Reducing lead exposure as a reloader

[Clint007]

Finally got around to testing my lead level. It was 7. What I read says that's below any action level other than common sense methods to further limit my exposure.

From this forum's experts I've learned and then corroborated that the primer dust is the number one concern for someone like me.

I no longer dry tumble; I wet tumble my brass.  I have a 1050 and have a tube that diverts the primers into a milk jug for disposal. For the not-rare loose primer that ends up on my 1050/Mark7 plate, I no longer use a brush or compressed air to clean off the surfaces (to avoid driving any lead dust into the air). Instead I use a central vacuum in my garage to remove the debris, and then empty the container with care outside (holding my breath, standing up wind by my trash cans), then rinsing it clean with water outside.

Probably less relevant is my decision to forego loading exposed lead bullets. That was more just being spoiled and making things easier on the automated press.
I also shoot indoors about 3-4 times per month and moved recently to a newer facility that looks to be cleaned better. I asked the staff about how they clean the floor and they recoiled in horror when I asked if they dry swept the range at all. They wet mop, and had inspectors confirm their air management was up to snuff. They used squeegees to divert brass but there are no brooms to be seen. I'm assuming that's SOP for ranges in the US now but who knows.

What else am I missing?

Thanks!

C

[baldrage]

My resume' is similar to yours (reload at home, and shoot indoors once/week)  I just had my BLL tested last month and I was a 1.  I assume you are religious about washing your hands after reloading and/or shooting, so it sounds like you're already taking all of the common-sense steps. 

I'd bet you're probably getting more exposure from shooting indoors then you are from re-loading.  If your new range is cleaner, I assume their ventilation/air handling is better than your previous range, and hopefully your levels will drop a bit over time now that you are patronizing a cleaner facility.

[1SOW]

What baldrage said: indoor ranges.
Primers and dry tumbling them does create a LOT of dust. 
I was tested for lead about 3 years ago and it was below ",1". 
I wash ,size and deprime all my brass on my patio . I do dry tumble and load in an attached garage.  My press stays very clean for a long time. My patio single stage deprime and size press gets filthy very fast. The spent primers are dropped into an upside down 1# powder jug fixed under the press.  To empty, just unscrew the jug cap and let them dump.  Wash hands after discarding spent primers.
I shoot outdoors only.

[Wobbly]

My resume' is similar to yours... I assume you are religious about washing your hands after reloading and/or shooting, so it sounds like you're already taking all of the common-sense steps. 

I'd bet you're probably getting more exposure from shooting indoors then you are from re-loading... 

That's exactly my plan too...
? Always wash hands
? Shoot outdoors
? Minimize the use of lead bullets or FMJ with exposed lead on the base
? Run the spent primer tube into a sealed can

This last one was really the reason I moved away from the 550 to the 650.

I understand that Vitamin C will help get  your lead numbers down faster. Try popping one of those every morning.

 

[painter]

Unfortunately, I have some experience with lead toxicity.

In addition to Vitamin C, make sure you're not iron deficient. Lead is stored in your bones, and is slowly released into the blood. Iron will occupy the same space that lead will occupy in the blood cell. If there's no place for the lead to attach it will be expelled.

I'm not sure where you got your info about lead levels, but the current level that is considered toxic is 5 or above. This number is for children,and it may vary for adults.

[lewmed]

Back in the mid 70's I bought a automatic casting machine with a bad thermostat it got so hot it vaporized lead. My blood test showed 43 micrograms and my buddy tested over 70.  It took 15 years for my test to show normal I still shoot over 1200 rounds a month and reload but only coated , plated or jacketed bullets now days.  I now wet tumble all my brass and use plastic gloves when handling fired brass my last blood test a couple months ago came back 3 micrograms.  Just don't eat, drink, or smoke when shooting and reloading and wash your hands.
   

[IDescribe]

Simple solution -- load and shoot only .416 Rigby, and don't shoot past your nerves getting a little rattled. 

[Clint007]

Thanks for the info. Heard about the Vit C, and started taking that with my regular pills.

Action level for lead (in terms of chelation therapy) is higher than 5 mcg/dl. That usually starts at 20. But below that (5-19) they suggest taking measures to reduce exposure.  What I found (in Up To Date, a respectable medical education resource) said intervention varied by circumstance (child, pregnant, breast feeding, etc).  At my level the literature suggests that it would be very unlikely to have any clinical effects at a level of 7. But that's still too high by my book and I will make what changes I can to reduce my exposure.

