Loading Lead-Who wears gloves?

Garand

Garand

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I've noticed that some shooters think that wearing gloves on certain occasions is "girly-stuff", whats your opinion about while you are reloading?

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 where I was posted restricted(read that disallowed) my shooting for a 6 month period while the blood lead level returned to normal. Those who shoot on indoor ranges where you have to walk down and change your own target, do you ever think about lead? 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 f*ck 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, 4 boxes of 50 gloves just $13.00 at Superstore. 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!

Just interesting reading for serious reloaders;

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/TXQApb.shtml

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/lead/leadsymptoms.html

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/OLPPP/pntblnk1.htm

http://www.precisioncartridge.com/lead.html
 
I find latex gloves, which I only recently started using for reloading, keeps the residuals from projectiles, both lead and jacketed, and casings, even though both are supposedly clean, off the hands. Regular washing now suffices and the degreaser quality cleaners with grit are not required as frequently. I also wouldn't be as apt to eat while wearing latex.I highly recommend it . Cost is about 7 or 8 cents per glove and they can be reused if you're carefull when removing them.There is another product which looks like finger condoms, which can be used although I don't know where to get them. The photography industry uses them....Mule
 
Sorry, I don't wear gloves to reload as I can not get use to the loss of dexterity even though I suppose it isn't that bad. I do however wash after every time I load or even handle my firearms.
 
I don't wear gloves while reloading. Lead absorption thru the skin of your hands is, as I understand it, so insignificant that it is not an issue to worry about.

The issue in this case is really one of ingesting lead. So wash your hands after doing any reloading or handling ammo and guns and you will be ok. If it's not on your hands chances are it will not get on your food.

There is one often-overlooked potential source of lead dust that could be inhaled, rotary or vibrating cartridge case cleaners. The cleaning media becomes loaded with lead compounds from the primer residue that comes off the cases that are being cleaned. Don't let that tumbler dust get airborne! If you are going to use one of those rotary sifters, use it outside.
 
Gezz you meen it aint a good idea to eat sandwiches while reloading :D
Dam! you guys wreck all my fun :(

I just bought a box of 100 latex gloves for doing reblueing so now i will wear em when handleing lead after reading the frist post.
i always washed my hands before and after reloading and figgered i was safe.
 
I wear those nitrile gloves, the blue latex lookin ones. It probably doesn't matter that much for the amount I reload but I use them anyway.
 
Lead adsorption or Dermal contact is not your worry with pure lead, however ingestion over time will cause chronic problems and ingestion should be easy to control, by mentioned not eating or smoking in contact with handling on raw materials.
However if mixed with a chlorinated solvent substance like a cleaning degreasers breakdown will occure leeding to skin adsorption, the lead will become part of the solution and dermal skin cantact will be an issue while cleaning you guns. The solvent will host the lead carried into you body upon skin contact.

NIOSH hand book can be looked up on line to confirm the H&S handling proceedures of chlorinated cleaning solvents.

I never wear gloves but should, I know better! and better yet in my gun roon inhalation is a more serious threat with these chemicals, that I don't bother with and should!
Regards
Jason
 
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No gloves
But , try not to get a wipeing your hands on your clothes, and getting lead all over the place.
bad places,tumbler, bullet casting,...
Don't take smoke breaks, without washing up.
No worries if you take care , watch what your doing.
Frank
 
I never have, just wash well after, however, I am being nagged (sorry, there is no other word for it) to wear gloves for lead handling.
I find gloves awkward, and rarely wear them for any sort of work, except when forced to, by cold, heat, or severe chemicals.
 
I don't wear gloves, but wash my hands very well afterwards, and make a point to keep my hands away from my face until I have washed up. Lead fumes as a source of lead from casting is a myth - the temperatures are far too low for the amount of lead to even be measured. However, if you already have tinfoil hat on, you might as well add a respirator.

Trouble concentrating.....what was I saying? Oh yea, and it's a good idea to get your blood lead level baselined and rechecked at every (usually wife-enforced) checkup.
 
I've never worried too much about it. I don't shoot indoors often, and I usually load jacketed bullets, so my only real exposure is handling fired brass.

I don't tumble brass (I clean it in the ultrasonic cleaner with water), so there should be no airborne dust there.

I'm going to try my hand at casting soon, so I'm a little concerned there. I plan to do all my casting activities outside, and upwind of the pot to minimize my exposure.
 
IM_Lugger said:
I just don't shoot lead :) (and shoot outdoors)
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The expolsive ingredient in primers is Lead Staphnate. This is where much of the the lead dust comes from. There's a lot of it, too. Try firing an empty primed cartridge into a towel or something, and see how much black sooty substance a primer shoots out.
 
Andy said:
Lead fumes as a source of lead from casting is a myth - the temperatures are far too low for the amount of lead to even be measured.
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For the most part I would agree with the above statement. If you cast using a common commercially sold furnace in good working order the lead cannot get hot enough to emit vapours. The companies that build casting furnaces don't build units that will poison their customers .... bad for business.

However if you cast using a Coleman stove, propane or natural gas flame you can get the lead hot enough to "boil" it. Not a good thing. IIRC lead will start to give off vapour at 1100-1200 degrees F (higher than a correctly working electric pot will go).

I use a Coleman stove to do bulk clean up melts of wheel weights and scrap, however I'm careful to cut the flame to a minimum when the lead finally melts, and I do this operation outside. The most dangerous part of the bulk cleanup process is handling the dross - it has lots of lead oxide in it. Lead oxide is the problem component, metallic lead is not very "bioavaliable".

Having some knowledge and using proper produres will keep you safe when dealing with lead.
 
I had a blood test, and I asked specifically for a lead test. Normal range is what I got. I handle a lot of lead bare handed, and I don't wear a mask, when casting, or gloves when handling lead bullets.
I probably should though. :rolleyes:
 
I cast bullets and reload using lead bullets and don't wear gloves but I don't eat while I am doing either and always wash up good when I am finished. I get a hazardous trade medical every year and have never had any problems with lead or any other heavy metals in my system.
 
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