Anyone wear surgical gloves while reloading?

I wear nitrile gloves when reloading shotgun shells. Mainly because the shot is graphite coated and my hands get really dirty otherwise. I wear them during milking and have found some that allow for a very light touch. They are not a nuisance due to a lack of feel. My hands are rough enough that they are difficult to get really clean if I don't wear gloves.
 
I wear nitrile or surgical. Much cleaner and makes the process more enjoyable. BUT it is a bugger when loading the .204 Ruger with surgical gloves on.... almost ripped a hunk out of the finger due to the close tolerances lol.
 
No gloves for me, I just wash my hands well after reloading or casting and never had a problem. Even at the height of my casting and lead bullet shooting days I never got any lead in my system, due to my job at the time I had yearly blood tests for metals and it was always clear. If you want to wear gloves go ahead, I just don't see the need unless it bothers you to get you hands dirty.
 
well it appears there are three camps....those that know lead contamination, those that don't and those that don't care.

lead can get into the body in the following usual ways:
ingestion
inhalation
absorption

The first two are the most significant for shooters. if you smelt your own lead, you need to protect yourself. if you reload, handle bullets with exposed lead, clean bullet traps, shoot indoors, shoot in confined areas, then you need to protect yourself. Gloves are best and consider a HEPA mask.

the best way to avoid ingestion is to have clean washing practices immediately after shooting is completed and before you ingest anything - liquids, food, gum, etc. if you drink during a match, you should wipe you hands.

to avoid inhalation, anywhere there may be lead dust or vapour, then wear a HEPA mask.

if you do a lot of shooting, get your blood lead levels checked every year - you will likely have to pay for it - my doc charges 30.00 per test. if you have had elevated levels more than once, you may want to consider a bone scan....as your Blood lead level drops, it doesn't totally leave your body, it settles in your bones. Just because your level has gone down, doesn't necessarily mean you are in a safe zone. Consider being referred to a doctor who specializes in lead contamination - usually a doctor who works with industry (battery factories). I know of a doctor in Richmond Hill if you need one and you are in the GTA.

I know this as I have had direct contact with the running of a shooting range since 1996. I am well versed in the dangers involved. If you think we are sissy's then go about basking in your ignorance. The evidence is overwhelming and readily available - just google it.

Boltgun
 
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Boltgun you are right on the ingestion either by swallowing or by breathing simply handling of lead with bare hands... you lost me there. The latter would not be an issue you ran into working at an indoor range. The former methods of ingesting would have been a real concern to you/ You are right the information is out there you just have to sort through the authors.

Take Care

Bob





 
Silverback said:
No gloves for me, I just wash my hands well after reloading or casting and never had a problem. Even at the height of my casting and lead bullet shooting days I never got any lead in my system, due to my job at the time I had yearly blood tests for metals and it was always clear. If you want to wear gloves go ahead, I just don't see the need unless it bothers you to get you hands dirty.
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Good information that the reloading didn't raise your levels. Whne you say "clear", this does not mean you had no lead in your blood, just that you were below the harmful limit. we all have some lead in our systems and PCBS too. I know one plant where employees would deliberately expose themselves to lead so they would be put off work during hunting season!
 
Boltgun said:
Bob

can you expand on - you lost me there?

I'm not tracking your train of thought

Boltgun
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I am not as convinced as you are that you can absorb lead through your skin. I think you would also agree working at an active indoor range wold lead to exposure levels beyond anything a hobby caster would experience. In the indoor range case the discharge from firing a round, would contain the lead from spent priming compounds both in the air and in the dust on the floor both of which can be ingested through breathing. I know a family in Seattle that suffered severe lead poisoning this way.

My last blood test just over a year ago reported zero lead containment. The issue is real but the sky is not falling either. If I still lived in a large metropolitan are I would be more concerned about the air I breath than any lead contamination I might be exposed to by casting or handling lead bullets.

The internet has many uses, providing useful information is one of them. Promoting agendas is another and sometimes when you read articles on health and any other issues of the day such as climate change it pays to research the authors and also to seek secondary sources.

Take Care

Bob
 
i use black nitrile gloves, just because it's a bit cleaner. No reason otherwise since I only use red cor cob in the tumbler & citric acid, rubbing alcohol & dish soap in the ultrasonic cleaner
 
I don't use gloves.I was hands often and no drinking,eating ,making out while reloading.
I have specialist blood tests 2 a year-no heavy metals of any kind .
 
I don't wear gloves but being a sheet metal worker I have a pair of those old fashioned beat up "working man's hands".

I wash my hands multiple times before and after reloading, shooting or casting.

Also I don't shoot indoors as being in the air quality business for the last 12 years I tend to not trust that ranges have up to date air handling equipment with regularly changed hepa filters.

I think that's where most people get elevated lead levels from.
 
Canuck44 said:
I am not as convinced as you are that you can absorb lead through your skin. I think you would also agree working at an active indoor range wold lead to exposure levels beyond anything a hobby caster would experience. In the indoor range case the discharge from firing a round, would contain the lead from spent priming compounds both in the air and in the dust on the floor both of which can be ingested through breathing. I know a family in Seattle that suffered severe lead poisoning this way.

My last blood test just over a year ago reported zero lead containment. The issue is real but the sky is not falling either. If I still lived in a large metropolitan are I would be more concerned about the air I breath than any lead contamination I might be exposed to by casting or handling lead bullets.

The internet has many uses, providing useful information is one of them. Promoting agendas is another and sometimes when you read articles on health and any other issues of the day such as climate change it pays to research the authors and also to seek secondary sources.

Take Care

Bob
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oh I get where you were going with it.....the gloves isn't to prevent the absorption...you are right - absorption is the hardest way to get contaminated. The gloves part/washing part is to prevent transfer to other objects - ie: food, before you put it into your mouth - transfer to a door knob and then put bare hands on it then touch your eyes or eat, etc. inhalation is the highest, ingestion next followed by absorption. Absorption becomes a significant issue if you are sweating and dealing with fine dust or liquid contaminated with lead.
 
further to that, lead comes from a few sources during the firing cycle.

- primers - most have lead styphnate which is vaporized during firing
- friction from the bore - both in the form of lead deposits and vaporized lead
- flame burning the base of the bullet if not jacketed causing lead vapour
- then the bullet getting stopped - this is problematic if using a trap that allows bullets to smash into small particles and dust.

for reloading - handling unjacketed bullets, smelting your own bullets, dirty brass and media

Boltgun
 
You guys keep this thread going and the antis are gonna say get rid of guns because lead kills frogs. Lead is good for you. It's in a multi vitamin with all the other good metals. Iron, potassium, Mercury, copper etc. Puts hair on your third arm.
 
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