint hint WM Black Friday is coming!). And they are snappy, I'm new to this game but there is a difference compared to CCI's. Defiantly more bang for the same powder charge. I've found a few others online say the same thing. Worth it for us.
 
Yeah I just got a call from the health officials... that was fast!!! They feel reloading is the biggest culprit in high lead levels for shooters. So I guess mask, gloves, suit?
 
carlchevalier said:
Yeah I just got a call from the health officials... that was fast!!! They feel reloading is the biggest culprit in high lead levels for shooters. So I guess mask, gloves, suit?
Click to expand...

Really? Higher than shooting indoors in a poorly ventilated range. I would think walking dowrange into the smoke cloud of primer dust and burnt powder might be well ahead of reloading.

Who were the "health officials"?

Loading jacketed rounds hardly puts you in contact with lead. Skin contact with lead would seem to be a very low entry point for lead compared to breathing in lead primer dust.

Take Care

Bob
 
carlchevalier said:
Yeah I just got a call from the health officials... that was fast!!! They feel reloading is the biggest culprit in high lead levels for shooters. So I guess mask, gloves, suit?
Click to expand...

They are wrong unless you are sucking your thumb. You are getting exposed elsewhere. Indoor range you are using maybe ??
I have been reloading since the 60's some years 25,000 rounds a year and never less than 10,000. Was blood and hair tested every 18 months due to potential exposure at work and never were my lead levels a concern. Mind you I have never shot indoors and only cast bullets outdoors
Now uranium was a different story for me but that was not from reloading
Cheers
 
Last edited:
Now my wife wants all my reloading stuff out of the house. We need test if our house is contaminated .... But they did tell me I could shoot?!?
 
carlchevalier said:
Now my wife wants all my reloading stuff out of the house. We need test if our house is contaminated .... But they did tell me I could shoot?!?
Click to expand...

Install an exhaust fan or air purifier in your reloading room? Absolutely no food or drink consumption in or around the reloading area. Wear a dust mask when depriming or if you vibratory tumble your brass with dry media.
 
I wouldn't dry tumble anywhere, especially at home. The dust is going to make it's way everywhere. How about buying ready cleaned and deprimed brass?

My new method (completely OCD btw) is to wet tumble the brass first. I then semi-dry in a oven for 20 mins. Then size and deprime the whole batch. I can see the collection tube and tub gets wet as the primers are still soaked. Then the whole batch gets put in the tumbler with dawn to soak overnight. Fresh water and tumble again in the am. Rinse, remove pins and tumble for 30 mins in a wash'n'wax solution. I now air dry as the heat was dulling my cases. Super duper clean and shiny brass with no toxic crud in the primer pockets. Hopefully this will help with the odd Fiochcci primer issue.

And I've started using RO (reverse osmosis) water, yea I went whole-hog.


My brass is sooo shiny :)!
 
carlchevalier said:
Well I just got my results I'm at .729 umol per L or 7.2 per dl ... Not good...but not a disaster. It is at a level that apparently has to be reported to health authorities!? Sooo Mask and gloves while reloading and ROing, or give up the sport... only my Dr. will make that call.

Cheers
Click to expand...

My initial test was more than double your rate and a simple watch what your doing from the Doc was all I got, Doing some online research for MB Workplace Safety & Health showed a paper advising less than 1.4 Umol was an acceptable level (http://www.mtpinnacle.com/pdfs/lead-physician-guide-manitoba.pdf). Most of my interactions with Doctors regarding lead levels is they are all over the map and seem to be fairly uneducated on the the risks and treatments for lead exposure unless it is their field of specialty. One Doc is fine with my level and my Buddy's doc is ready to start looking for Chelation therapy options when his level is significantly lower.
 
mine went from 4.1 or 4.6 ...down to 3.6'ish. i did take a little bit of time off last year...but stsrted taking garlic supplements...maybe it helped
 
Chilidip said:
My initial test was more than double your rate and a simple watch what your doing from the Doc was all I got, Doing some online research for MB Workplace Safety & Health showed a paper advising less than 1.4 Umol was an acceptable level (http://www.mtpinnacle.com/pdfs/lead-physician-guide-manitoba.pdf). Most of my interactions with Doctors regarding lead levels is they are all over the map and seem to be fairly uneducated on the the risks and treatments for lead exposure unless it is their field of specialty. One Doc is fine with my level and my Buddy's doc is ready to start looking for Chelation therapy options when his level is significantly lower.
Click to expand...

