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klw · February 1, 2008, 01:00 AM

As I cast a lot I have my blood lead levels checked periodically. After casting up just over 10 tons of bullets I could easily believe that I would eventually get into trouble. 10 tons in about 20 years. But it never became an issue until recently.

In November my lead level reached 25. That's the highest it has ever been. I stopped all casting and literally sealed up my lead. A month later my lead level was 28. Now all my lead was sealed up and I wasn't casting so how did it still go up?

But I was shooting and I was shooting one gun that was a bit odd. My Mauser M1891 is weird. Put enough powder in the case to seal the chamber up properly and the powder charge is too high and the accuracy is miserable. Lower the powder charge to the point where the accuracy is great and the chamber doesn't seal. You get a blast right into the nose with each shot. I never throught anything about that.

But this was the only exposure between the time my lead level reached 25 and then went up to 28. This absolutely had to be the source.

So I stopped shooting that gun. Three months later my lead level is 17.

I think that my elevated lead levels this year were not do to my castings. I've been doing that for decades. I think it was from that one rifle. I was shooting ten rounds a day five days a weeks for most of the year. I think that you absolutely can get elevated lead levels this way.

I've had my lead levels checked for years. Never went up until I started shooting this one gun.

February 1, 2008, 01:00 AM	#71
klw Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2005 Posts: 118	lead levels As I cast a lot I have my blood lead levels checked periodically. After casting up just over 10 tons of bullets I could easily believe that I would eventually get into trouble. 10 tons in about 20 years. But it never became an issue until recently. In November my lead level reached 25. That's the highest it has ever been. I stopped all casting and literally sealed up my lead. A month later my lead level was 28. Now all my lead was sealed up and I wasn't casting so how did it still go up? But I was shooting and I was shooting one gun that was a bit odd. My Mauser M1891 is weird. Put enough powder in the case to seal the chamber up properly and the powder charge is too high and the accuracy is miserable. Lower the powder charge to the point where the accuracy is great and the chamber doesn't seal. You get a blast right into the nose with each shot. I never throught anything about that. But this was the only exposure between the time my lead level reached 25 and then went up to 28. This absolutely had to be the source. So I stopped shooting that gun. Three months later my lead level is 17. I think that my elevated lead levels this year were not do to my castings. I've been doing that for decades. I think it was from that one rifle. I was shooting ten rounds a day five days a weeks for most of the year. I think that you absolutely can get elevated lead levels this way. I've had my lead levels checked for years. Never went up until I started shooting this one gun.