igolfat8 Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 My lead level was 34 three years ago. Traced it back to shooting indoors in the winter months. I’ve worn a respirator for the last two winters and my level has dropped to 12 and holding steady there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJBriggs Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 I work at a semi-indoor range where mostly Winchester NT is shot. As per the range requirement, we must get our levels tested every year. Even with the NT, frequent hand washing, and changing clothes before going home, I'm at a little above 14 -- and that's after only three years. I recently attended a class taught by a very prominent government agency. According to the instructors, lead exhibits properties that are very similar to calcium. Because of this, approximately 94% of the lead that enters our system gets deposited in our bones where it takes about twenty years to cycle out. The other 6% gets absorbed into our soft tissues and gets flushed out within a few months. To the doctors listening: If this is correct, then would a blood test really be the most accurate way to determine someone's lead levels? And, is the lead that gets deposited into our bones benign, or should we worry about that too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremyc_1999 Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 What is the test? Just a standard blood test? I have changed my practices about 5 years ago and now wear atlas nitrile work gloves when reloading and picking up brass. I wear nitrile surgical type gloves when cleaning my guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MemphisMechanic Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jeremyc_1999 said: What is the test? Just a standard blood test? I have changed my practices about 5 years ago and now wear atlas nitrile work gloves when reloading and picking up brass. I wear nitrile surgical type gloves when cleaning my guns. Correct. If you request it during an annual physical, they’ll run the tubes of blood they always draw. Make it clear “you shoot indoors a lot and recently had another competitor test high” or somesuch. Even if it’s bending the truth... I’ve always had to lean on the clinic to get the test run. The primary benefit of gloves is that you typically won’t touch your face as much while wearing them. That keep the lead on your hands away from places where it can easily be absorbed. Most of the lead enters via the lungs while breathing the fumes lingering after shots are fired. This makes indoor ranges much more hazardous, especially poorly ventilated ones where the air smells metallic. Which is most of them. Much of the remainder is taken in by touching your mucus membranes (eyes nose and mouth) with residue on your hands, as mentioned. Edited March 13, 2020 by MemphisMechanic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George16 Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 (edited) When I got my lead level tested, my doctor had me pee in a jug for a 24 hour period and had my urine tested for lead excretion in addition to the lead level blood test. 8 months ago, it was 11 when I wasn’t using nitrile gloves while reloading or didn’t wear a mask while tumbling brass. I had since been using nitrile gloves when reloading and wear a dust mask when tumbling brass in my covered patio. I also have D-lead wipes in my shooting bag and use them before eating or drinking at a match. Last month I was tested again it was down to 6. Edited March 14, 2020 by George16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konkapot Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 George how many rounds per month/year are you actually shooting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L3324temp Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 Shooting a match at an indoor range where you are down range of the shooting booths is not something I will do. Did it once and could tell it was bad juju. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George16 Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 5 hours ago, konkapot said: George how many rounds per month/year are you actually shooting? About 15-20k a year. I go to the range at least 1-2 a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
war_material Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 Wow this information is definitely eye opening. I will for sure be more careful at the indoor rangeSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpspinner Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 A little late to the game here, but I've used dryer sheets in the vibratory cleaner to reduce dust, do you think this will capture any lead dust? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 probably catch some. What kinda media ? I use corncob with a bit of polish and dont really get much dust like nut media creates. One time I put some brass in with the red Lyman (walnut ?) media , one evening, got an alert that night/morning, got deployed for a month or so. Came home and even though tumbler had a lid, the entire garage and everything in it was coated with a fine layer of red dust. Bad thing was I still had to retumble the brass in corncob to get the dust off it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyd Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 This is just an opinion, but I think the lead level rising may have more to do with shooting indoors or outdoors in bays with walls and poor ventilation. I been casting bullets (over 200,000) and reloading for 32 years and when tested mine was 4 which at the time was the bottom of chart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 I think shooting indoors is a huge factor, but don't discount tumbling media-- Case study one A 49-year-old retired man presented to his general practitioner with memory loss. His blood lead level was 2.3 µmol/L ( approx 47µg/dL) – about 4 times the advised level, which is less than 0.48 µmol/L (10 µg/dL). A keen shooter, once a month the man would prepare ammunition to use at his local rifle range. Part of the preparation required the ammunition to be mechanically tumbled with crushed walnut shells. This process produced a fine particles which were inhaled, attached to his clothing, and contaminated the area in which he worked. On analysis, the powder contained 4.3% lead. There's another from Australia where some children got lead poisoning from playing in tumbler media too. IIRC that one had even more lead in the media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpspinner Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, Joe4d said: probably catch some. What kinda media ? I use corncob with a bit of polish and dont really get much dust like nut media creates. One time I put some brass in with the red Lyman (walnut ?) media , one evening, got an alert that night/morning, got deployed for a month or so. Came home and even though tumbler had a lid, the entire garage and everything in it was coated with a fine layer of red dust. Bad thing was I still had to retumble the brass in corncob to get the dust off it. Was the tumbler running the entire month? I use corn cob media with Dillon polish. The media comes from Grainger. I pretty much only shoot outdoors so the lead has to come from somewhere. Back then, I only washed my hands at the end of the session, ate Beef jerky slaps, so you know your hands are all over it. Bullets were Moly from Bear Creek and Precision Bullets. The tumbler never occurred to me as a possible source of lead. Edited August 22, 2020 by lpspinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 well was probably over a month,, but yep was still running when I came home, was quite the sight. Far as the lead issue. I seem to think there are alot of variable we dont know about. Seems folks levels are all over the place with all kinds of different behaviors. Ive never really been that clean, used plain lead bullets, shot indoors, didnt really take any special precautions. Heck used to bite lead split shot on fishing line. Last time I got tested I was at a 9. That was at my Army retirement physical. Have one coming up, will ask doc to add lead test to this one see how it goes. In last 10 years havent shot much, and now use Hiteck coated bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdyb Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 I have had a bll of 42! Y'all with your single digits...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malarky112 Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 I read an article in one of the shooting mags about 8 years ago that talked about the dangers of lead, and since then I have always taken precautions. Lead is particularly bad for little kids, so be extra careful if you have little ones in your house. Because of this thread I had my lead level checked at my last physical. It was 4. I'll continue to have it tested as long as I am shooting/reloading (hopefully forever). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnappi Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 While I still cast my own, I use a lead rated respirator, wear gloves to handle and nowadays I powder coat them. I haven't been tested in a long time but, I guess I should ask for the lead test at my next physical. Thx all for the reminder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrdoran Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 (edited) I've used https://www.personalabs.com for 4 of my last blood tests to check lead levels. They send the request into quest or whatever lab you want to use. Same exact facility my doctor was sending me. Why pay the doctor to get a lab request and then interpret the results which quest does a great job at showing the results. You can also find coupons online usually. Just my .02 Just looked, here is a 20% off GOODSHOP20 Edited September 22, 2020 by jrdoran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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