I got lead poisoning

actionflies · October 4, 2007, 08:56 PM

For the last 5 months I have been shooting a lot and of lead bullets 5k+ in 45acp (lasercast and mastercast bullets) from a covered outdoor range and reloading. On each session, I would shoot around 200 rds. and there would be a lot of smoke around while shooting. After each session, I would wash my hands and face and blow my nose and my muccus is usually stained with some black goo and I also wash my hands after reloading. Just last week I went in for blood test for lead poisoning and today the result came back with abnormal level at 57 mcg/dL (micrograms per deciliter) here's a link for lead poisoning http://mayoclinic.com/health/lead-po...068/DSECTION=1. This was very high and even the local OSHA person called me thinking it was work related until I told him it was from shooting lead bullet and inhaling lead fumes. I notice there are no visible lead fumes when shooting outdoor with no cover (action range for ispc etc.) because wind or breeze is blowing, but a different story in a covered outdoor range. I know a few older guys tells me they cast and shoot a lot of lead bullets and they feel ok, but when was the last time they had a blood test for lead? I feel terrible about this and a major let down to my favorite hobby. I'm going to stop using lead bullet and will look into using Rainier or Berry's plated bullet from now on and will take a break from shooting until I recover. I recommend anyone that shoot a lot of lead bullet should go get a blood test.

Thinking back, I shot at least 10k rounds of lead bullet all Summer and last week I went to see me doctor because I couldn't get rid of a cold in over a month which has never happen before. While talking to the doctor, I thought I better get a blood test while I'm here.

Sigma 40 Blaster · October 4, 2007, 09:25 PM

I can assume these are your own reloads?

I have been told that handling dirty, fired brass, and the dust from the media separator is some pretty nasty stuff too. I'd check out your media and do all your separation outside upwind.

I fire a lot of lead in a covered outdoor range (usually have fans on around me though) and haven't had any trouble...I am also pretty thorough about cleaning and don't keep my media long enough to go bad...

clem · October 4, 2007, 09:44 PM

If I was you, I'd also check out other possible sources of lead that you might of come in contact with. I just feel that ONLY shooting lead reloads is the sole cause of your illness is wrong.
I think that there is something else out there that is also affecting you.

swmike · October 5, 2007, 01:34 PM

The indoor range I shoot at has a ventilation system really moves the air. Fast enough that you even feel chilly on a summer day. Fire a round and the smoke immediately heads for the bullet traps. Also inspected regularly by State Dept of Labor and Industries.

If I was shooting at a range that relied on fans to move the air, not a full blown ventilation/filter system, I wouldn't be surprised if the lead levels were high.

I used to load a lot of shotshells using reclaimed shot. After a few weeks I started getting a metallic taste in my mouth. After that I started wearing latex gloves. I still do while loading any lead bullets or handling fired cases, media, etc.

rr4406pak · October 5, 2007, 02:06 PM

Sorry dude, no way you got lead poisoning from merely shooting reloads.

What made you want to get a blood test?

kellyj00 · October 5, 2007, 03:54 PM

why, oh why, did this happen?
"local OSHA person called me thinking "

Your hospital can't share your information, I'm not sure what the law is but I know it's a huge deal to share your information with anyone.

I'm a little shocked that you got lead poisoning from just shooting reloads, especially at an outdoor range! How'd you test for mercury and other heavy metals? Was it just lead?

I knew a lady who was in the hospital, sick, and the dr's couldn't figure out what was wrong with her until her hair started falling out. She got on that protein diet and was eating 3 cans of tuna a day, leading to mercury poisoning.

BigJimP · October 5, 2007, 04:13 PM

sorry to hear about your health issues - consider shifting to a CMJ complete metal jacket bullet like Montana Gold vs Rainier - the CMJ jackets the base as well - where FMJ only does the sides. The CMJ is a lot less smoky to shoot.

Get well first - then go back to it.

