Protective Hand Coating

max503

max503

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Does anyone use the cream-style hand coatings? I can't wear gloves, especially when reloading calibers like 380 and 9 mm. It's probably not a good idea to get the lead residue, etc on your skin. My hands can get pretty filthy at times when working around ammo. I'm also a boolit caster, so there's that avenue of exposure, too. As I get older I find myself being more cautious about health matters. Been thinking of getting some of this stuff and I was wondering how well it works, of if you know of something else that works.
Protective Hand Coating - Walmart.com - Walmart.com
 
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I think the idea is very sound but I'd recommend a more serious product like SBS 46 protective cream. I also recommend D-lead soap for after. I don't doubt there are other soaps just as effective but this one is sold specifically for the purpose and just isn't that expensive. I've also heard you should wash first with cold water to decrease absorption.
Then there's the old guy I know who smokes and eats while reloading and has done so for decades! Nice guy, but he has some health problems and I'm *really* glad he's not my neighbor!

Casting is way more dangerous than handling nice non-oxidized bullets. Excellent ventilation is an absolute necessity.

All that said, for children under 10 even the *slightest* amount of lead can be really damaging, but for older folks it seems that ~90% of us tolerate lead better than one might expect and only ~10% have serious health effects. Of course you don't know if you are in that sensitive group until it's too late...
A taste of the research is here but a lot of it comes from the old typesetters who would heat their lunch over the lead pots and while some would go on fine for decades, some would die off quite quickly.
Genetic susceptibility to lead poisoning.

I've been tested repeatedly and always high but that is likely a result of paint dust exposure.

max503 said:
Does anyone use the cream-style hand coatings? I can't wear gloves, especially when reloading calibers like 380 and 9 mm. It's probably not a good idea to get the lead residue, etc on your skin. My hands can get pretty filthy at times when working around ammo. I'm also a boolit caster, so there's that avenue of exposure, too. As I get older I find myself being more cautious about health matters. Been thinking of getting some of this stuff and I was wondering how well it works, of if you know of something else that works.
Protective Hand Coating - Walmart.com - Walmart.com
Click to expand...
 
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Don't smoke or eat when reloading, and always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Within the past few years a buddy and i, both reloaders for 50+ years, got our lead levels checked just for the sake of curiosity. Results -- our lead levels were lower than the average person's level. My physician says the majority of shooting-related elevated levels come from shooting in poorly-ventilated indoor ranges. Lead styphynate primers put out a cloud of easily-inhaled micro-particles.
 
ADD ONE THING

Probably obvious anyhow: While casting & reloading, don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
As others have said, don't eat during that time & when finished, wash your hands thoroughly with a lot of hot water & soap.
I've also had a lead test & after 40 years, have no excessive lead in my body.
Hank M.
 
max503 said:
Does anyone use the cream-style hand coatings? I can't wear gloves, especially when reloading calibers like 380 and 9 mm. It's probably not a good idea to get the lead residue, etc on your skin. My hands can get pretty filthy at times when working around ammo. I'm also a boolit caster, so there's that avenue of exposure, too. As I get older I find myself being more cautious about health matters. Been thinking of getting some of this stuff and I was wondering how well it works, of if you know of something else that works.
Protective Hand Coating - Walmart.com - Walmart.com
Click to expand...

You say that you can't wear gloves while reloading. Presuming you are speaking of rubber gloves, may I ask why?

If you are having a skin reaction, the consider a different compound for the glove. Many people have latex allergies (even mild ones) that they are unaware of so using a nitrile-based glove is better. I've also seen reactions to the talc or cornstarch powders they use to coat the gloves with. You can get them uncoated as needed.

If it's because you don't have the dexterity, fine movement or tactile feeling you would like while wearing gloves then try either a different brand, a different thickness, or even a tighter size (for better feel).

Years ago we trial tested several different "liquid glove" lotions for use in EMS so I can speak with expertise in that specific arena. Needless to say there was not a single one that even made it as high as "Marginally Acceptable", but patient care is a horse of another color compared to reloading, which I have no knowledge of whatsoever.

Good luck!
 
I can think of a more important reason for not smoking while reloading! And it's not the lead poisoning potential.

I'm into my 3rd decade of reloading, and (knocking on wood) I have never worn gloves either. I do wear safety glasses, most of the time, and wash up afterwards.

