lead in blood: 17 count

Another fellow on the forum said a friend who had access to lead test gear had checked out his work areas. No lead contamination problem at the loading bench. None at the casting bench (lead vapor from normal casting temperatures is actually very low). The place it did show up? Around the case tumbler. That's primer dust. It's the bad stuff, and it's enough to make you want to use a wet tumbling medium. Doing your tumbling and media separating outdoors turns out to matter more than casting and other activities except maybe indoor shooting. I use a respirator for that. No big deal.
 
lead in blood level still 20

HI Ya, I am glad I revisited this thread. I really need to use the Niosh 95 masks when i load and unload the tumbler. As the title says, its been quite a while since i stopped casting now. I sold 750# of lead for moly coated bullets. But the lead level has not lowered. Which leads me to believe that it is not from casting; it is the primers fired in the indoor range and on the cases. But I am not about to quit the range. I do shoot outdoors for meets also.
 
Unclenick said:
Another fellow on the forum said a friend who had access to lead test gear had checked out his work areas. No lead contamination problem at the loading bench. None at the casting bench (lead vapor from normal casting temperatures is actually very low). The place it did show up? Around the case tumbler. That's primer dust. It's the bad stuff, and it's enough to make you want to use a wet tumbling medium. Doing your tumbling and media separating outdoors turns out to matter more than casting and other activities except maybe indoor shooting. I use a respirator for that. No big deal.
Click to expand...

Glad I added sonic cleaning as an early step then. Mainly for cosmetic reason but also to eliminate primers from the tumble media, I use an universal deprimer, sonic clean, size, trim, then tumble before loading.

Thanks for all the discussion of lead.
 
Pilgrim, good reminder. I just went out to the garage and changed media. I am determined to keep it fresh. I use crushed walnut shells from the Bird store; $3.75 for 10#
much obliged,

Max
 
This thread is part of the reason I'm building a casting shed with an outdoor case cleaning and smelting facility. Shooters I know who got lead poisoning got it from being on the firing line during training and/or comp shooting. Case cleaning seems to be a leading cause as well, I mostly handle media outdoors and practice good hygiene.
Max it: have your healthcare professionals talked to you about washing your hands and face after shooting, wearing a cap, protective eyewear and changing clothes soon after a match? Also be sure not to eat or drink and try not to touch your face while shooting indoors.
Some folks have a hard time getting lead out of their system, some alternative medicine remedies seem sensible.
 
Why not wear a N95 or better mask while shooting at the indoor range?

When you leave, make sure to wash your hands and blow your nose (especially the blow-your-nose part if you *dont* wear a mask)

And it wouldn't hurt to take a daily vitamin C and a couple of Tums (calcium) -- but don't take them at the same time. Take one in the morning at the other at night. The calcium is to help your bones keep from absorbing lead. Not sure if it will drive out the lead that's already in your bones, but they will turn loose of it eventually and you pee it out.
 
Guys TeX and Bob, I have the Niosh 95 mask but i would feel foolish to wear it indoors. Especially as I am friends with the gunsmiths there and I know one of them has a 20 also.
Also the media thingie, seems important.
Blow nose sounds good; i do wash after every session, and shower and change after competitions. All good ideas though,

much obliged,

Max
 
lead in blood dropped 25% now

hi Ya, Finally i am down to 15mcg/dl lead in blood.
what did it? dunno but here are the changes since it reached 20:
no smelting
no casting
wash when shooting
no lead shooting indoor ranges
mask when working media and tumbler
no drinking or eating when loading/shooting. ok water when doing outdoor matches.
cheers,
max
 
Great thread, and also kinda deterring me from picking up casting and shooting hard cast lead bullets.

I moved my tumbler and do it in the reloading room while NOT in there(prior to reading this thread). I do sort through brass and media without a lid though as its a cheap DIY sorter. Guess I will look into a actual separator.

I've noticed I get lead on my fingers and I take a alcohol prep pad and wipe down my hands as there is no sink available at the range this is from loading magazines at the range.
 
no more casting?

HI Ya, Weeeel I haven't really dropped casting although I did swap some 750# of good lead for hard cast moly coated bullets. I just have not done it since.
I am much more aware now: change media in tumbler often. Mine comes from the bird store in 10# sacks for a pittance.
Wash hands at all range sessions; I have some hand cleaner from Walmart in trunk if none at range.
No eating and drinking while reloading in garage.

Other precautions carefully evaluated: mask, gloves, fan, tyvek suit, plated bullets for indoor shoots.

Next blood test in Sept.

Much obliged,

Max
 
hi All, old thread but still valid.
now blood lead level 11 or 12 micrograms per decaliter. (11mg/dL.)
the lead stryphonite (sp?) in primers, hence on brass I tumble, and in air when reloading, in air at indoor range.
Now i believe it is affecting my red blood cell count; i am anemic. other possible causes are being eliminated; no cancer.
stay tuned,
Max
 
I haven't heard that an elevated blood lead level affects red cell counts. Please keep us informed.

As you probably know, the reference blood lead level for children was reduced from 10 µg/dL to 5 µg/dL as of 2015. However, the action level is considerably higher than that, and OSHA doesn't require removing workers from exposure to lead until their level reaches 50 µg/dL (for construction) or 60 µg/dL (for general industry). The action level for treatment is currently 80 µg/dL, according to what I could find on the Internet (much of which is confusing, because it's difficult with many of the articles to determine if they're talking about adults or children).

11 or 12 is just marginally about the reference level for adults. Several years ago my BLL was considerably higher than that, and I had no symptoms. I wouldn't have known anything except that it showed up in a blood test at the VA hospital. I took the following actions, and within six months brought it back down to within the normal range:

  • I stopped competing in "combat" shoots at an indoor range
  • I moved my tumbler from the basement to the garage, and then shifted to tumbling outdoors
  • I started wearing a dust mask when sorting tumbled brass
  • I started wearing nitrile gloves when handling brass
  • Even though I load mostly plated bullets (no exposed lead), I now wear nitrile gloves when reloading
  • The indoor range where I shoot switched from using brooms to using wide rubber squeegees for policing up fired brass

Compared to your earlier reports, your BLL has actually gone down, so that's good news.
 
OP is 11 years old.
If you're casting in a closed, poorly ventilated space AND exposed to high lead levels elsewhere, you're asking for trouble. Otherwise you practically have to be eating the stuff. Knew a guy who cast in his closed, unventilated, garage and worked for Ontario Hydro(our electricity makers) who had to quit shooting for 6 months due to his lead content.
Asked my doctor at the time if she could test me. She said she didn't know how. Suggests that lead poisoning is very rare.
 
T. O'Heir said:
Asked my doctor at the time if she could test me. She said she didn't know how. Suggests that lead poisoning is very rare.
Click to expand...
Your doctor didn't know how? It's a box to check off for the laboratory when the doctor orders a blood test. If your doctor doesn't know which box to check for blood lead level, I respectfully suggest that you need a different doctor.
 
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