Chemical Safety?

[Cosmodragoon]

Shooting sports in general mean coming into contact with things that are fairly bad for us. We all probably handle lead on a regular basis. What not everyone knows is that we get more of it from residue than from ammo. That goes not only for what we touch but what we breathe when we shoot. After we shoot, cleaning our guns not only puts us in contact with lead but often toxic solvents and lubricants. Some of us also carry our guns in pretty intimate places, like inside our waist bands or in front pockets.

We've had some good discussion of ear and eye protection here. A recent thread involving Prop 65 warnings got me thinking. Who here practices chemical safety?

Are you sure of adequate ventilation when shooting indoors? How about when using solvents? Do you wear latex or nitrile gloves when cleaning and lubing your guns? Do you keep a clean work area? Are you sure to wash your hands and change your clothes after shooting? Do you keep eating, drinking, or smoking separate from shooting and maintenance activities? Do you try to buy or use less toxic solvents or lubricants? What's your routine? How do you treat this sort of issue?

[grinner]

Good thread. I do worry about lead and solvents, and try to minimize my risk as much as possible. I try to use “lead-free”/clean ammo as much as possible. It’s not entirely lead free, of course, but has lead-free primers and a fully jacketed bullet, so minimizes exposure to vaporized lead or dust.

The indoor range I shoot in has air blowers behind each stall with moveable vents. I make sure the blower is directed toward the range to blow smoke and particles from away from me s much as possible. I wash my hands and face with lead-away soap twice before I leave the shooting range.

I mostly use Ballistol (non-toxic) for cleaning, but when I use a solvent (Hoppes) I do wear nitrile gloves. I do not eat of drink when I clean the guns. After I am done cleaning and everything is put away, I wash my hands with lead-away soap one more time.

It might be overkill, but better safe than sorry.

[grinner]

One additional precaution. I do change my clothes after shooting, put them in the washer, and wash immediately.

[Rangerrich99]

Honestly I don't spend much time worrying about lead/chemical exposure due to gun handling.

My range does advertise high speed ventilation, so there is that. The other range I frequent is outdoors. And I recently discovered that touching lead isn't really an issue; it's breathing lead that can be a health concern.

As for cleaning/maintenance, I do wear nitrile gloves while performing regular cleaning and maintenance, but only because I got tired of spending so much time trying to get all the black stuff off my hands afterwards. So more for convenience, if you will.

The chemicals I use most often are Breakfree, Hornady One Shot, WD-40, Tetra Blue, and Hoppe's. What gets used the most right now is One Shot, because it works fairly well in the cleaning dept, has a dri-lube included, and stinks less than the other chemicals I use. If they made it organic, cage- and gluten-free it'd be the only chemical I'd ever buy.

[Pahoo]

What's your routine? How do you treat this sort of issue?

Excellent thread and too often taken for granted. How I treat each experience, pretty much depends on what I'm doing related for firearms. When each group leaves our M/L station, I thank them for their attention and remind them to wash their hands even is they have not handled any lead. ……

Generally I feel that we all take cleaning solvents for granted. When using Ballistol, I only use it in the field and not the shop as it really bothers my sinuses. Yes, it's great stuff but it stinks. ……

We all know that "oil" serves two main purposes; It cleans and keeps machinery cool. After each shooting and shop work, I put some oil into the cup of my hand. Then really rub my hands together. The oil brings up a lot of carbon and whatever, out of the cracks and crannies of my hands. Then I wipe with it off with a paper towel. After that you wash my hands with hand soap. I learned to clean my hands using clean oil, when I worked in the electric motor shop. Currently I'm using old olive oil and vegetable cooking oil. ..


Be Safe !!!

[Cheapshooter]

The better part of 60 years of using liberal amounts of Hoppe's #9, various oils, biting lead split shot onto fishing lines, biting into the occasional missed #6 lead shot left in a rabbit or squirrel leg. Not many fewer years of casting fishing jig heads sinkers, and later bullets. Still here at close to 72. Doubt rubber gloves will give me another 70 years.
Not saying it isn't important to have good ventilation, and wash your hands after handling raw lead. Just that it might not be as scary as modern thinking makes it out to be to do things we enjoy.

[JohnKSa]

I try to use nitrile gloves when cleaning but I will admit that I don't always. I do wear safety glasses when cleaning as it is quite unpleasant to get solvents in your eyes.

I've changed over to more "friendly" cleaning products as effective ones have become available. More to keep my wife from complaining about the fumes than because it bothers me.