I think of the lead hazards when there's smoke being created from melted lead, and provide plenty of ventilation. Just considered never sticking my fingers in my mouth a sufficient safety measure. Rubber gloves make my hands sweat.
 
max503 said:
Does anyone use the cream-style hand coatings? I can't wear gloves, especially when reloading calibers like 380 and 9 mm. It's probably not a good idea to get the lead residue, etc on your skin. My hands can get pretty filthy at times when working around ammo. I'm also a boolit caster, so there's that avenue of exposure, too. As I get older I find myself being more cautious about health matters. Been thinking of getting some of this stuff and I was wondering how well it works, of if you know of something else that works.
Click to expand...

The one advantage of aging is that "long term health consequences" become less consequential ...

Why not get your blood lead level checked and decide if you need extra precautions?
 
Did you notice how only one person actually answered your question?
 
max503 said:
Does anyone use the cream-style hand coatings? I can't wear gloves, especially when reloading calibers like 380 and 9 mm. It's probably not a good idea to get the lead residue, etc on your skin. My hands can get pretty filthy at times when working around ammo. I'm also a boolit caster, so there's that avenue of exposure, too. As I get older I find myself being more cautious about health matters. Been thinking of getting some of this stuff and I was wondering how well it works, of if you know of something else that works.
Protective Hand Coating - Walmart.com - Walmart.com
Click to expand...
I've used that and similar products for doing greasy dirty automotive work. It works great for protecting your skin from grease & oil. Cleanup afterwards is really easy - compared what a pain it is to clean up if you're not using something like that. I presume it would work equally well to protect your skin from lead exposure.

I understand the thing about gloves. If they are thick enough to work, I can't work in the darned things. I end up pulling one (or both) off to do tasks requiring fine dexterity.

If they aren't thick enough they just tear and then they are pointless. Basically gloves are a non-starter for me. But the invisible glove stuff gives results that are about as good as actual physical gloves.
 
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I started working as a Mercedes-Benz mechanic in 1970 and used DuPont Pro-Tek from day one. At the end of the day my hands were always clean. It seems immune to solvents other than water and is an excellent barrier cream. I used it until we started using latex gloves in the early 80's. My dentist used to say that my hands were cleaner than his. The only drawback I found to Pro-Tek is that it seals so well you tend to sweat just a tad more because your hands can't perspire through the barrier.

Stu
 
More good answers here than I imagined.
I'm fishing for helpful ideas from you guys.
I find even nitrile gloves clumsy. Did use them last night while sizing several hundred 9mm's and did ok.
One indoor range I belong to is notoriously unhealthy. I was going twice per week and my blood levels went up to a 9 and the acceptable level is 5. Stopped going and 3 months later it was down to a 7. (The old acceptable level was 10, but the government lowered it to 5.) I was doing voluntary testing because it was free with my insurance. The average person walks around with about a 2.5 lead level. All these numbers are from what I remember from some online research.
I've never regretted watching out for myself and that's what I'm attempting to do here. Thank you.
 
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max503 said:
More good answers here than I imagined.
I'm fishing for helpful ideas from you guys.
I find even nitrile gloves clumsy. Did use them last night while sizing several hundred 9mm's and did ok.
One indoor range I belong to is notoriously unhealthy. I was going twice per week and my blood levels went up to a 9 and the acceptable level is 5. Stopped going and 3 months later it was down to a 7. (The old acceptable level was 10, but the government lowered it to 5.) I was doing voluntary testing because it was free with my insurance. The average person walks around with about a 2.5 lead level. All these numbers are from what I remember from some online research.
I've never regretted watching out for myself and that's what I'm attempting to do here. Thank you.
Click to expand...

If you find nitrile gloves to be clumsy then I can recommend that you either step down to a thinner material (perhaps 5 mil) or use a smaller size. A smaller size will be more challenging to put on but will provide better feel - which in my former life was great for finding a vein to start an IV. Many of the paramedics I taught that skill to over the years became more adept and successful at it when using tighter gloves. They should literally fit like a "second skin".

For better grip, make sure that what you are buying has textured fingertips instead of smooth. That makes a huge difference. The 5 mil nitrile gloves from Harbor Freight seem to do the job for me when I'm working in my shop.
 
Last year for the first 4 or 5 months I was loading and testing everyday. I would go shoot 50, tumble them, and reload them. I went everyday. I started having strange symptoms and worried about the lead. The dirty corn cob media and the spent primers I think are the worst culprits. I talked my doctor into a lead test. It was way below minimum. Then shortly after I found out the symptoms were from the lymphoma cancer I had. So the rest of the year was spent in chemo. So that much exposure didn't raise my level much at all if any. I have never been tested again. If a person loaded a lot and made their own bullets it might raise it a little. Each person is different on that.
 
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