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health question, lead vs non lead bullets -

ericthered
What is the deal with lead bullets. What is the danger that I
hear referred to, and how much of a threat is it to use lead
bullets at the indoor range.
Thanks
Eric

thats'me
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • Python
    eriethered;
    While this debate rages on, it depends entirely who you ask.
    Some would have you believe that firing even one lead bullet at an indoor range will result in dire health consequences. Others tend the greatly minimalize it. All credible reports I have read on the subject, the Health risk is rated the same level as any environmental exposure. In other words firing say 100 rounds a day at an indoor range would constitute a risk. Since you would in all likelyhood exceed the 10 ppm(parts per million) blood level limit. In adults over exposure causes liver and kidney problems. In children the effects are much more profound. Mental retardation being the worst. Lead exposure in adults has also been linked to Downs Syndrome in children. With proper venting and dust collection methods, exposure can be made a mote point. Health being everything, I tend to fire leadless bullets indoors. My personal opinion on this is lead is classed a heavy metal, and therefore should not be taken lightly indoors or out. The risk is from airborne lead particles. Inhalation of same elevates blood lead levels, and can, if exposure continues over a period of years, cause a variety of cancers of the respritory system. Mesotheleoma, T-O cell Carcenoma, And less severe conditions, yet incurable, such as COPD and Emphazema. I really don't mean to sound so gloomy, but, Lead has been scientificly linked to numerous conditions. So, I don't take lead or any of the heavy mentals lightly. They can kill you, no pun intended. P.S. Jacketed bullets greatly reduce airborne lead since the lead is not in direct contact to either the riflings or the powder charge. Hope this sheds a little light on this subject for you.


    Kill all the lawyers and the world will be much better for it.
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  • rsnyder55
    If you fire jacketed ammo, please be advised that some have jackets that do not cover the base and thus lead is exposed when these are fired.
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  • nmyers
    A lot of great information from Python.

    FYI, teflon coated bullets were developed almost 30 years ago to make indoor ranges safer for police use. The bullets ARE completely covered with teflon. Of course, they are just about impossible to get today because of the misconception that they were intended to punch through body armor.

    And, all of the hazards described by Python also apply to casting lead bullets; you should always do that outdoors or with good ventilation.

    Neal
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    FIRST A LITTEL HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY, ELIMENTAL LEAD (PB) IS NOT VERY POISIONOUS, IT'S RELATIVLY INERT. THE OXIDES OF LEAD ARE SOME WHAT WATER SOLUBLE AND CAN BE DISOLVED IN SOME ACIDS (KIDS EATING LEAD BASED PAINT CHIPS). THE MOST HAZARDIOUS LEAD IN AN INDOOR RANGE IS THE PRIMING COMPOUNDS USED IN MOST PRIMERS, LEAD SULFIDE (IF I HAVE THAT RIGHT).
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  • gunnut505
    Guys, the Anti-s have jacked the exposure to lead thing all out of proportion. Yes, there is some lead styphnate in primers, but in order for you to ingest enough to cause long-term maladies; you'd have to have a bowl of primer cereal and glass of primer milk fo breakfast, a bowl of primer soup for lunch, and a big ol' juicy primer rib for dinner for the next 25 years!
    Nickel is the worst heavy metal out there, and that list include Strontium 90 and Cesium!
    The health effects thing is a straw dog; you may react differently to lead than other people if you smoke, drink heavily, turn off the ventilation system at the range, or have other risk factors too numerous to list here.
    In short; outdoors is where you should shoot; if you have no other choice but an indoor range, just make sure the fan is sucking the smoke away from you when you shoot.
    Since most newer indoor ranges have had to go through ridiculously stringent clean air standards to open up; your chances of firing a box a week and coming down with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are so slim as to be negligible.
    BULLET CASTING IS DIFFERENT!!! If you're casting your own bullets; take all necessary precautions, use a vent hood, mask, gloves, and other safety measures because the lead is oxidized/vaporized when you melt it, and you CAN get stupid if you breathe it in!
    Most old time plumbers used lead in ingots to seal connections in the iron pipes they installed in your home-most old plumbers died of anything but lead poisoning; usually Cirrhosis of the liver from having a shot after work (or after each job!) is what did them in.

    If you take your kiddos to an indoor range; you are responsible to see that little Johnny breathes nice, unspoiled air- get them a respirator, particle mask, or just let them play outside (in all that fresh car exhaust, diesel emissions, dust, pollen, etc.).

    If you know it all; you must have been listening.WEAR EAR PROTECTION!
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  • Iconoclast
    eric, 505 just made a 0.100" group.
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  • competentone
    quote:Originally posted by gunnut505
    ...the Anti-s have jacked the exposure to lead thing all out of proportion...


    I'll second that! (and everything else 505 said here).

    A trip to a fast-food restaurant after shooting at a properly vented range is probably ten times more damaging to your health than the range was!

    Watch for future attempts to restrict/ban "backyard" outdoor ranges/shooting under the guise that it "puts dangerous lead into the enviornment"--the fact of the matter is that the metallic lead is extremely stable in most soil conditions; it does not leach into the water table (as spurious claims will be made).
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  • mballai
    The real deal on lead is primarily for those who shoot and reload mountains of ammo. For Joe Average, if you wash up after shooting or reloading, you are probably just fine. Most guys shoot a couple of boxes a week so there's no real concern. If you shoot and reload more than about 500 rounds a week you might want to have your lead blood levels checked each year. Using jacketed or copper coated bullets will lower your exposure.

    When lead gets into your body, your system sees it as a mineral:calcium. It then puts it into your bones. Takes many years to get it out.



    Three Precious Metals: Gold, silver and lead
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