Dangers In Reloading?...
- Thread starter JeepHammer
- Start date
TheGuyOfSouthamerica
Moderator
I wonder as well which contaminants the reloader may get exposed to.
I can see the caster being exposed to smelly fumes but I not even wear anymore an mask while casting bullets. But yes I wear thermal gloves. By now I do not smell anymore the fumes while melting lead considered there are not anymore pieces of Plastik in the melting kettle.
I cast using wheel wheights.
I dont' see exposure to harmfull stuff while reloading considered the only part what gets touched by me is the press handle.
Safety Glasses are worn while seating the primers. Brass I don't trimm nor clean at all (except primer pockets) so basically it is a straight foreward reaload.
I can see the caster being exposed to smelly fumes but I not even wear anymore an mask while casting bullets. But yes I wear thermal gloves. By now I do not smell anymore the fumes while melting lead considered there are not anymore pieces of Plastik in the melting kettle.
I cast using wheel wheights.
I dont' see exposure to harmfull stuff while reloading considered the only part what gets touched by me is the press handle.
Safety Glasses are worn while seating the primers. Brass I don't trimm nor clean at all (except primer pockets) so basically it is a straight foreward reaload.
Last edited:
rJeepHammer
Moderator
Being a machine shop that does occasional government contracts, we are required to do periodic testing for 'Contaminants'...
I take the test kits and do my reloading area, just to see.
They pretty much mirror what's already been said,
Tumblers/deburring machines in the shop & around my reloading show SIGNIFICANT signs of lead.
Honestly, dust control (used dryer sheet in the vibratory tumbler, taking the tumbling media outside and fanning the dust out of it once in a while) reduces dust to almost nothing...
Can't hurt & it's just good housekeeping.
Just a note, I did find out vibratory tumbler dust is highly flammable...
Using a torch to solder wires next to the tumbler lid (using it to catch solder drops) and the dust caught fire...
The problem with tumbler dust is it's EXACTLY the right size to penetrate deeply into the sinuses & lungs.
NOW, keep in mind, the PRIMER burns with the powder charge in place,
Then the powder burns,
That powder charge forces the primer residue against the inside of the case...
SO,
The primer residue is caught in the case...
One of the first things I do is attach a primer catcher & tube to deposit primers into the trash or closed container.
That potential problem is stopped cold,
And if you use a clear tube for primer catch, you will QUICKLY see how much residue builds up in that tube. (Trapped in the tube/trash, not your lungs & skin)
Mercurcy stopped showing up when I quit using OLD military surplus ammo.
Apparently, The old military primers had a LOT of mercury in them.
'Crorrosive' primers still have a lot of mercury in them.
----
You know the first thing lead does is attack your mental capacity.
Makes me wonder about the guys that scoff about basic safety proceedures,
'Cyclops' arguing against safety glasses,
'Mad Hatter' arguing mercury isn't an issue,
'Dim Bulb' arguing lead isn't a problem...
I dunno, maybe they were born with an extra 30 IQ points to waste, extra lungs, kidneys & liver to waste...
My eyes are worth $30 for safety lenses in my glasses,
A primer catch is worth me not loosing 30 IQ points to lead, etc.
I take the test kits and do my reloading area, just to see.
They pretty much mirror what's already been said,
Tumblers/deburring machines in the shop & around my reloading show SIGNIFICANT signs of lead.
Honestly, dust control (used dryer sheet in the vibratory tumbler, taking the tumbling media outside and fanning the dust out of it once in a while) reduces dust to almost nothing...
Can't hurt & it's just good housekeeping.
Just a note, I did find out vibratory tumbler dust is highly flammable...
Using a torch to solder wires next to the tumbler lid (using it to catch solder drops) and the dust caught fire...
The problem with tumbler dust is it's EXACTLY the right size to penetrate deeply into the sinuses & lungs.
NOW, keep in mind, the PRIMER burns with the powder charge in place,
Then the powder burns,
That powder charge forces the primer residue against the inside of the case...
SO,
The primer residue is caught in the case...
One of the first things I do is attach a primer catcher & tube to deposit primers into the trash or closed container.
That potential problem is stopped cold,
And if you use a clear tube for primer catch, you will QUICKLY see how much residue builds up in that tube. (Trapped in the tube/trash, not your lungs & skin)
Mercurcy stopped showing up when I quit using OLD military surplus ammo.
Apparently, The old military primers had a LOT of mercury in them.
'Crorrosive' primers still have a lot of mercury in them.
----
You know the first thing lead does is attack your mental capacity.
Makes me wonder about the guys that scoff about basic safety proceedures,
'Cyclops' arguing against safety glasses,
'Mad Hatter' arguing mercury isn't an issue,
'Dim Bulb' arguing lead isn't a problem...
I dunno, maybe they were born with an extra 30 IQ points to waste, extra lungs, kidneys & liver to waste...
My eyes are worth $30 for safety lenses in my glasses,
A primer catch is worth me not loosing 30 IQ points to lead, etc.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I began reloading in 1950. The only safety precautions were care in re-priming and in re-charging. No sloppiness. "Common sense" in dealing with things that could burn or go bang.
So here I am at age 82, with all my fingers and eyes intact. Not luck; just care and precision.
"Mind set, skill set, tool set: In that order" applies to more than self-defense with a gun.
So here I am at age 82, with all my fingers and eyes intact. Not luck; just care and precision.
