lead bullets - should a person really be concerned?

[panzerr]

I've been using Billy Bullet's molly coated 45 ACP bullets for my reloads. I'm happy with their performance, quality and easy of reloading but my reloading partner has expressed concerns about lead poisoning from reloading and shooting lead bullets.

We wear latex gloves while reloading to prevent the lead of the bullets from transferring through our skin, but my buddy is concerned about the vapors created from firing molly coated lead bullets. We fire on my outdoor range, typically 1,000 rounds a month during the warm months.

I've read what some of the plated bullet manufacturers have to say about lead poisoning, but I want to hear what shooters say. Can anyone cite a few good studies on the subject? Does anyone have any experience with this issue?

[Heavy Metal]

Most jacketed bullets are exposed lead at teh base anyway.

Shooting outdoors, I would not worry.

[UVvis]

If you are concerned, get your blood checked for lead levels during your next checkup.

[bullseye]

i've personally loaded 100k+ easily of lswcs in .45, plus a bunch of 9mms and .40. wash up before eating,,,load away. as a side note,, i don't feel that lead, or asbestos is as dangerous as purported,, or all of us older construction hands would be long gone. patrick sweeney had a reasonabllly good article in guns and ammo about this subject this month. i have 10k .45 200gr lswc, and 5k .40 165 lswcs sitting beside my 650,,,to be loaded yet,,, ain't skeered....

[markm]

I've read that the brass tumbler and media are your bigger concerns for lead contamination than anything else.

I'm not sure if it's true though.

[AvidBlue]

Most of the research of which I am aware (focused on occupational exposure) addresses indoor firing ranges. NIOSH did conduct a health hazard evaluation at the FBI Academy (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/1991-0346-2572.pdf), which included air sampling for instructors working on the firing line at indoor and outdoor ranges. Data were not collected for shooters (students) because they were qualifying. The data showed airborne lead exposure for instructors on the outdoor ranges, associated with varying wind directions, but concentrations were well below the relevant occupational exposure limit. I think proper hygiene practices should be sufficient to adequately minimize lead exposure in your situation. You could rig up a fan to blow air downrange while you are shooting if it's that much of a concern.

[Robb Jensen]

You should always control the amount of lead that you're breathing and handling. Indoor ranges are horrible for this. This and the cost of shooting is why I've curved way back on the amount of shooting I do indoors.

Really you should wash your clothing as soon as possible when shooting indoors. Use D-Lead products whenever possible. I know a few people that had to radically change their habits when lead in their blood became a problem.