Disturbing report about toxic levels of lead exposure to shooters..
- Thread starter freeflier
- Start date
Lead was and will always be poison. There is no safe level of poison. If you want to shoot, you will be subjected to some, best to do some hand washing and shoot outdoors.
The filtration at my indoor range consists of an industrial fan blowing it around for us.
The filtration at my indoor range consists of an industrial fan blowing it around for us.
shooting outdoors is actually worse than shooting on a properly ventilated indoor range. Outside the contaminants will often just hang in the air around you, or worse, blow directly back into your face.
I wouldn't waste my money on lead free ammo, it's more expensive and unless you shoot as much as me, you likely won't see any issues from your current ammo choice. if you are really concerned go and get a base test done now, and then again in a few months, then every 3 after that. I would be interested in what your results are anyhow.
As well, the ammo being shot around you, due to our airflow is pretty much a non issue. the lead that is given off during the initial firing, from the primers, is pretty much directed back at, and around, you.
I wouldn't waste my money on lead free ammo, it's more expensive and unless you shoot as much as me, you likely won't see any issues from your current ammo choice. if you are really concerned go and get a base test done now, and then again in a few months, then every 3 after that. I would be interested in what your results are anyhow.
As well, the ammo being shot around you, due to our airflow is pretty much a non issue. the lead that is given off during the initial firing, from the primers, is pretty much directed back at, and around, you.
I'm not sure 'bout that. there's a lot more cubic feet of atmosphere outside. Couple that with the fact that velocity most likely blows the sh1t 50 yards down range with extreme prejudice and I'll shoot outdoors any day over indoors. ( I used to shoot indoors ) My .02 {and that's copper} 
Deleted, someone else made my point.
yes much more atmosphere outside, which doesn't make any difference when the #### in the air is just hanging around over your head. Maybe your range has a more reliable wind or something, but every range I've shot at, across the planet, you see the smoke and crap hanging in the air as people shoot, with large groups it gets worse. Now I know smoke isn't all lead, but there is some in there. I'm not going to stop shooting outside either, but a nice climate controlled, properly ventilated indoor range will always provide more constant and predictable airflow across the shooter. Thus resulting in a cleaner atmosphere to breathe in.
I'm not sure 'bout that. there's a lot more cubic feet of atmosphere outside. Couple that with the fact that velocity most likely blows the #### 50 yards down range with extreme prejudice and I'll shoot outdoors any day over indoors. ( I used to shoot indoors ) My .02 {and that's copper}
I was wondering about that. If the air intake of an indoor range is strategically downrange then it should consistently draw the particles away from the shooters.
BTW, I've shot more than 1200 rounds in my first 3 weeks of shooting and, not knowing any better, more than once didn't wash up until getting home. I noticed my fingers were blackened and that regular soap didn't do much so I've probably ingested a fair bit over that short period. Not to mention the spent casing that have been bouncing off my head from both my gun and the guy beside me. It never even occurred to me that an immediate shower would have been in order. I'm curious myself about what i've absorbed so I've set up an appointment to get a blood test referral.
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well as long as you aren't brewing tea with them you will be fine. your total rounds fired so far is what I usually shoot in a week, and my lead levels have been going down since I first started getting tested, so I can't imagine your's going up.
The casing that thumped me in the side of the head hurt like a SOB! Non-issue, my ass!
But back to the lead. Is the majority of the inhaled lead from the lead styphanate primers, or from the lead splash dust at the impact area?
And which is the larger danger between inhaled, swallowed, and skin absorbed?
Slavex, how do you go about getting tested? Is it a simple referal from your own Dr?
MSP, or pay yourself?
Getting tested is as simple as asking your Dr to request it from the lab. They will make notation that the lab is to search Pb or BLL on the bloodwork. I have this done every 3 mos as I have had lead poisoning for about 4yrs and slowly coming back to acceptable levels.
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I have had my own lead issues 1.8 was my highest. Lead will not absorbe through the skin. It must go through a mucous membranes so inhaled or swallowed. Yes most comes from the primers.
When I did my safety course, was talking to a guy who was a surveyor and knew his metals. He said lead is very similar to calcium, and the human body will replace lost calcium with lead. This isn't a problem until you get old and your bones can't hold that lead anymore and it gets released. Guess what lead attaches to next? The nervous system. This is why I assume osteoporosis is really deadly when it comes to lead poisoning.
I don't shoot as much as most of the people in this thread, but I just ask my doctor every year when he runs the regular blood work to test for lead from industrial exposure. No extra cost and they're pulling the blood anyways for the usual tests.
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Over the years I've only known of one individual with a lead level too high in his blood...
His wife also had a lead level too high, even though she wasn't a shooter. Turned out the problem was his house... Lead pipping.
His wife also had a lead level too high, even though she wasn't a shooter. Turned out the problem was his house... Lead pipping.
