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Have you tested your blood lead level?


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  • 1 month later...

Lead is not absorbed through your skin. The particles are too large and could never get into blood circulation. The deal with hands is that they always go to the face and touch every thing that goes into the mouth which is the primary way to absorb lead. We also DO absorb lead via air particles into the lungs as that is a direct route into the circulatory system. The smoke you see is mostly make up of the lube. But even in FMJ bullets with an exposed lead base there is some lead burring, how much you could possibly ingest from that little bit would be pretty limited to none I would assume. I would think there's more danger from pickup up brass and not washing your hands after.

I think you got some bad information there my friend.... lead is also in most primers and it's not lead burring that you breathe in that gets you....

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  • 2 weeks later...

I found 4 1lbr's at a local shop. I haven't been there in close to a year, and remember seeing them there at that time. Manufacture date if Jan 2013. Not a common powder around here. From what I've read they might be some of that last ones on the shelves in the US.

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  • 2 weeks later...

just got the results back today, 28.4. Dr. said stop the reloading and shooting for awhile.

Damn! You munching on bullets while reloading or something?? I reload plenty and shoot indoors all winter and think I pegged a 9.

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I shoot 6-8 + K of 38,9,45,and 22's inside ranges every year another 2-3 K outside. I reload everything I shoot but 22's

You gotta get outside more often! lol. It's the indide part that does it. I shoot and reload about 7500 a year with a fourth of that inside. And I don't shoot lead either.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just got my BLL tested. Its 69! I shoot 2-3 monthly pistol matches, 2 hrs weekly indoor practice and reload plated boo-lets. Tumble wet with stainless media. The general consensus seems to be that the major lead source is indoor. The place is filthy but a 69 really?

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I just got my results back, 1.4, and the doc said I should be more careful, should be under 1. :o

Based on 15 mins of internet research, 1.4 is actually nothing whatsoever to worry about. I have only shot indoors twice, and I tumble my brass outside, and shoot plated bullets, and wash my hands reasonably carefully after any reloading or shooting activities.

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Been reloading lead for over 30 years and never had a BLL this high. Will be 64 this year so I may start loading jacketed bullets. I don't like loading with gloves on, may also try that.

One thing I'd recommend is to get one or two pairs of the white cotton dermatological/inspection gloves sold at pharmacies, online or large retailers chains. They make wearing disposable synthetic gloves more comfortable over long periods of time and can be washed in between uses. These keep the inner part of your disposable gloves relatively dry/clean so you don't have to throw them out as often if you don't want to.

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...here is the lead conversions....I think terms are getting mixed up.

Also keep in mind different jurisdictions have different levels of 'safe'. It may even vary by laboratory. i know in ontario poisoning under I think 1 umol/L isn't reportable, but anything above 0.35 umol/L is flagged for follow up. But I recently read a Canada health Organization study on how prolonged exposure at levels even below 0.483 umol/L can be hazardous.

If you guys above are getting readings at 60+, that is considered dangerously high in Canada. I think those levels are starting to get into requiring chelation therapy

Lead ug/dL umol/L Convertion Table

1 µg/dL = 0.0483 µmol/L 1 µmol/L = 20.7039 µg/dL

2 µg/dL = 0.0966 µmol/L 2 µmol/L = 41.4079 µg/dL

3 µg/dL = 0.1449 µmol/L 3 µmol/L = 62.1118 µg/dL

4 µg/dL = 0.1932 µmol/L 4 µmol/L = 82.8157 µg/dL

5 µg/dL = 0.2415 µmol/L 5 µmol/L = 103.5197 µg/dL

6 µg/dL = 0.2898 µmol/L 6 µmol/L = 124.2236 µg/dL

7 µg/dL = 0.3381 µmol/L 7 µmol/L = 144.9275 µg/dL

8 µg/dL = 0.3864 µmol/L 8 µmol/L = 165.6315 µg/dL

9 µg/dL = 0.4347 µmol/L 9 µmol/L = 186.3354 µg/dL

10 µg/dL = 0.483 µmol/L 10 µmol/L = 207.0393 µg/dL

11 µg/dL = 0.5313 µmol/L 11 µmol/L = 227.7433 µg/dL

12 µg/dL = 0.5796 µmol/L 12 µmol/L = 248.4472 µg/dL

13 µg/dL = 0.6279 µmol/L 13 µmol/L = 269.1511 µg/dL

14 µg/dL = 0.6762 µmol/L 14 µmol/L = 289.8551 µg/dL

15 µg/dL = 0.7245 µmol/L 15 µmol/L = 310.559 µg/dL

16 µg/dL = 0.7728 µmol/L 16 µmol/L = 331.2629 µg/dL

17 µg/dL = 0.8211 µmol/L 17 µmol/L = 351.9669 µg/dL

18 µg/dL = 0.8694 µmol/L 18 µmol/L = 372.6708 µg/dL

19 µg/dL = 0.9177 µmol/L 19 µmol/L = 393.3747 µg/dL

20 µg/dL = 0.966 µmol/L 20 µmol/L = 414.0787 µg/dL

21 µg/dL = 1.0143 µmol/L 21 µmol/L = 434.7826 µg/dL

22 µg/dL = 1.0626 µmol/L 22 µmol/L = 455.4865 µg/dL

23 µg/dL = 1.1109 µmol/L 23 µmol/L = 476.1905 µg/dL

24 µg/dL = 1.1592 µmol/L 24 µmol/L = 496.8944 µg/dL

25 µg/dL = 1.2075 µmol/L 25 µmol/L = 517.5983 µg/dL

26 µg/dL = 1.2558 µmol/L 26 µmol/L = 538.3023 µg/dL

27 µg/dL = 1.3041 µmol/L 27 µmol/L = 559.0062 µg/dL

28 µg/dL = 1.3524 µmol/L 28 µmol/L = 579.7101 µg/dL

29 µg/dL = 1.4007 µmol/L 29 µmol/L = 600.4141 µg/dL

30 µg/dL = 1.449 µmol/L 30 µmol/L = 621.118 µg/dL

Edited by Onagoth
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Here is an extremely long and thorough report by Health Canada on low levels of lead exposure (under 10 ug/dL)