BillCA · October 5, 2007, 04:23 PM

Hmmm...

Averaging 1,000 rounds per month, 200 per session, about 4-5 sessions per month at an outdoor range. You're doing your own reloading too. But I still see a gap here as you shouldn't be getting that much exposure to lead unless we're missing something.

We used to reload several hundred .38 rounds per week with soft lead HBWC without ill effects. And we did this for several years.

+1 on checking for other environmental causes. Have your home's water supply analyzed for lead (pipes, solder joints), both hot and cold.

In the meantime, wear latex gloves while reloading or handling lead. Go over your reloading area and make it clean. Vacuum (wearing a dust mask) and then clean the surfaces with soap & water wearing gloves. Install fans in your reloading area to circulate dust particles away from you.

wncchester · October 5, 2007, 04:45 PM

As a former industrial safety officer, I'm astonished that any medical people would have the audacity to pass your test info to a gov. agency. Legally, that's a no-no! I have to sign a few forms just to let my doctors and hospitals convey such infomation to my wife, never mind any agency.

I really think the vast majority of the "lead smoke" you have seen is not lead at all. As a range safety issue, that's mostly a fear manufactored by our professional Chicken Littles to convience others that the sky is falling. It would take a lot more exposure than you discribe to produce that kind of effect. Most of the smoke and dirty hands you see is from the powder and the bullet lube, not lead.

So long as you diligently wash your hands after reloading and shooting I doubt that's the answer. You do need to check for other possiblities or you may be overlooking the real culprit.

brickeyee · October 5, 2007, 07:03 PM

"I'm astonished that any medical people would have the audacity to pass your test info to a gov. agency."

There are any number of medical findings that are required to be reported by the physician who ordered the test.
Child abuse heads off the list, even symptoms or findings that might indicate abuse.
A positive VD test is reported.
What applies in an industrial setting is NOT the same as what is required to be reported.
I now in a number of places that a high lead test result is reported by the LAB to the public health department. This is to prevent industry from trying to hide the results of industrial exposure.

jhansman · October 6, 2007, 12:03 AM

I'm no expert, but I'd be surprised if you ended up with those levels from the activity you describe over that time period. I suppose the only way to find out for sure is to stop shooting and loading (gasp!) for a few months, and get checked again. I never handle lead bullets or brass barehanded, and nitrile (NOT latex) gloves cover my hands whenever at the bench. Like you, I wash thoroughly after shooting. I plan on having my blood checked soon as well. BTW, EDTA taken orally can be very effective in 'getting the lead out.' Good luck.

The Tourist · October 6, 2007, 12:45 AM

Your exposure dosn't seem serious enough to register those high levels. Yikes, I shot more than you did over several periods in my life, cast my own bullets for twenty years and handled lead bare-handed before the health scares.

In fact, the only person I know who had lead poisoning from bullet related exposure was a commercial bullet caster/reloader in my area.

His production was so great that he had to tumble cartridges for polishing in a converted clothes dryer.

JB696 · October 6, 2007, 12:29 PM

I'm starting to wonder about lead poisoning myself. Yesterday I went to the indoor range and shot 250 rounds of lead bullets. When I'm there by myself I don't run the fans because it saves the gun club some money on the utility bills. Usually the smoke gets so thick I can just barely see my targets. But the smell and the smoke is part of the fun of it. When I'm done shooting, I go up to the target end where the copper and lead is piled up a foot deep in front of the metal backstop. Then I scoop up a big bucket of lead shavings with my hands. On the way home I stop at the China Buffet. I don't wash up first before eating because the bathrooms there are so nasty. If you went into the bathroom first, you'd never be able to eat. When I get home I check over each piece of dirty used brass by hand to check for damage or abnormalities. Then it goes in the tumbler. Then I fill the lead pot with the lead shavings from the range. To speed up the melting process I hit it for a couple of minutes with the propane torch. The smoke coming out of the pot is all kinds of pretty colors like purple and blue. Very interesting to watch. Then I relax with a cold beer and lean over the lead pot to watch as it all turns to liquid. Something about that melting process is facinating. About every ten minutes I pick out the copper shell husks with the tongs and set them aside to cool. When the lead is ready, I pour it into ingots. After four more beers and a bag of chips, the tumbler is finished. I separate the brass by tossing and shaking it in homemade wicker sifter that sends big clouds of dust into the air. After awhile the ingots of lead have cooled off enough to be handled. I like the feel of the freshly smelted ingots in my bare hands. There is a feeling of pride from having made them myself. Same thing with a big box of lead bullets that I cast myself. Sometimes after a few beers I like to plunge my hands into them and sift them through my fingers like they were gold coins. Is this lead poisoning thing something I should be worried about??

gvf · October 6, 2007, 02:14 PM

I'd watch the beers.

swmike · October 6, 2007, 09:13 PM

Just a thought but how are you and the wife, girlfriend, sig. other, getting along

You could hire a food taster and see if they get elevated lead levels

Alleykat · October 7, 2007, 05:41 PM

It'd be interesting to see the blood test results of some of the guys who post that they've been casting and reloading lead for years, with no lead poisoning. Could be that they've never had their lead levels tested.

JB696 · October 7, 2007, 06:50 PM

It could be that loaders who consume a certain volume of consumable blood cleansers flush out the harmful lead, so to speak.

brickeyee · October 8, 2007, 10:49 AM

"It could be that loaders who consume a certain volume of consumable blood cleansers flush out the harmful lead, so to speak."

Regretfully only chelation therapy is effective at removing lead from the body, and it has its own rather nasty side effects.

swmike · October 8, 2007, 12:50 PM

Another source of lead poisoning today is a number of items imported from China. Coffee Cups, etc with fancy logos on them can be deadly. The company I retired from had to destroy cases of coffee cups with the corporate logo on them because they were leaching lead. Every cup of coffee contained hundreds of times the allowable level of lead.

Look at the recalls on kid's toys today.

joneb · October 8, 2007, 08:20 PM

Quote:

It could be that loaders who consume a certain volume of consumable blood cleansers flush out the harmful lead,

Amen, and more drinks for me and my friends reloading 022.jpg
All fun aside this should be a concern for all who shoot and or reload, what precautions can we take to minimize are exposer to lead? Learning more would be a good thing, I have read that vitamin C can reduce pb levels in the blood stream

but when it settles in the bones and the brain you may need chelation treatment

gunovice · October 9, 2007, 03:04 PM

I got my blood level checked for the heck of it -- came back at 34, just under the OSHA limit of 40. I fire about 1000 rounds/month, mostly 22's and mostly indoors. I also reload, but never lead bullets -- only plated or jacketed. I also have a white collar job with no occupational exposure.

I try to be studious about washing up and wearing gloves, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

qajaq59 · October 9, 2007, 04:05 PM

Quote:

It'd be interesting to see the blood test results of some of the guys who post that they've been casting and reloading lead for years, with no lead poisoning. Could be that they've never had their lead levels tested.

Well, here is one guy that was a printer back in the days of hot lead and a shooter that goes through a lot of lead bullets. Had my blood tested again last winter and the doc found zip. I'd be more suspicious of cups made in China then bullets made here.

But if it makes you feel better to know, then by all means have the test. The needle doesn't hurt that much.

kellyj00 · October 10, 2007, 08:46 AM

I don't want to sound like a jackleg, but why has the original poster not chimed back in?

I figure it could be a few things.
1) he's dead... suddenly in the night from lead poisoning.
2) he gets a sick pleasure over getting sympathy from something he made up.
3) lead poisoning is only important to mention on a gun forum, but not to follow up on. I guess if I had cancer I wouldn't check in with anyone I told later to tell them bad or good news.
4) lead poisoning is something he doesn't like to talk about (but, he did start the original post)
5) he could just be busy.

Geesh, give us an update buddy! We're all a bit worried for one reason or another. Didn't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but you are, after all, a bit of a 'unique case' as I've never heard of a grown man with lead poisoning.

snuffy · October 10, 2007, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Geesh, give us an update buddy! We're all a bit worried for one reason or another. Didn't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but you are, after all, a bit of a 'unique case' as I've never heard of a grown man with lead poisoning.

Yeah, what's up doc??¿ Pardon me if I'm a bit skeptical. IIRC the level considered "too high" has just been downgraded. It seems I remember the too high level was 80 PPB, now it's what?

After reading threads like this one on several boards, I asked my vet doc to do a lead blood level on me. She said she wasn't sure the lab could even do one, she couldn't remember anyone even requesting one be done. But she ordered it anyway. My results sheet didn't have any results for a lead level. I guess I'm gonna have to go to a regular doc to get one.

Oh yeah, I've been casting lead boolits since 1973, loading-shooting them in all four types of firearms, loading shotshells, and I'm sure I breathed a lot of exhaust fumes from leaded gas! I should have lots of lead in my pencil. No, I'm not worried!

I think it's blown all out of proportion FOR ADULTS The greenies, treehuggers, and bunny huggers are slowly taking over the world. They want to put fart bags on cows and horses, to reduce the greenhouse gases.

If you don't believe me, look at the bill sitting on the terminators desk right now, awaiting his signature. It would BAN all lead in California,(in any firearm)!

Sarge · October 10, 2007, 11:23 AM

Lead poisoning among shooters, reloaders, bullet casters and the like has been a known problem for decades. To insinuate that one cannot take on harmful amounts of lead while engaging in concentrated amounts of these activities is irresponsible. NRA/LE/FTO Schools address this very subject, and for good reason.

There are hazards associated with many recreational activities. Exposure to lead , as mentioned above, is just one of them. There is nothing wrong with discussion of those hazards among practitioners. And no, I don't give a damn that the 'antis' might read this. It is far more important that young or novice shooters learn to avoid this potential pitfall, regardless of the original poster's intent- which may well be genuine. If indeed it was, we can hope the responses seen here did not put him or her off entirely.

October 4, 2007, 08:56 PM	#1
actionflies Member Join Date: June 5, 2007 Location: Aloha, Oregon Posts: 70	I got lead poisoning For the last 5 months I have been shooting a lot and of lead bullets 5k+ in 45acp (lasercast and mastercast bullets) from a covered outdoor range and reloading. On each session, I would shoot around 200 rds. and there would be a lot of smoke around while shooting. After each session, I would wash my hands and face and blow my nose and my muccus is usually stained with some black goo and I also wash my hands after reloading. Just last week I went in for blood test for lead poisoning and today the result came back with abnormal level at 57 mcg/dL (micrograms per deciliter) here's a link for lead poisoning http://mayoclinic.com/health/lead-po...068/DSECTION=1. This was very high and even the local OSHA person called me thinking it was work related until I told him it was from shooting lead bullet and inhaling lead fumes. I notice there are no visible lead fumes when shooting outdoor with no cover (action range for ispc etc.) because wind or breeze is blowing, but a different story in a covered outdoor range. I know a few older guys tells me they cast and shoot a lot of lead bullets and they feel ok, but when was the last time they had a blood test for lead? I feel terrible about this and a major let down to my favorite hobby. I'm going to stop using lead bullet and will look into using Rainier or Berry's plated bullet from now on and will take a break from shooting until I recover. I recommend anyone that shoot a lot of lead bullet should go get a blood test. Thinking back, I shot at least 10k rounds of lead bullet all Summer and last week I went to see me doctor because I couldn't get rid of a cold in over a month which has never happen before. While talking to the doctor, I thought I better get a blood test while I'm here. Last edited by actionflies; October 5, 2007 at 05:25 PM.

October 5, 2007, 01:34 PM	#4
swmike Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Marysville, WA Posts: 670	The indoor range I shoot at has a ventilation system really moves the air. Fast enough that you even feel chilly on a summer day. Fire a round and the smoke immediately heads for the bullet traps. Also inspected regularly by State Dept of Labor and Industries. If I was shooting at a range that relied on fans to move the air, not a full blown ventilation/filter system, I wouldn't be surprised if the lead levels were high. I used to load a lot of shotshells using reclaimed shot. After a few weeks I started getting a metallic taste in my mouth. After that I started wearing latex gloves. I still do while loading any lead bullets or handling fired cases, media, etc. __________________ My definition of Gun Control--- A steady grip and hitting your target. "In God we trust, all others are suspects." "If I shoot all the ammo I am carrying, either I won't need any more, or more won't be of any help". ____________________________________________

October 5, 2007, 04:23 PM	#8
BillCA Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, Ca Posts: 7,117	Hmmm... Averaging 1,000 rounds per month, 200 per session, about 4-5 sessions per month at an outdoor range. You're doing your own reloading too. But I still see a gap here as you shouldn't be getting that much exposure to lead unless we're missing something. We used to reload several hundred .38 rounds per week with soft lead HBWC without ill effects. And we did this for several years. +1 on checking for other environmental causes. Have your home's water supply analyzed for lead (pipes, solder joints), both hot and cold. In the meantime, wear latex gloves while reloading or handling lead. Go over your reloading area and make it clean. Vacuum (wearing a dust mask) and then clean the surfaces with soap & water wearing gloves. Install fans in your reloading area to circulate dust particles away from you. __________________ BillCA in CA (Unfortunately)

October 6, 2007, 09:13 PM	#15
swmike Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Marysville, WA Posts: 670	Just a thought but how are you and the wife, girlfriend, sig. other, getting along You could hire a food taster and see if they get elevated lead levels __________________ My definition of Gun Control--- A steady grip and hitting your target. "In God we trust, all others are suspects." "If I shoot all the ammo I am carrying, either I won't need any more, or more won't be of any help". ____________________________________________

October 8, 2007, 10:49 AM	#18
brickeyee Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Posts: 3,351	"It could be that loaders who consume a certain volume of consumable blood cleansers flush out the harmful lead, so to speak." Regretfully only chelation therapy is effective at removing lead from the body, and it has its own rather nasty side effects. Last edited by brickeyee; October 8, 2007 at 08:17 PM. Reason: spelling

October 4, 2007, 09:25 PM	#2
Sigma 40 Blaster Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2007 Location: East Texas Posts: 997	I can assume these are your own reloads? I have been told that handling dirty, fired brass, and the dust from the media separator is some pretty nasty stuff too. I'd check out your media and do all your separation outside upwind. I fire a lot of lead in a covered outdoor range (usually have fans on around me though) and haven't had any trouble...I am also pretty thorough about cleaning and don't keep my media long enough to go bad...

October 4, 2007, 09:44 PM	#3
clem Junior member Join Date: April 17, 2001 Location: Arizona Territory Posts: 847	If I was you, I'd also check out other possible sources of lead that you might of come in contact with. I just feel that ONLY shooting lead reloads is the sole cause of your illness is wrong. I think that there is something else out there that is also affecting you.

October 5, 2007, 02:06 PM	#5
rr4406pak Member Join Date: January 12, 2005 Location: Marion, New York U.S.A. Posts: 80	Sorry dude, no way you got lead poisoning from merely shooting reloads. What made you want to get a blood test?

October 5, 2007, 03:54 PM	#6
kellyj00 Member Join Date: July 9, 2007 Posts: 63	why, oh why, did this happen? "local OSHA person called me thinking " Your hospital can't share your information, I'm not sure what the law is but I know it's a huge deal to share your information with anyone. I'm a little shocked that you got lead poisoning from just shooting reloads, especially at an outdoor range! How'd you test for mercury and other heavy metals? Was it just lead? I knew a lady who was in the hospital, sick, and the dr's couldn't figure out what was wrong with her until her hair started falling out. She got on that protein diet and was eating 3 cans of tuna a day, leading to mercury poisoning.

October 5, 2007, 04:13 PM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	sorry to hear about your health issues - consider shifting to a CMJ complete metal jacket bullet like Montana Gold vs Rainier - the CMJ jackets the base as well - where FMJ only does the sides. The CMJ is a lot less smoky to shoot. Get well first - then go back to it.

October 5, 2007, 04:45 PM	#9
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	As a former industrial safety officer, I'm astonished that any medical people would have the audacity to pass your test info to a gov. agency. Legally, that's a no-no! I have to sign a few forms just to let my doctors and hospitals convey such infomation to my wife, never mind any agency. I really think the vast majority of the "lead smoke" you have seen is not lead at all. As a range safety issue, that's mostly a fear manufactored by our professional Chicken Littles to convience others that the sky is falling. It would take a lot more exposure than you discribe to produce that kind of effect. Most of the smoke and dirty hands you see is from the powder and the bullet lube, not lead. So long as you diligently wash your hands after reloading and shooting I doubt that's the answer. You do need to check for other possiblities or you may be overlooking the real culprit.

October 5, 2007, 07:03 PM	#10
brickeyee Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Posts: 3,351	"I'm astonished that any medical people would have the audacity to pass your test info to a gov. agency." There are any number of medical findings that are required to be reported by the physician who ordered the test. Child abuse heads off the list, even symptoms or findings that might indicate abuse. A positive VD test is reported. What applies in an industrial setting is NOT the same as what is required to be reported. I now in a number of places that a high lead test result is reported by the LAB to the public health department. This is to prevent industry from trying to hide the results of industrial exposure.

October 6, 2007, 12:03 AM	#11
jhansman Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2007 Posts: 680	I'm no expert, but I'd be surprised if you ended up with those levels from the activity you describe over that time period. I suppose the only way to find out for sure is to stop shooting and loading (gasp!) for a few months, and get checked again. I never handle lead bullets or brass barehanded, and nitrile (NOT latex) gloves cover my hands whenever at the bench. Like you, I wash thoroughly after shooting. I plan on having my blood checked soon as well. BTW, EDTA taken orally can be very effective in 'getting the lead out.' Good luck.

October 6, 2007, 12:45 AM	#12
The Tourist Junior member Join Date: June 20, 2005 Posts: 2,348	Your exposure dosn't seem serious enough to register those high levels. Yikes, I shot more than you did over several periods in my life, cast my own bullets for twenty years and handled lead bare-handed before the health scares. In fact, the only person I know who had lead poisoning from bullet related exposure was a commercial bullet caster/reloader in my area. His production was so great that he had to tumble cartridges for polishing in a converted clothes dryer.

October 6, 2007, 12:29 PM	#13
JB696 Senior Member Join Date: September 17, 2005 Posts: 136	I'm starting to wonder about lead poisoning myself. Yesterday I went to the indoor range and shot 250 rounds of lead bullets. When I'm there by myself I don't run the fans because it saves the gun club some money on the utility bills. Usually the smoke gets so thick I can just barely see my targets. But the smell and the smoke is part of the fun of it. When I'm done shooting, I go up to the target end where the copper and lead is piled up a foot deep in front of the metal backstop. Then I scoop up a big bucket of lead shavings with my hands. On the way home I stop at the China Buffet. I don't wash up first before eating because the bathrooms there are so nasty. If you went into the bathroom first, you'd never be able to eat. When I get home I check over each piece of dirty used brass by hand to check for damage or abnormalities. Then it goes in the tumbler. Then I fill the lead pot with the lead shavings from the range. To speed up the melting process I hit it for a couple of minutes with the propane torch. The smoke coming out of the pot is all kinds of pretty colors like purple and blue. Very interesting to watch. Then I relax with a cold beer and lean over the lead pot to watch as it all turns to liquid. Something about that melting process is facinating. About every ten minutes I pick out the copper shell husks with the tongs and set them aside to cool. When the lead is ready, I pour it into ingots. After four more beers and a bag of chips, the tumbler is finished. I separate the brass by tossing and shaking it in homemade wicker sifter that sends big clouds of dust into the air. After awhile the ingots of lead have cooled off enough to be handled. I like the feel of the freshly smelted ingots in my bare hands. There is a feeling of pride from having made them myself. Same thing with a big box of lead bullets that I cast myself. Sometimes after a few beers I like to plunge my hands into them and sift them through my fingers like they were gold coins. Is this lead poisoning thing something I should be worried about??

October 6, 2007, 02:14 PM	#14
gvf Junior member Join Date: July 30, 2006 Posts: 1,226	I'd watch the beers.

October 7, 2007, 05:41 PM	#16
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	It'd be interesting to see the blood test results of some of the guys who post that they've been casting and reloading lead for years, with no lead poisoning. Could be that they've never had their lead levels tested.

October 7, 2007, 06:50 PM	#17
JB696 Senior Member Join Date: September 17, 2005 Posts: 136	It could be that loaders who consume a certain volume of consumable blood cleansers flush out the harmful lead, so to speak.

October 8, 2007, 12:50 PM	#19
swmike Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Marysville, WA Posts: 670	Another source of lead poisoning today is a number of items imported from China. Coffee Cups, etc with fancy logos on them can be deadly. The company I retired from had to destroy cases of coffee cups with the corporate logo on them because they were leaching lead. Every cup of coffee contained hundreds of times the allowable level of lead. Look at the recalls on kid's toys today. __________________ My definition of Gun Control--- A steady grip and hitting your target. "In God we trust, all others are suspects." "If I shoot all the ammo I am carrying, either I won't need any more, or more won't be of any help". ____________________________________________

October 9, 2007, 03:04 PM	#21
gunovice Member Join Date: May 26, 2006 Location: Houston Posts: 34	BLL I got my blood level checked for the heck of it -- came back at 34, just under the OSHA limit of 40. I fire about 1000 rounds/month, mostly 22's and mostly indoors. I also reload, but never lead bullets -- only plated or jacketed. I also have a white collar job with no occupational exposure. I try to be studious about washing up and wearing gloves, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

October 10, 2007, 08:46 AM	#23
kellyj00 Member Join Date: July 9, 2007 Posts: 63	I don't want to sound like a jackleg, but why has the original poster not chimed back in? I figure it could be a few things. 1) he's dead... suddenly in the night from lead poisoning. 2) he gets a sick pleasure over getting sympathy from something he made up. 3) lead poisoning is only important to mention on a gun forum, but not to follow up on. I guess if I had cancer I wouldn't check in with anyone I told later to tell them bad or good news. 4) lead poisoning is something he doesn't like to talk about (but, he did start the original post) 5) he could just be busy. Geesh, give us an update buddy! We're all a bit worried for one reason or another. Didn't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but you are, after all, a bit of a 'unique case' as I've never heard of a grown man with lead poisoning.

October 10, 2007, 11:23 AM	#25
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	Lead poisoning among shooters, reloaders, bullet casters and the like has been a known problem for decades. To insinuate that one cannot take on harmful amounts of lead while engaging in concentrated amounts of these activities is irresponsible. NRA/LE/FTO Schools address this very subject, and for good reason. There are hazards associated with many recreational activities. Exposure to lead , as mentioned above, is just one of them. There is nothing wrong with discussion of those hazards among practitioners. And no, I don't give a damn that the 'antis' might read this. It is far more important that young or novice shooters learn to avoid this potential pitfall, regardless of the original poster's intent- which may well be genuine. If indeed it was, we can hope the responses seen here did not put him or her off entirely. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.