[Dano4734]

Honestly growing up in the 50-60’s everything was lead. We use to bite our lead sinkers on our fishing line. Shooting was a common thing, very common in the mountains were i grew up. I never known anyone who got sick. Once i swallowed a lead sinker. It all came out in the end. I understand that parents should watch for lead paint and water issues but all of us baby boomers should be dead for what we had as kids. I don’t think it made me less smart, I grew up to be a tenured full professor. I think it’s right to avoid such things but not over react. My humble opinion

[Dufus]

The only lead you really need to worry about is lead oxide. Pure lead is almost harmless in its original state, but let oxidation take hold of some, then Katy bar the door.

There are a lot of safety issues and precautions to take, but I didn't do much of them when I started out in the early 60s.

I have had more exposure to hazardous chemicals at work then I ever did at my hobbies.

Same thing there. Starting out, no one thought about it much, then the EPA banned PCBs, chlorinated solvents, and so on and awareness came to the fore front.

I do use a face shield and elbow length gloves when casting. Rubber gloves when cleaning. I think something will kill me before any of that stuff will. Who knows, maybe a jealous husband might be in the works. Why do you think I carry??

For some that might not be able to figger it out, the last coupla sentences was joking. One has to be careful these days.

[Cosmodragoon]

Unlike the usual "gun safety", I tend to think of this stuff less as "this is going to kill me" and more of "this may impact quality of life in the long term" or "this may tip the scales of probability in the wrong direction with respect to a variety of potential health problems". I don't go crazy with it but I do take precautions:

- I usually wear shooting gloves, hat, and a jacket, all of which get washed separately from normal clothes. The gloves, even if I'm slumming it and just throw on a pair of nitriles, go a long way towards keeping my hands from getting dirty in the first place. Times I've worn white cotton gloves have shown me just how dirty our hands can actually get after a few hundred rounds!

- I try to shoot with the wind at my back outdoors and while I rarely shoot indoors, I do prefer ventilation and a fan blowing down range.

- No food or drink while shooting and cleanup comes first.

- I always wear nitrile when cleaning and I usually clean over old newspaper. I still use regular cleaning solvents but I usually clean outside or with what ventilation I can stand in the winter.

- I switched to less toxic grease and lube a while back, once Lubrikit started selling reasonably sized containers of the kitchen machine stuff recommended in this article by Grant Cunningham. So far, it works like a charm and I feel better about having it up close to my body all day.

http://www.grantcunningham.com/2006/05/lubrication-101

[unclejack37]

Hey Cos good post,
I had a battle with bladder cancer in 2007. I was told the main cause is smoking and exposure to chemical. At the time I smoked 2 packs/day and I worked for one of the largest chemical companies. Now, I'm retired, don't smoke anything and wear some kind of gloves when I handle any kind of solvent (gasoline and diesel fuels). After the range I clean my guns with news paper on work bench, the patches end up in a plastic shopping bag along with the news paper. I wash up with soap and water, but I never thought of changing clothes. That's something to consider going forward. Thanks

[Prof Young]

When I'm home from shooting at the range, after weapons and ammo are stored and locked up I wash my hands with d-lead. It's a hand cleaner designed to get toxic chemicals off your hands. I get mine at the range, but I imagine you can find it on line.

When I reload I almost always wear nitrile gloves. If I don't wear the gloves then it is more d-lead after I am done reloading.

My range has good ventilation that I can see as the "smoke" from my guns whips away quickly. Before the nearest range went into business there is one a bit father away that I quit going to because of poor ventilation.

I never thought about what's on my clothes. Wear a clean shirt every day and clean jeans every couple of days so . . ..

Life is good.

Prof Young

[LeverGunFan]

The next time you are at your doctor's office, ask for a blood test for lead. I had one done a few years ago and it was OK. I'll probably have another test done in a few years, just to keep track of any increase since the last test.

[Mike38]

I wash my hands and blow my nose as soon as possible after shooting. I always make sure of adequate ventilation while shooting indoors. The range I'm a member of is small and not a lot of members so money is tight. They ask that we limit use of the ventilation fans during the cold winter months to keep the heat inside. I tend to ignore that request and make sure the fans are running while I'm shooting. Back when I had young children I tried to keep the soles of my shoes clean before entering the house. Don't want to track lead dust into the house. Now that I have grandchildren, I should probably start that practice up again.

As for reloading, wash my hands afterwards.

As for cleaning, I wear no gloves, and don't really have a well ventilated room. Maybe I should?

[4 Paws]

This is a definite concern that all shooters should be aware of. At a minimum, limit exposure to indoor ranges. Practice good hygiene after shooting, using lead away wipes or soap. Also as mentioned above, have blood levels tested during your routine physical.

[cslinger]

Hands washed after shooting always
I clean with Balistol as it works well and is fairly non toxic. The fact it smells like dirty hobo feet is just an added benefit.
Wash hands well after cleaning.