"Mind set, skill set, tool set: In that order" applies to more than self-defense with a gun.
Art:
I think the point is to take more precautions as you learn more.
We didn't have helmets or ear protection when I was a kid.
Now we do and I use both (helmet on a bicycle was tough one to do, my bike guy kept pushing and I finally got it -bless him) I always used one on a cycle but I was threatened by an older brother!
You also find exceptions to the affects of everything. We all have seen people who smoked into their 80s and 90s.
On the other hand one of my Grandmothers died of throat cancer. Docs had never seen that in a non smoker. And only see it in smokers, not a cancer by any other mechanism.
My granddad was a heavy smoker. Ergo, she lived long enough to die from it second hand.
I think the point is to take more precautions as you learn more.
We didn't have helmets or ear protection when I was a kid.
Now we do and I use both (helmet on a bicycle was tough one to do, my bike guy kept pushing and I finally got it -bless him) I always used one on a cycle but I was threatened by an older brother!
You also find exceptions to the affects of everything. We all have seen people who smoked into their 80s and 90s.
On the other hand one of my Grandmothers died of throat cancer. Docs had never seen that in a non smoker. And only see it in smokers, not a cancer by any other mechanism.
My granddad was a heavy smoker. Ergo, she lived long enough to die from it second hand.
I'm not worried much about it ...but
a. I think you do need to wear a mask when you dump the cleaned brass out of a vibrating tumbler because there is a significant amount of dust as you separate the brass from the media with the squirrel cage ( and I make sure the exhaust fan - moving air in the area is running - to dump it outside of my shop - and using the dryer anti static sheets helps a lot / and renewing the media once in a while is smart too).
b. Washing with soap and water after you clean a gun, do some reloading is smart...( just like washing after I shoot at my indoor range ).
c. I don't drink liquids or eat in my reloading or cleaning area of my shop. Its not like I'm going to die of thirst or hunger in there ...so its just a smart precaution in my opinion.
I'm often in just socks - no shoes ( they don't make fuzzy bunny slippers in size 16 ?? ) - but I do like my UGG slippers...sometimes in my house and my shop reloading area../ and I have some nice throw rugs down...which I vacuum up every week.../ I sweep the concrete floor with one of those "swiffer" things around the rugs ...and I wipe down the butcher block bench tops with some 409 or windex at least once a week..
be smart...is my approach / and I like a clean shop area.
a. I think you do need to wear a mask when you dump the cleaned brass out of a vibrating tumbler because there is a significant amount of dust as you separate the brass from the media with the squirrel cage ( and I make sure the exhaust fan - moving air in the area is running - to dump it outside of my shop - and using the dryer anti static sheets helps a lot / and renewing the media once in a while is smart too).
b. Washing with soap and water after you clean a gun, do some reloading is smart...( just like washing after I shoot at my indoor range ).
c. I don't drink liquids or eat in my reloading or cleaning area of my shop. Its not like I'm going to die of thirst or hunger in there ...so its just a smart precaution in my opinion.
I'm often in just socks - no shoes ( they don't make fuzzy bunny slippers in size 16 ?? ) - but I do like my UGG slippers...sometimes in my house and my shop reloading area../ and I have some nice throw rugs down...which I vacuum up every week.../ I sweep the concrete floor with one of those "swiffer" things around the rugs ...and I wipe down the butcher block bench tops with some 409 or windex at least once a week..
be smart...is my approach / and I like a clean shop area.
A piece of brass shaving in one's foot is one thing. No Fuzzy Bunny slippers or bare feet for sure.
Lead poisoning is another thing altogether. It takes a great deal of long term exposure to lead to get poisoned. So it's really not an issue with reloading. Can be if you're casting in a poorly ventilated room. (Know a guy who had to stop shooting for 6 months due to that and exposure at work. Guy was an Ontario Hydro, The Power Co. you ya'll.) Wash your hands and don't rub your eye or nose bare handed and you should be fine.
Lead poisoning is another thing altogether. It takes a great deal of long term exposure to lead to get poisoned. So it's really not an issue with reloading. Can be if you're casting in a poorly ventilated room. (Know a guy who had to stop shooting for 6 months due to that and exposure at work. Guy was an Ontario Hydro, The Power Co. you ya'll.) Wash your hands and don't rub your eye or nose bare handed and you should be fine.
TheGuyOfSouthamerica
Moderator
I have the Lyman T Mag II turret press. it has an spent primer catch below the priming arm where it collects all spent primers.
I guess that is safe enough.
I guess that is safe enough.
Not really. I have the same press and am still using it. I started hand loading 5 years ago, with the catch in place of course. But I soon noticed layer of black dust around the press. I looked it up and realized it was primer residue.
The spent primer rolls down the channel in the ramp, and is supposed to end up in the catch. Dust actually goes air borne as the primer rolls down. The system is not doing much to capture the primer residue. A good system, like the one on co-ax press, catches the primer almost as soon as it leaves the primer pocket.
I immediately stopped decapping with the press. I meant to replace it with a co-ax, but haven't had the motivation to do it. Part of it is because I like to have a turret.
I know a lot of folks don't want hear about risk of lead poisoning. It is their choice. I choose mine.
-TL
Kevin Rohrer
New member
Reloading since 1973. No MOPP4 suit here. I do try to keep my fingers and eyes away from where they should not be. But other than washing my hands after I am done, I treat reloading like any other, relaxing hobby.