I will try to curb-side consult a colleague that might have more routine experience with this.....

C

[Mattiooo]

It may not be tacticool, but I wear Nitrile gloves when doing ALL of my reloading operations.  I dry tumble brass but I do it outside on my deck and I wear a surgical mask to avoid inhaling the dust.

I remember when I first moved to Colorado I joined an indoor range that was fairly old.  There was an old-time Bullseye shooter there and he wore a full-on gas mask for his practice sessions.

[Wobbly]

It's easy to inspect the ranges you might want to use. Simply wear a pair of white cotton gloves and run your fingers over numerous horizontal surfaces. If their cleaning or ventilation system is not up to standards, then there will be a "dusting" of gray material on all the horizontal surfaces.

 

[painter]

Thanks for the info. Heard about the Vit C, and started taking that with my regular pills.

Action level for lead (in terms of chelation therapy) is higher than 5 mcg/dl. That usually starts at 20. But below that (5-19) they suggest taking measures to reduce exposure.  What I found (in Up To Date, a respectable medical education resource) said intervention varied by circumstance (child, pregnant, breast feeding, etc).  At my level the literature suggests that it would be very unlikely to have any clinical effects at a level of 7. But that's still too high by my book and I will make what changes I can to reduce my exposure.

I will try to curb-side consult a colleague that might have more routine experience with this.....

C

I can only speak for my son's circumstance. His level was 40 at age 4. At the time that was 1 point below the threshold for chelation. I always wonder why the medicos try to fit us all in the same size box, but that's a different topic. The threshold for toxicity, at that time, was 10. Since then the toxicity level has been reduced to 5. He's getting close to being below that number. it's been a very long road.

[SoCal]

After my blood level came in at 19.2 I started using a dust mask and an apron when de-priming plus nitrite gloves at all times.  My primers drop into a water filled jug.

When I shoot at busy indoor range I change my clothes.  In 3 months my blood level dropped to 16.1 so I felt my changes are working.

[armoredman]

Oddly enough, every time i have asked my doc for a lead stick, for some reason iyt never gets done. Last time I had a lead stick done was when I worked at an indoor range, sweeping dust up in a full bunny suit and mask. I have no idea what the level was, but I remember the docs being highly unconcerned. That was well before I started reloading...but for the last 10 years I shoot on an outdoor range all the time, too.

[Creeker]

I've been a shooter since 1973 mostly six guns. During that time I used cast bullets probably 99% of the time. Nearly all those bullets were cast by me.

I've turned many a wheel weight into ingots over the years. I owned and operated a bullet casting business for 12 years. I held a Class 6 FFL for 10 years. During that time I loaded many thousands of rounds including those I shot myself.

We sold brass purchased from both indoor & outdoor ranges. All this was dry tumbled & separated in a squirrel cage type separator with no ventilation to speak of.

I'm still an active shooter and cast the bullets I use. My lead levels are 5. The only precaution taken over those years is the cleanup my lead dust and reloading dust with a damp rag. Other than that no special precautions were taken except to keep my fingers from around my mouth. And finally I've fired less than a hundred rounds indoors.

I'm not saying we shouldn't be careful but there's no need to go overboard. A little common sense goes a long way.

[dragon813gt]

I'm not saying we shouldn't be careful but there's no need to go overboard. A little common sense goes a long way.

This is correct.  I used to have to work in an Interstate Battery plant a lot.  So much so that I had to have my lead levels tested as if I was an employee there.  My level was never over a 2.  And the PPE requirements for all but the oxide mill was gloves, that?s it.  The employees that ended up w/ high levels were all smokers.  And as you can guess they didn?t wear gloves or wash their hands properly.  The PPE for the oxide mill wasn?t anything overboard either.  It was pretty much just a dust mask. 

Basic hygiene goes a long way to keeping your levels low.  I cast my own bullets and handle them w/out gloves regularly.  I also dry tumble my brass.  The tumbler has a closed lid.  I?m only exposed for the short time I?m transferring the contents into the sifter before I close the lid on it.  My levels are still just as low because I wash my hands after any reloading/shooting activity and don?t eat/drink w/out washing my hands first.