Health/Cost Issues when Reloading

[Rockclimbg]

I live in a small home and have my spare bedroom set up as a reloading/computer/storage/workout/you get the idea room. It is in close proximity to my main bedroom, bathroom, etc. How concerned with Lead exposure should I be?

I currently tumble all my brass in this room with corn cob media. I do all the normal stuff like wash my hands after reloading, wear a rubber glove when handling bullets, don't put reloading components in my mouth .....but is there anything else I should be doing as a precaution? Is tumbling dusk a problem?

Would using lead bullets be a greater risk than the FMJ stuff I'm using now while reloading? When shooting? I only shoot outdoors.

I'd like to cut back on my cost of bullets but without going to a KKM barrel and shooting lead, but I don't see how that is possible.

Currently, I'm around $105 for .40 180's using montana golds, titegroup and once fired brass (of coarse I recycle the brass now that I have it.)

Thanks for any advice.

Rockclimbg

[shred]

I load in my apartment.. probably the biggest sources of lead contamination would be dirty brass, the tumbler dust, spent primers and bullets

Bullets are big and easy to keep in control. Dirty brass goes in the tumbler as soon as possible. The tumbler I'm putting outside as soon as I can. Spent primers now go down a chute to a bottle (see the 550/650 mods threads). Good hygene should get you through the rest.

[kevin c]

Your risk of lead exposure comes from what you take in by getting lead in your mouth or in your lungs (mucous membranes). Your hands (being contaminated with lead and then going to your mouth), then, and the smoke you breathe while shooting are your major exposures.

Gloving and washing your hands are good precautions, but handling/loading plain lead is okay too, if you are scrupulous in washing up afterwards.

Shooting indoors is a big exposure because of ventilation issues, or if you are a shooter that goes downrange into the bullet trap area and handles props, or cleans or picks up brass foward of the line. The contamination there is very heavy and gets onto your shoes and clothes, which then contaminate whatever and whereever you go until you change them.

Casting bullets is considered a high exposure because of smoke/fumes and handling raw lead. I wouldn't do it indoors.

Tumbling media does contain some lead residue from fired cases. Media dust, of course will carry the same. Keeping the dust down (changing your media before it breaks down, using dryer cloths or other materials in the bowl as a dust trap) reduces the exposure, as does avoiding inhaling the dust (transferring the media to the separator and actually separating the media and cases is what often produces the most dust - you might consider doing that out doors). Carpet will trap dust of any kind - having wall to wall where you separate the media and cases will build up the room's contamination.

Loading is generally safe, though, with little or no lead build up in the loader's body if reasonable precautions are taken. Do consider getting blood lead levels checked periodically, though.

Lead, though, is toxic even in small quantities to children. As an adult you can tolerate much higher levels than a growing child. If you have kids, or have kids coming over, especially preschoolers and infants, I wouldn't tumble indoors, and would make your reloading room off limits.

[SmittyFL]

I generally try and remember to take the cigaette out of my mouth when dumping a charge in the scale. But if I get a flare up, no worries, I always have a beer near by to put it out.

So, no.....I guess I'm not to worried about lead exposure.

[Matt Cheely]

I generally try and remember to take the cigaette out of my mouth when dumping a charge in the scale. But if I get a flare up, no worries, I always have a beer near by to put it out.

So, no.....I guess I'm not to worried about lead exposure.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

haha

[Rob Boudrie]

I reload inside, but take the Dillon gerbil cage for sifting brass outdoors when I use it.

[PaulW]

Smitty....you crack me the hell up! I would have expected a post like that from you. LMAO

[kimel]

There are a number of very good threads here regarding lead exposure. Try a search...you will find more info than you probably want to read.

If you are concerned about it get tested now (and don't be surprised if it is higher than you think it should be) and then get tested annually from here on out.

[JohnRodriguez]

I'm a electrician at a copper smelter and I/we have a full bloodwork for lead/cadnium/arsnic when we take our annual physicals. The one thing I asked for was that the lead levels be especially watched for myself, especially with all the shooting and reloading I do. The health specialest we have has always told me my levels were well below the epa levels, not sure what the ppm is, i'll try and visit them and see what the exact requirements are.

I wouldn't worry about reloading around you home, I probably get more exposure then everybody on this site combined, but we do wear some honking resperators, arn't allowed to take our work cloth's or steel toe boots home, and have to shower before you go home. The only people who should worry are the one's who cast their own bullets, but that's why they make resperators.

[robomanusa]

I generally try and remember to take the cigaette out of my mouth when dumping a charge in the scale. But if I get a flare up, no worries, I always have a beer near by to put it out.

So, no.....I guess I'm not to worried about lead exposure.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LMAO, sounds about like me at the reloading press, I have a 3yo daughter that likes to load the casings into station one for me while I'm loading....right hand stays on the loader handle and left hand just goes back and forth from cigarette to putting a bullet on case in station 3.....hehe