Thoughts on Long-Term Effects of Shooting (Lead/Heavy Metals)

[SteyrAUG]

How did my grandparents live to their mid 80s and 90s?

They grew up with lead based paint on everything, any shooting was done with non jacketed lead rounds and there was a lot of shooting in one of their basements. Lead weights were made in the garage and the plumbing was...yep lead.

Not saying lead is good for you or can't hurt you, but you can't mitigate everything. I suspect any additional life expectancy achieved from lead mitigation is offset by worrying about lead mitigation.

Want to live a full life? Drinking and smoking will probably kill you faster than lead. Stress will kill you even faster. Poor diet, lack of regular exercise and such will kill you even faster than stress.

So go shooting, eat a meal that didn't begin as frozen food loaded with preservatives and then take a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy being alive. Get a rescue dog and you can probably add 5 years to your life.

[THCDDM4]

Not too worried over here. I have been to indoor ranges with poor ventilation though and the shit sucks.

Most people should be more worried about their diet than the lead in their primers, seriously. That Big Mac and mega sized Pepsi gonna kill you way before your range sessions will...

[1168]

I’m just happy that y’all are having a real talk about this. Bring this up with dirt bike guys or amateur racers on the subject of fuel, and everyone acts like lead is as safe as beef jerky. Dudes get crazy defensive.

Lead is no bueno, and there is no safe dose. It effs you up in a subtle manner. And it is cumulative. Take whatever precautions you deem reasonably achievable. Gloves when cleaning. Wash hands on the way out of the range, when you can. Wash hands often, in general. Wipe down mags periodically, with gloves. Load mags prior to the range, and after cleaning, to avoid direct contact. Minimize gas blowback in rifles you assemble. Shoot “clean” ammo when you can. Wear gloves when handling steel targets, and avoid handling as much as you can.

[gaijin]

"Do you guys take any steps to mitigate it?"

Yep.
I don't shoot indoors, ventilation usually inadequate (too close proximity with major dumbasses, etc.)
I reload and shoot JHP's in handgun. The lead base of bullet is covered in JHP's and minimizes the "vaporized lead" thing.

[markm]

I too use gloves to handle dirty brass. And another nice benefit of wet tumbling... after tumbling the brass is MUCH more lead free.

[sundance435]

I’m just happy that y’all are having a real talk about this. Bring this up with dirt bike guys or amateur racers on the subject of fuel, and everyone acts like lead is as safe as beef jerky. Dudes get crazy defensive.

Lead is no bueno, and there is no safe dose. It effs you up in a subtle manner. And it is cumulative. Take whatever precautions you deem reasonably achievable. Gloves when cleaning. Wash hands on the way out of the range, when you can. Wash hands often, in general. Wipe down mags periodically, with gloves. Load mags prior to the range, and after cleaning, to avoid direct contact. Minimize gas blowback in rifles you assemble. Shoot “clean” ammo when you can. Wear gloves when handling steel targets, and avoid handling as much as you can.

Read my mind. That's pretty much where I'm at on it. I fully understand that lead will not be the sole cause of my premature demise, if that's going to occur, but I was just trying to start a dialog on it and to see what others are doing for some possible better practices. I think it should warrant more than a casual shrug in our community, but that's just like my opinion. Am I going to shoot less than I do now? No, but if I can mitigate the potential harm, I'm going to do it.

Also, to others, most people from your parents/grandparents' era didn't live into their 80's and 90's (even 70's), you just know the ones that did.

[Wildcat]

Friend of mine went through a bout with toxic levels of lead in his system. He has been through chelation and is greatly improved. He was an avid shooter (less so now) and he reloaded quite a bit.
The main culprit of exposure was shooting indoor matches at a particular local indoor range that was poorly maintained.

To be clear, this is not merely shooting at the booths of an indoor facility, the matches involved using firing positions that were ahead of the line of shooting stalls; where so much of the spent residue comes to rest ahead of the normal shooting line. So shoes, clothes, gun bag etc. picked up the residue and transferred it to the car and home. He probably did a good job if washing his hands but everything else was probably a vector.
I don't know if he ate or drank anything during these events. He probably went for a burger and fries afterward though.

He now has put together a lengthy presentation (like an hour plus) about how his personality was altered (listlessness) during the high lead levels as well as other issues he attributes to the problem.

So I'd say its a real thing but you have to keep doing things wrong. Lead does eventually exit your system but it takes a while. If you are accumulating it faster than it is excreted, it has effects.

Be diligent about personal hygiene.
Don't be the guy who has to sweep up an indoor range.
Avoid indoor ranges where the ventilation and general cleanliness are inadequate.
Don't put stuff in your mouth while at the range.

[Bimmer]

I’m in a lead abatement program for the work I do. 4 years and I’ve never come close the the action levels.

My personal opinion is this: Hygiene, don’t lick your suppressors after shooting, wear some latex gloves while cleaning, and make sure your ventilation is good.

This is me, too...

If you're really worried, then have your GP check your lead levels. It's a quick/easy/cheap blood test.

I haven't had my lead levels checked, but I don't think I really have that much exposure.

[Henny]

I don’t worry about it anymore. Back when I was into 3 gun, I was casting my own 9mm bullets ( and shooting them out of my Glock! ) and shooting Hornady 55 FMJBTs out of my rifle.

Monthly I’d shoot at least 1000 9mm rounds and a few (200-300) 223 rounds a month. Since I practiced at my home range I used a suppressor in my rifle to help keep the noise level down. I also dry tumbled all my brass.

I was wondering what my lead levels were like. I had my doctor check my blood for heavy metals. Every time my lead and other heavy metals were very low.

Gun club politics got me away from competitive shooting and I don’t shoot as much as I used to. A couple hundred rounds each of both handgun and rifle a month. Now I cast every few months. I reload / clean brass every other month. I’m not worried about it. I don’t lick my hands when I’m shooting or sterilize my eating utensils in the led pot.

[Uni-Vibe]

Lead doesn't come from the bullet much. It comes from the primer.

I only shoot at outdoor ranges. I wash hands thoroughly after shooting, reloading, or cleaning a gun. First thing I do with fired brass is thoroughly wash with soapy water and rinse.

Next time I go for a check up. I'll get tested for lead and maybe antimony too, and let y'all know.