My range has posters up looks like they were printed in the 1950s.

About lead contamination on your clothes and body.

With bullets for the most part being jacketed is this still an issue to be concerned about?

When the bullet exits the barrel is the jacket still whole?

Cleaning out the backstop would be a major hazmat danger but that is 25 yards away.

The poster talks about contamination and washing all clothes separately. It also talks about decontaminating yourself.

Is anyone still concerned?

You need to consider the differences between FMJ and TMJ projectiles. Assuming were largely talking about 'ball ammo', the jacket of a TMJ projectile completely encapsulates the lead so there's virtually no issue of lead exposure, however in the case of FMJ the base of the projectile is not jacketed. As such, lead is exposed to the propellant gasses when the cartridge is fired and as a result some lead is vaporized. In that case exposure can be an issue, especially if shooting at an indoor range...Outside not so much, but still something to be mindful of.

Regardless, I'm not that concerned...

Older ammo will have primers that have lead in the mixture, which will Result in lead in the air.
So if you or anyone else is shooting older ammo, there will be some lead in the air. Not a problem outdoors.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
Older ammo will have primers that have lead in the mixture, which will Result in lead in the air.
So if you or anyone else is shooting older ammo, there will be some lead in the air. Not a problem outdoors.

How old we talkin'? Is there a year when that changed?

quote:

Originally posted by 83v45magna:

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
Older ammo will have primers that have lead in the mixture, which will Result in lead in the air.
So if you or anyone else is shooting older ammo, there will be some lead in the air. Not a problem outdoors.

How old we talkin'? Is there a year when that changed?

I just did some lookups.
I thought that lead styphnate primers weren't being used any longer - but they are, so even new ammo uses them unless it is marked as lead free.

So, it's still an issue indoors if there is poor ventilation.

I have been a bullet castor on a bit of a large scale. I know others who cast for commercial sales. Making millions of bullets. I've also helped in cleaning out 1 indoor range back stop. All with breathing protection and thorough washing after. I know people who've been on the firing line their entire life, 1 gent past 90 years of age, who was deadly with a 1911 bulls eye gun. I think you will live a long life, even after shooting some old fodder. You will be OK.

How good is the air handling system at your range? You don't say whether it is indoors or outdoors.

If shooting military surplus ammo (e.g., M193) it will have lead styphnate primers. The "green" primer compounds don't work well at temperature extremes required of military ammo, especially cold.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 229DAK,

When I was a firearms instructor I would rent indoor ranges for classes and re-qualifications.

The company I worked for had me checked quarterly for lead exposure. As I remember 3 times I had to take a month off the range to get the lead levels in my blood to come down.

Lead in your body is a BIG deal!

If the bullet has an open, unjacketed base, lead may be vaporized or extruded in flight.

This is a photo of holes from pistol bullets fired at close distance to the target. The gray swirls are lead from the bullets, and although this time the one deposit was more pronounced than usual, these are only two of very many examples I’ve seen.





Even if a bullet base is fully enclosed, keep in mind that lead will be fragmented and scattered if the bullet hits something hard enough to damage it.

A warning that lead is a toxic substance and that we’re exposed to lead when shooting is part of my range briefing. One of the many firearms safety rules is that shooters should exercise caution to avoid breathing it in or ingesting it by whatever means.

Good hygiene is always required when working with lead. Wearing gloves and throughly washing your hands before eating after handling lead. Anyway, if you are concerned with the amount of buildup in the blood, a ZPP test can indicate the level.
https://www.labcorp.com/tests/...phyrin-zpp-workplace
But it is a concern if one is not practicing good hygiene.
Lineman

Here’s my data point….

2 hobbies that involve lead. Soldering and reloading. I reload LSWC in 38 special, a lot and don’t wear gloves. I’m touching the lead. Same for the tin lead solder. Used an indoor range at the time which has since closed, but I don’t think the ventilation system was that great.

Had Doctor test me for lead a few years ago. Cost me $5 extra out of pocket.

Even after handing all this lead there was barely a trace in me according to the test. YMMV, but that’s real data.

