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Toxicity of painted bullets ?


Julien Boit

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Hi all,

Today we see more and more painted bullets used in IPSC shooting. And lots of rumours are going on as well.

Some ranges allows them, some strictly forbidde them arguing that the vapor is cancerigen.

I try to find some datas, studies or whatever about this.

I've shot some and retrieved some from the range, and those I saw where undamaged, exposing no lead except the base like most FMJs. So basically, they work the same way as full metal jackets.

Any info is welcomed.

Thanks in advance

I started a similar thread on the Global Village to have a wider field of view.

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You really have to know what they are using as the coating in detail to know what the hazard is.

Some polymers use formaldehyde in their resin, which is a potential carcinogen, and can cause some severe respiratory reactions in people.

Other polymers do fun things when heated up real fast like release acidic gas that is corrosive (or at least that's what I was warned about when toying with the idea of laser cutting kydex).

I was reading an article recently on TULA, where it discussed issues with a non hazardous polymer coating (they of course claim there's is good,a nd the competitors' are bad), but that's not the same as what is getting put on the coated bullets.

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I have been using and selling Polymer / Teflon etc etc bullets since 1994. They have been made much longer than that in Australia that I know of. tarted out liek the coating tha BBI currently sells and finished up Gols in colour. But we ahve had Red, Blue, Green, Black, Gold and Dark Copper. Currently Gold.

As far as the limited testing I have had done is that when heated there is a small amount, in the words of the tester who works for the Govt Science Research it is in such small amounts, whilst detechable you would ahve to be inside a very poorly ventilated indoor range for a significantly long period of time, expend large amounts of ammunition in that long period of time to inhale or absorb the particulates that MAY cause cancer.

The amount of nitro carbons, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide thatth eexpended rounds would produce will be a significantly higher risk factor than the other materials present.

So in well ventilated ranges or used outside the risk is insignificant.

Most of the coatings are a Polymer based coating similar. Usually it is PTFE that is essentially the lubricant within the caoting. Some bullets are Epoxy Solvent paints that need to be cured.

Fastec Coating needs heating the projectiles to around 140F will allow the coating to attach to the projectiles and then the projectiles is washed in Water, these coatings are water based (like Acrylic Paints).

MAny people who have control of ranges seem to ban anything they don't know or understand, just because they can. They have neitehr researched or asked anyone who has researched the product. A polite call to teh maker will usually get an accurate response. There is no way anyone making projectiles would put themselves at risk of being sued over the posibility of carcinogens in the lubricant.

If the range is so poorly ventilated that toxins remain in the immediate enviroment then you have more pressing issues to worry about.

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I remember shooting with Australian guys at worldshoot in South Africa in 2002. Some were using black tefloned bullets. So, the product is not new as you said.

I'll try to have the info from the maker about the product they use for coating.

Thanks for those Info GM iprod.

:cheers:

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