Guns and Lead

[44 AMP]

Also keep in mind that the heavy restrictions on the use of leaded gasoline, and other uses of lead have reduced blood lead levels dramatically in the U.S. They are currently around 15x lower than they were back in the 1970s.

This makes me question some of the claims of the "no lead at all, ever" camp. However, doing so would make me guilty of the fallacy of logic that they use.

My initial thought was "if kids today have 15x lower lead levels, why aren't they 15x smarter??"

Until a thought a few seconds longer and realized that would be using the same "if A, then B" logic comparing two isolated data points and nothing else.

The dose makes the poison.

This is a KEY POINT. And, it applies to everything in this world.
one could substitute "lethal" or "hazardous" for "poison" and it would still be correct. Pick any substance you want, too much (or not enough) and you die.

The best practice I know for limiting exposure to hazards is ALARA. As Low As Reasonably Achievable.

[Aguila Blanca]

Putting it in perspective:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lea...foradults.html

And, of course, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." The gummint moved the goalposts so we overnight had double the number of children suffering from "lead poisoning."
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/28/10502...-new-standards

[Jack Ryan]

No, it is NOT a given.

[max it]

The culprit is the lead styphnate.
Mine got too high; 20mg/ltr at worst.
My MD did the first research and id'd the lead powder expelled when firing.
Now adays 25 is the beginning to worry.
My take on it, purely pedestrian,
Lead styphnate is from firing guns. Wash hands, change clothes, tumble brass outside.
See my and some friends old posts on this forum and some others. "Lead in Blood".
Stay safe,
Max

[armoredman]

I think you would be right. I have been to at least one professional training where we were specifically warned about sweeping concrete on the range, ESPECIALLY indoors, without PPE.

When I worked at an indoor range 23 years ago we wore fully bunny suits with full face respirator, hood, booties and gloves to sweep down the range.

[44 AMP]

Lead styphnate was used in the priming compound of the early non-corrosive primers. I think most modern makers have moved on to a lead azide compound. No idea if that has the same hazards, or degree of hazard, but I've heard lead azide is also used in the detonator that inflates your car's airbags in the event of sufficient impact.

I'm pretty sure the "ban lead everywhere" crowd knows this, but chooses not to make an issue of it, at this time.

[Jack Ryan]

My supposition was that the primary culprit was probably sweeping the concrete floor at the range on Thursday evenings. So I stopped doing that.

My guess is this is correct. Sweeping is a BIG problem with all kinds of dusts. My question is were you using any kind of sweeping compound to keep the dust down while sweeping? I never heard of "sweeping compound" until I started working in power houses but it is pretty amazing and I use some form of it all the time now in dusty situations.

Many times I've just made my own for garages and cement floors. I always have a bucket of saw dust/chips and even just stirring in a little water helps a lot to throw the wet saw dust down and then sweep it up with the dirt. I'll mostly mix in some diesel and then you can use the compound over and over until it gets too dirty to work and then throw it in the wood stove for fire starter and make new.

[44 AMP]

Don't overlook that fact that you were sweeping a week's worth of accumulated material, each and every time.

[GGALLIN1776]

At least they still have a trap league, but those kerfuffles are what get them cancelled so it's important to stay on top of that.
Around here the last of the school clubs for that age bracket were eliminated & relegated to air rifles until those leagues were banned too over whining about evil this & that. Can't have kids learning to be responsible & safe with tools!

I like Jerry Miculek's approach to handling the risk, use a large fan even when shooting outdoors. It won't stop exposure completely but there is a mitigation factor. This all being up to the individual of course, if it were mandated, I'd be against it.

That being said, any metal dust/particulate floating in the air puts the zap on my lungs. Grinding, welding or just heating a stuck fastener with a torch nukes them. A hot shower & eight hours of sleep usually clears that up but it's annoying.
Odd thing is that none of that bothered me until I quit smoking after 21 years, prior to that I'd laugh at the thought of using a respirator for anything, even handling asbestos. Only raw diesel fumes bothered me then.

[DaleA]

At least they still have a trap league, but those kerfuffles are what get them cancelled so it's important to stay on top of that.

Good point.

Our legislature is still in session so I don't think there's been a decision yet. I'll TRY to remember to come back here and post the results.

[L. Boscoe]

I have returned to shooting, going on 3 years now, all at indoor
range. I had my blood tested, got a 24 result, which is high-I have started shooting with an N95 mask and doing my reloading with gloves and a mask. The level is not at a place where I should have noticeable effects, so my Doc says, but the Doc at
Duke says to use D lead soap as regular soap won't take all of the lead off. I am 87, so not worrying but attentive.

[GGALLIN1776]

Originally Posted by L. Boscoe

I have returned to shooting, going on 3 years now, all at indoor
range. I had my blood tested, got a 24 result, which is high-I have started shooting with an N95 mask and doing my reloading with gloves and a mask. The level is not at a place where I should have noticeable effects, so my Doc says, but the Doc at
Duke says to use D lead soap as regular soap won't take all of the lead off. I am 87, so not worrying but attentive.

I had a look at that D-lead soap, given the price, checked for alternatives.
Seems like as Ajax will do the same job providing you employ a soft bristle brush while using it.

[DaleA]

Duke says to use D lead soap as regular soap won't take all of the lead off.

I harp on things I would like my ideal range to have but D lead soap is one of the things they DO provide in their rest rooms along with regular soap so I'm giving them credit for it.

[tangolima]

Originally Posted by DaleA

I harp on things I would like my ideal range to have but D lead soap is one of the things they DO provide in their rest rooms along with regular soap so I'm giving them credit for it.

No soap is going to help for the brave souls who eat, drink, smoke while firing their guns. I have met plenty of them. The unalienable rights of keeping and bearing arms trump everything in their minds perhaps.

While washing hands, don't forget washing face.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[JohnKSa]

There are some deleading wipes (e.g. LeadOff) that you can use if you shoot at a range that doesn't have running water to allow you to clean up thoroughly. They will help you keep your vehicle more free of lead by getting your hands cleaner before you drive home.

I have no information on how well they actually work at removing lead.

[georgehwbush]

well from just looking at the numbers the cdc put out, one would think we are down to safe levels even with the normal contamination form shooting... normal i say, which begs the question who's normal shooting.... but at any rate, when compared to levels when we used leaded fuel; even the highest doses are now safe. i guess it's all about perspective after all.

[44 AMP]

Aren't those the same people who made something like 30%+ of the country "morbidly obese" over night because they changed their BMI (body mass index) scale??