Recommend any shooter get tested yearly for lead. Easy for the doctor to add to the rest of your lab work. You might be out of pocket a few bucks for some of the cost but it's worth it to know your lead level. Especially important if you haven't been tested before and don't have a baseline to look back on.

IMHO, some folks are more susceptible to lead exposure and retention than others. I happen to fall in that category. Lead passes easily into me and stays with me longer. I also don't believe lead does you any favors as you age so another reason to monitor it.

For adults, and if your only lead exposure is shooting, wash your hands before you eat.

We've always been told at work to wash hands before eating and use cold water as hot water will open up your pores and allow the lead a way into your system.

Whether that is true I have no idea.

If you shoot you have lead exposure. If you shoot indoors you have lead exposure multiplied. The most effective way to monitor your situation is to just get a regular blood lead test. When I was shooting a lot I entered the problem zone a couple of different times. Time off from shooting and converting to lead free ammo and not shooting indoors got it back down eventually. But anyone that shoots on a regular basis should add it to their testing strategy.

When I was instructing and being around thousands of rounds being shot every year, I was checked for lead exposure once a year. Since most of my ranges were outdoor, my exposure was minimal.
Wash your hands.

I was a small arms instructor in the CG. My blood was tested annually.

Once when I was in Cape Hatteras my level and the other 2 guys in the shop were over the limit. They sent a guy to figure it out. He looked at the number of people we trained (outdoors w.mil fmj-exposed bases), what we did, how we did it, etc. and it turned out to be the shop we cleaned all the guns in. We didn’t have a big sonic tank and had to clean guns by punching the bore with a regular brush which atomized any lead in the barrels. This settled on everything.

They made us get rid of the broom, remove everything from the space, wipe it all with a special rags, and no food was allowed in the space. From then on we had to basically swiffer the shop.

They told us eating dark green veggies helped chelate the lead from our systems and we had to give a sample every month for a year or until it went down.

We never slowed our training or our cleaning, we just washed up and didn’t eat anything in the space.

On a scale of 1-10, I think mine was an 8 and other guys were 7&8. W/I a few months we were below 5 which was acceptable…by the end of 12 months we were all below a 1.

I also cast bullets, I do it outside and don’t eat while doing so, I wash my hands and I’m OK.

At the range in Portsmouth VA, we had to quit using brooms and a blower to remove debris from the concrete outdoor range. (Covered so we could train in the rain), we just used water to flush stuff from the deck. The EPA came and tested the discharge pipe and made the CG remove contaminated dirt from the exit under the berm for ten feet away and three feet deep due to the lead.

This led to getting a lead containment backstop( angled steel to capture the bullets) system. This reduced the lead being introduced into the berm at all. The berm was mined for a last time and the bullet trap installed. Then the bullets were shaken to a drum where it was recovered when full.

Somebody asked a lead question not long ago, about a 25yr old pellet..

The people at risk from lead are children, people with poor nutrition, and people with high exposure to lead.

As a shooter, you're not at high lead exposure unless you shoot a fuckload. Adults with high lead exposure are painters, carpenters, and other industrial trades.

You don't need a lead test just cuz you shoot. If you want to get one, there is no harm in that.

After shooting, wash your hands. If you shoot indoors a lot, simply lick your lips. If you taste sweet, that is too much lead in the air, the filtration at the range needs service.

Between my work as a welder, and then renovating homes with the lead safe regs... trust me on this.

The largest driver for regular people, is ingesting it because it was on your hands. This is the primary way children get lead poisoning.

The Greeks and Romans would sweeten wine with lead. "Wall Candy" was called that because lead paint flakes had a sweet taste.

For most shooters, lead is a minor concern if you wash your hands, and mind what I said about indoor ventilation.

I swapped over from dry media to water for cleaning brass (no more dust…plus it does a better job IMHO)…one thing I center on after a range trip is footwear (especially after a Cowboy Action match with steel targets and cast lead bullets)…boots are left in a garbage bag in the garage and clothes are washed ASAP (double rinse). Those containers of lead removal wipes are handy until you can properly was your hands and face (with soap and cold water). Lead ain’t your body’s friend

Limiting your exposure to lead is always a good idea. A simple step is making sure you have good nutrition, even a multivitamin.