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/contaminants/dhhssrl-rpecscepsh/index-eng.php#a1

alternatively, here is the general conclusion

Effects associated with BLLs below 10 μg/dL, down to 1-2 μg/dL, have been reported in the health effects database and include neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, renal, and reproductive effects. The evidence of an association between health effects with BLLs in the lower range of exposure is strongest for neurodevelopmental effects in children, most commonly assessed as a reduction of intelligence quotient and attention-related behaviours. Developmental neurotoxicity has been associated with the lowest levels of lead exposure examined to date, both in observational studies and in animal experiments. In humans, neurotoxic effects of lead can persist until the late teen-age years. Dose-response modelling conducted with available observational studies does not currently demonstrate a population threshold for developmental neurotoxicity. Infants and children are a susceptible subpopulation for lead exposure because they have greater gastrointestinal absorption and less effective renal excretion than adults in addition to different behaviour patterns. Identification of infants and children as a susceptible subpopulation and neurodevelopmental effects as the critical health effect is considered protective for other adverse health effects of lead across the entire population.

Although BLLs of Canadians have declined significantly over the past 30 years, health effects are occurring below 10 μg/dL. There is sufficient evidence that BLLs below 5 µg/dL are associated with adverse health effects. Health effects have been associated with BLLs as low as 1-2 μg/dL, levels that are present in Canadians, although there is uncertainty associated with effects observed at these levels. It is considered appropriate to apply a conservative approach when characterizing risk; accordingly, additional measures to further reduce exposures of Canadians to lead are warranted.

Edited by Onagoth
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  • 2 months later...

I wonder if some of you guys with high lead levels are being exposed in some other way besides shooting. I worked for a weight vest manufacture for 3 years through college. I casted 2.5 lb. lead weights by melting lead in dutch ovens on a camp chief stove. I didn't wear a respirator the only ventilation were some fans blowing out the window.

I handled about 750,000 lbs of lead over the period of time with nothing but leather gloves. The main precaution was not to grind the lead or create any lead dust. I was tested every year for the 3 years and never had above normal levels.

I do see how indoor ranges would be an exception though because you are putting lead particles in the air.

But those of you that just cast and shoot outside I would maybe look at other sources.

The other thing about lead in your blood stream from what I understand is that it leaves your blood by going into your tissues not out of your body. So even if your levels drop the problem may not be solved. I have heard there are foods you can eat to help get it out of your body all together; but these may be home remedy witchcraft that don't really work.

I just thought I would comment because I had a lot of experience with lead. Enough to have casted 28 million bullets.

Dave

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I shoot at a new indoor facility that has excellent ventilation. They also provide deleading wipes to clean your hands before leaving. Once a month I shoot an indoor match in the basement of a shit hole that doesn't have any ventilation I don't think.

But my main concern is that I just started reloading and I built a reloading station in my basement. How much of an issue is reloading JHP in the basement? I tumble clean in the garage but I think I will move it outside. I don't wear gloves when I reload but I do wash my hands after any reloading activities.......

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It is well known that the heavy metals in some primer compounds are easily the worst contributor - the organic lead compounds.

I do 100% of my practice indoors, and I am guilty of sometimes not turning ON the exhaust fan - during cold months. Need to change that practice.

On primers - I bought once the no-lead primers, and they sucked. Does anyone know if modern primers like Winchester or CCI still contain lead compounds, or they switched to clean stuff?

I have had success shooting Fiocchi leadless small pistol primers in my CZ shadow. YMMV.

all the regular brands, federal, CCI, winchester, remington etc all contain lead unless they specifically state LEAD FREE, or Leadless.

from the little research I've done I understand primers are where you get most of the airborne injested lead from.

otherwise it comes from your hands when reloading, shooting, loading mags etc and especially when you then eat, touch your face, have a ciggy etc. A lot of this lead is coming off the dirty brass as you pick it up, put it in your tumbler, load it or whatever else you do with it.

Shooting CMJ's will help as the bullet is completely encased in copper both when you reload it, when you put it into a mag and when you shoot it.

Buying and using lead free/leadless primers will also help but they can be harder to find and are quite a bit more expensive than regular SPP.

People who predominately shoot indoors are much more at risk.

So if you can switch to an outdoor range that will no doubt help.

So in summary.

Wear gloves when handling/tumbling your brass.

Wash your hands at regular intervals during the day when you are shooting and especially after you've been picking up brass.

Wear gloves when reloading, or switch to coated or CMJ projectiles

If you shoot indoors consider the outdoor options available to you, or consider wearing a respirator indoors.

Switch to lead free primers if they will work reliably in your gun and you can get regular supply

Talk to your doctor. There are medications and certain types of food that will help lower lead absorption/retention in the body.

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  • 1 month later...

The dust from your tumbler is a good way to get a snoot full of lead.

I take mine outside to open it and separate the brass from the media and stand upwind just because I can.

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