I’ve tried 5 different doctors and 2 internists now and I can say only one of them was familiar with lead exposure. I’m the sense that they had helped another person achieve lower levels. With the rest I was their first case. I am to low for chelation, and yet not low enough for it to not be affecting my organ function, strength and memory.
 
I go to the indoor range once a week & I fire about 200 rounds mostly .22lr. We turn on extra exhaust fans when required. Hand washing is the main other thing I do for protection.
 
Sakoman .308 said:
I go to the indoor range once a week & I fire about 200 rounds mostly .22lr. We turn on extra exhaust fans when required. Hand washing is the main other thing I do for protection.
Click to expand...

Turn the fans on full all the time. By the time you think you should put the extra ones on you will have exposed yourself to the lead compounds you are trying to avoid. If you walk down range to check your targets you are walking through the cloud of material your fans are trying to eject from the range.

Take Care

Bob
 
This reminds me of something my plumbing teacher used to say to us 17 yearsago.
Copper pipe fittings solder used to be lead based.
A plumbing fixture you use regularly gets the water moving and lead does not contaminate as much.
At the time when they didn't know, imagine the poor student that would take the first sip out of the water fountain in september after 2.5 months of inactivity.

Which does bring a point, if your home is pre 80s and you have let's say a bar sink you don't use often, let the water flow for a while before filling ice trays as an example.
 
This is a good thread. The dangers of lead exposure seem too often to be disregarded and a lot of that is due to lack of accurate information and discussion. 50 years ago as a kid I remember digging bullets out of tree stumps and keeping them like little treasures in a can in my room. Leaded solder was everywhere including an soldering kit I was given for Christmas - not to mention the amalgam that is still in my teeth! Like many other sports shooting requires some safety equipment in order to avoid unnecessary injury and that goes beyond glasses and hearing protection.
 
As for reloading, I've been reloading since 1986, since then I've had 3 bad bouts of elevated blood lead levels. In each case the Base Medical Officer restricted(read that disallowed) my shooting for a 6 month period while the blood lead level returned to normal. If you are going to wear a mask while shooting go to a certified safety supply store and purchase a mask that is rated as effective in stopping lead airborne contaminent. Most lead on indoor ranges is made airborne by your feet as you walk down the indoor range. While I was in the service, part of retaining my RSO qualification for indoor ranges was that I had to get a blood test every 6 months.

Elevated blood lead levels are nothing to screw around with they can cause serious damage to your body. Loss of co-ordination, loss of memory, mood swings, etc. It can really screw relationships up badly. Since I retired I only shoot outdoors which helps minimize airborne lead contaminent. A PMed tech I used to shoot with also let me in on a secret, during the reloading process on a single stage press, you can handle a single round 5-6 times. Your skin absorbs a lot of lead this way. When reloading I now wear latex surgical gloves and since they are cheap, use them in bulk. This way the only time my hands actually touch lead is when I load and fire the firearm. I have shot IPSC and Cowboy action and I am a high volume shooter!
 
The single biggest DECREASE in my lead levels was to wear nitrile gloves when reloading. Dispose of when done, go upstairs and wash your exposed skin (face neck etc)

Now my lead levels are near what a 'normal' office worker would be.
 
I just left my doctor's office. My blood was sent to In-Common Laboratories in North York ON. Here's what it said:
Lead, whole blood
Test: Lead, B, ug/L 97.7 Normal Range: 0.0-20.0
Lead, B, umol/L 0.47 Normal Range: 0.00-0.10

I took a pic of the letter my Doctor received. He wants me to stop everything, shooting and reloading because he doesn't know how dangerous it is if at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom