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Old 05-15-2018, 04:23 PM
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mikld mikld is offline
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Originally Posted by rpollard01 View Post
@Sevens,
Tell me why?

I've seen scientific data on numerous sources where lead and other heavy metals are the cause of diseases like Alzheimer. I've done research for close to 10 years on health related subjects. There's even warnings on labels with anything with lead that has the potential of being airborne.

The lead and other heavy metals research I've done had nothing to do with soft/hard cast bullets. It was exposure in food and water sources that are considered dangerous by the EPA.

Should stress that I have not studied the effects of soft/hard cast bullets on humans. But, since there are even warning labels on lead based ammo, I would assume there's a reason for that...

Also, it's entirely possible that the airborne lead effect is lessened as the hardness of the lead increases??? Not sure.


Thanks!
I can only cite empirical testing/observations. In my time playing with lead bullets (started reloading
38 Specials with 158 gr LSWC in '69 and started casting for my .44 Magnums in '89, and shooting them to Magnum velocities) I have heard of only one person affected by lead's toxicity and he was a full time bullet that had been casting for nearly 20 years. Everything else has been, as far as lead and the shooting sports, is conjecture or speculation. If you are around reloading forums long enough you will read of the "lead poisoning" inflicted on unknowing reloaders and shooters from casting, handling, shooting lead bullets to lead styphinate in primer during shooting and the lead styphinate in the tumbling media from spent primers is just theory or someone quoting an off the wall "report". I've been casting sinkers longer than I can remember, many years, shooting for about 50 years (with mebbe the majority of my shooting being done indoors), reloading for 30+ years and casting lead bullets for well over 20 years and my annual blood tests show a low to normal lead level.

I also believe the "warnings" are politically motivated to "insure" a supposedly toxic substance is identified. Yes, lead can be toxic and detrimental to human beings, but at the levels found in shooting/casting it would take many years of daily exposure to be of any concern.

I'm not saying to be "cavalier" about the safety side of cast bullets and lead, but much of the information is either old wive's tales or scare tactics...

Last edited by mikld; 05-15-2018 at 04:31 PM.
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