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Possible reloading problems with lead????

2K views 26 replies 19 participants last post by  Kingbang 
#1 ·
I wash my hands quickly after handling lead. However, I suspect that even handling an empty hull will result in a small amount of lead exposure. I clean up spilled lead around my reloader immediately. A good tip I picked up on TS.com is to mount a baking sheet under the loader.

I think that lead ingestion by young children is the main concern over lead.

Lead was used as a fuel additive and in paint up until the late 1970's. I would think that, as a nation, our total lead exposure has decreased significantly since that time.

Shooting on an indoor range may be an issue unless there is proper veneration.

Some cities still have lead pipes in their water systems. I read recently where our city is systematically replacing old pipes and that some of these pipes were made of lead.

Fancy lead crystal has some lead in it. Studies have shown (no I don’t have a copy) that a small amount of lead leeches out into liquid held in lead crystal. To be safe, don’t nurse your drink, just toss it on down.
 
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#2 ·
The most likely source of ingested lead from reloading would be from the lead dust in or on shot bags. This could get on your hands and eventually into your mouth. I suspect the quantity would be rather small and not pose a serious problem.

How many small game hunters have ingested a few shot as they ate their harvested game? Also, lead is most dangerous to children under the age of six. I would strongly recommend not allowing anyone younger than six years to reload shells.

Pat Ireland
 
#6 ·
I read in a print article, Roster maybe, that lead for shotgun pellets in game that were swallowed isn't a problem. I thought that was good because as a lad and young man we ate plenty of game, and I'm sure some pleets went down with the pheasants, rabbits, ducks. and gesse. I never usnderstood why Roster made that claim.

Our local health department was giving free lead checks, so I stopped by. I told them why I wanted to be checked. They tried to talk me out of being checked. Why? Because if I came out high, then the rest of the family would have to be checked too. Duh? I would hope so. I can't figure why they thought that would be a problem. Anyway I came out OK. I wanted the wife and kids to get checked, but I can't remember is they ever did.

BTW - I like the plastic liners in the shot bags from SA.
 
#9 ·
The BS fear factor is the reason waterfowl hunters got the steel jammed down their throats, and many had to buy new guns to handle it.

In a human digestive tract lead pellets will be gone in a short enough time that any absorption would be totally insignificant.

However, there is some Mexican candy being sold in the US that has as much as 25 times the FDA's acceptable minimum lead standard.

Don't eat Mexican candy. Or lead shot.

HM
 
#10 ·
i hav 2 tel u tht ive ben loding for yers nd ti hsnt affcted me atol. nvermnd the sors nd stff on my skin, and ocurse thrs the balence issu, i cant walk very far anymre ether cuse i get outn of breath. they say overposure make you stupd, but it hasnt fected me none i learn just fine thnku. and im naturly short none of that stunted groth talk arund here. i thnk ill kep loading since it hasnt hert me none.
 
#11 ·
x-factor:

For the past twenty plus years I've shot reloads almost exclusively. I've registered a little over 100k targets and at least that many non-registered.

I take what I consider reasonable precautions. I don't eat or drink around the loading bench. I always wash my hands immediately after a loading session, any time I handle bags of shots, and promptly after shooting.

The bottom line?? As part of a routine annual physical a few years ago, I had typical blood tests done. At my request, they included a test for blood lead levels. The results were normal and consistent with what the doc would expect for someone that didn't reload at all.

sissy
 
#12 ·
I've been shooting something for at least 57 years and reloading pistol and/or rifle and now shotgun ammo off and on for at least 50 of those years. I've swaged bullets, handled lead bullets, shot in indoor ranges, and now done all that's necessary with the shot during those years. I generally wash the hands after a loading session, after shooting most of a day, and maybe when I got home from events where there were no facilities to wash up. However, I've never taken any special care as seems to be described by sissy; in fact I've often grabbed a sandwich offered without washing hands during these events. I've never asked to have my lead level checked. If lead is taking a toll on my health, there's no outward sign of it and I've outlived my dad, his dad, and many people in my circle of knowledge - check for names still alive in your high school class someday. I'm not going to change my habits now....breakemall....Bob Dodd
 
#13 ·
The waterfowl issue had nothing to do with humans. It was the ducks that were supposedly dying of lead ingestion.

Whether real or BS, I can't say. But I personally know folks who were in on the studies who say it wasn't BS.
 
#14 ·
I shallow areas where puddle ducks feed they would ingest lead pellets as gravel and the gizzard would grind the pellets up causing lead poison. It's a fact, unfortunately the powers that be decided that all lead should be banned for waterfowl. I jump shoot most of the Mallards I shoot and doubt very seriously that they ever find any of my pellets. Of course I use steel now. Ben
 
#15 ·
My Dad has a college buddy was from the Alton Illinois area. The friends father worked for Olin in the shot tower for over 40 years. At a recent school reunion my Dad, knowing his buddys father had recently passed on, asked his pal if his father ever had any health problems concerning lead. His pal replied that he did not believe so because his father was 93 when he passed, and he had died of a heart attack.
 
#17 ·
tomk2- You are correct about the difference between lead carbonate and lead oxide. Now, if you and I really wanted to get this thread into the unknown, we could start a discussion of the affects of increasing atmospheric CO2 and how it results in more lead carbonate production and the resulting risks associated with that. Does that sound like fun?

Pat Ireland
 
#21 ·
Over the past 20 years I have loaded around 200,000 shotgun loads, and 10s and 10s of thousands of lead cast bullets which I cast myself. Got a blood test 3 months ago for the Lipitor that I take and I asked the doctor to check me for lead. The test came back with a reading of 17 ppm the doctor said anything under 9 was normal and any read over 30 would be a concern.
 
#22 ·
Over the past 20 years I have loaded around 200,000 shotgun loads, and 10s and 10s of thousands of lead cast bullets which I cast myself. Got a blood test 3 months ago for the Lipitor that I take and I asked the doctor to check me for lead. The test came back with a reading of 17 ppm the doctor said anything under 9 was normal and any read over 30 would be a concern.
 
#23 ·
tomk2- I do not know the chemical pathway from lead to lead carbonates. I do remember that it is a self limiting reaction as you suggested and it is pH specific. A little lime on the shot fall area takes care of almost all of the problem.

I suspect your approach to understanding the reactions leading to lead carbonate might be too simple. You are looking at atmospheric conditions but the carbonate forms on lead in the soil. Once this question is moved into geo-chemistry, things get very complex.

Pat Ireland
 
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