Gloves for reloading

[Dead-Nuts-Zero]

Does anyone use thin tight fitting gloves for reloading? Not latex or rubber, but maybe a high quality leather. My hands usually get dirty with brass fragments, lead etc. With the lead warnings/dangers etc. I was thinking maybe there is a good thin glove on the market that may work good. Handling primers could be difficult, but the rest of the precedures may be possible....or maybe not?

[Tim R]

I just wash my hands....

[joab]

Leather will not protect you from chemicals, especially if you use them often.

Unlined nitrile gloves or latex are the best materials.

[Mal H]

What Tim said.

[Rico567]

When I was younger, I just did what "Tim R" & "Mal H" do. About four years ago, I started to get a rash on my hands after reloading / gun cleaning. Now I do what "joab" suggests. I have found out that nitrile holds up somewhat better than the latex, but probably prefer the disposable green vinyl painting gloves to the two former types.

[tjhands]

I would think that anything thicker than latex surgical gloves would hamper your tactile sense too much for reloading. It would mine! I'd be dropping bullets and brass everwhere.

[Mal H]

Ah, but Rico, you added "gun cleaning". I agree that wearing surgeons or mechanics gloves (I agree on the green or blue type being best) for gun cleaning is not a bad idea.Some of the solvents, cleaning fluids, etc. are very harsh.

However, the question was for reloading only. While it's true that your hands will get dirty and contaminated, I doubt that any of the ingredients in the "dirt" will cause a rash.

I would still wash my hands after reloading no matter what.

[Leftoverdj]

I have enough trouble reloading with bare fingers.

[Monkey]

I don't wear gloves while reloading and I do get a rash on my hands. It's more likely that it's from the frequent hand washing than the contaminants.

You might try one of the industrial type "barrier" creams to protect your skin from some of the chemicals you come in contact with.

Nitrile gloves are ok, I used them when I worked in a factory, but where they are really good is in wet applications. Pretty much the same deal with latex & vinyl. Great for surgery or field dressing (I've done one of those) but not so good for extended wear in dry applications, in my experience. My hands tend to sweat too much to use them.

[Smokey Joe]

Dead-Nuts-Zero--Another no-gloves vote here. My hands sweat and rubber gloves become a little sauna--ugh. Wash yr hands well after reloading, and no further problem. Gloves of any type would add to my already large clumsiness factor.

I shoot bullseye pistol league indoors, and "the word" at that range is wash yr hands after shooting--IN COLD WATER. The idea is that hot water would cause the skin pores in yr hands to open, possibly trapping contaminants. Don't know if there is anything to the cold-water theory, but I DO wash carefully after any shooting session and any reloading session.

As to gun cleaning--I try very hard to keep brake cleaner/gun scrubber off my hands. The other chemicals used, well, heck--just wash up afterwards.

Have done this all my life, and ith asn' taffecte dm ybrai ni nan ywa y.

[SDLAW]

Good quality mechanics gloves will probably fit the bill. They do not protect you from chemicals but will keep your hands clean. They are also machine washable.

[Dead-Nuts-Zero]

The grease, the grime, the oils and even the lead do not really bother me. I do all kinds of work that I get dirty. My problem is that I tend to wash frequently. I don't like handling things with grungy fingers, and the more I wash, the more my skin dries and cracks around my fingers and thumb tips.

When I was working for a living, I ate lunch with hands that were grossly filthy. I even remember the black finger prints on the potato chips and the white bread! I know years ago no one wore Depends or carried a spare in their wallet. Mechanics didn't wear gloves and painters didn't wear a mask. I thought there may be something fairly new on the market that would fit the loading task. If there were gloves with good dexterity I would like to give them a try. The rubber, latex etc. make my hands sweat too, and I would not use them. I have had to wear them plenty of times serving food at the church the fire dept. etc. and I hate them. I do allot of cooking/chef work and I think maybe it's the habit of keeping clean hands. All the Hepatitis and poultry handling concerns may be overrated and perhaps the lead issue too. Science has given us so many warnings and reasons for glowing in the dark someday. I think I am like most of you, I don't worry about it too much when loading, but do like to keep clean.
I should wear gloves (that's a good idea) when cleaning guns, but don't. I do wear a cheep pr. of cotton gloves when I do the final wipe downs or when handling guns in storage. I hate finger print smudges on firearms (but sandwiches are ok).
Maybe NASSA has some space fabric that would work... This could be an invention just waiting to happen.

[Smokey Joe]

Dead-Nuts-Zero--We do get a LOT of warnings nowadays, don't we! As my Dad used to say (He was a health professional with a doctorate) You just can't escape all the dangers--even sunshine causes cancer.

And as my Grandfather used to say (He was a cantankerous old man) If you live long enough, something's going to get you.

black finger prints on the potato chips and the white bread

I can relate--On the job, away from facilities, in a hurry--And grease doesn't taste THAT bad!!

Re your fingers and cracking--The same problem plagues me. I use hand lotion, and it seems to help alot, especially when I remember to apply it regularly. The downside being, then yr hands are a tad greasy, and more darn dirt adheres to them, necessitating another wash! You can't win.

[bigautomatic]

Why not cut the fingers about 3/4 lengh from nitrile gloves and just use the finger part? That would cut down on the persperation. Little finger condoms.

[SDLAW]

Check these out. They even have ones with a light built in. I use the regular one and have been very pleased with the fit and feel.

http://www.mechanix.4ursafety.com/original.html

[Edward429451]

I use those mechanix gloves for work but not for reloading. Great gloves. You can pick up coins off a concrete floor with them.

I just wash my hands a lot when reloading.

[kingudaroad]

Here's what I like to use for reloading protection.

[James K]

For handling lead bullets, gloves are a good idea. Hand washing isn't enough; the body can absorb enough lead while doing the reloading to make washing up afterwards ineffective.

I use the cut off fingers of latex gloves. Seems to work OK.

Jim

[VonFatman]

I use textured nitrile gloves. They pick up better than my fingers but I have to hold my fingers a bit different when I place the bullet or I can get the material stuck between the case and the bullet.

I don't have any problem with these.

Bob

[Mal H]

"... the body can absorb enough lead while doing the reloading ..."

Jim, on what do you base that statement?

[shooter429]

I do not. I had given it some thought though. There have been a few times that I have gotten bad headaches while handling lots of powder. I was told that the nitroglycerin is probably the culprit as it is a vasodilator, which will cause headaches. As far as lead goes, I just wash regularly and don't eat or drink at the bench. I don't see why it would hurt to use gloves though. I do use nitrile gloves when cleaning a lot of guns.

I find that you can do very fine work with regular, properly fitting, nitrile exam gloves. I have no empirical evidence to indicate efficacy or suitability of these gloves for handling heavy metals or solvents.

Anybody know of any studies on such a matter? I suppose one could look for MSDS for your specific components and see what they say. I guess I probably should too.

Shooter429

[joab]

Anybody know of any studies on such a matter?

I can't cite any studies but for the past twenty plus years I have been required to wear unlined latex or nitrile gloves when handling or dust pesticides.
especially when handling zinc based rodenticides

[308SORRELS]

I do not know of any studies but in the mid 90's I workedfor Hodgdon blending powder and we were required to wear arespirator ,a flame retardent jump suit, (white cotton gloves)and spark resistant boots. I guarantee you came out of there on a hot summer day 30 lbs lighter and black except for where the respirator was.

[BobMcG]

For reloading? No gloves used, I too just wash my hands.

On lead: I believe this has been measured and found that there is a greater risk to being exposed to higher levels of lead through the dust from a case tumbler (from primer compound dust) than there is from casting your own lead bullets.

[epr105]

I just use bulk pack latex gloves from costco or BJ. I have found that cleanup is a little easier if I use some type of glove.
EPR105
I still wash my hands after loading even with the gloves.