+P....

[Ed333]

this has probly been asked and answered before, if so, my apologies. At my annual physical, my Doctor said he wants a reduction in my blood lead level, it had jumped quite a bit. So I get an email from Ammoman, advertising a load of "38 SPECIAL SPEER LAWMAN 158 GRAIN +P
TMJ - TOTALLY METAL JACKET, ( NO EXPOSED LEAD )
THIS IS THE CLEANFIRE BRAND", and I ordered a case. Afterwards it occurred to me, I wonder if this is ok to shoot in my current favorite range gun, a m.15-3 snub, or its cousin, a m.10-7 snub? I have been shooting American Eagle 158 gr round nose lead, it seems to group better than the 130 gr. jacketed. I am sure I am OK with the plus P in a 686, and probably in a m.60-14 snub, and maybe in my m66 no dash.
I will keep it out of my older J frame snubs. If need be I can use it up in the 686, so no harm done in any event, but I would rather be shooting my snubs...any advice will be appreciated.
thanks in advance, Ed

 

[moxie]

Should be just fine!

BTW, what prompted your doc to check lead levels?

 

[redlevel]

I have shot up close to a case of this ammo in j-frames and k-frames. I haven't chronographed the load, and I surely haven't done any pressure barrel testing, but it recoils like a fairly anemic load, even in the j-frames. I think the +p designation is a marketing ploy.

 

[OKFC05]

Most lead poisoning from shooting comes from breathing the dust and eating the lead. Never smoke while casting, loading, or shooting. So if you do your shooting and casting outdoors, and wash your hands before touching any part of your face after handling ammo, you should not be getting any lead from shooting.
Indoor ranges, especially sweeping up, are a major problem and require special protection and ventilation. Here the TMJ helps, but only if everybody uses it.

 

[cjw3]

Many years ago DeKalb County, GA PD built a nice new facility that included an indoor firing range. At some point relatively soon after the range began to be used the firearms instructors began having health problems. It turned out to be lead poisoning due to inadequate ventilation of the new range. I am not sure how they managed to spend millions of dollars on a new facility and overlooked such an important point, but that is government for you.

Every indoor range I have used had a noticeable draft (some better than others) from the firing stations toward the backstop, but as OKFC05 says there are other issues that can contribute to lead contamination and his advice is right in line with current recommendations.

 

[Goffman]

I also bought a case of that from ammoman recently. I was looking for something that would be closer in felt recoil to the Speer 357 "mediums" (Speer's 135-grain "short barrel" magnum load) that I carry in my snubs than the Federal AE 130-grain 38 Specials with which I have been practicing. I'm curious to see if these Speer target rounds have any more ummph.

 

[Ed333]

...snip...

BTW, what prompted your doc to check lead levels?

That was my own idea after learning that a couple of fellow club members had levels high enough to do something about.
I think our Action Pistol Committee needs to recruit some new and younger blood. Serving as range officer at a falling plates match, there can be 20 to 30 guns, each firing 96 rounds, and you are right up there on the line with the shooter. Our plate rack range is in a bit of a dead air pocket, and the smoke can hang in sometimes. I think breathing it in is the culprit for me. I am careful to wash up, not eat during match, etc. I am starting to use throwaway latex gloves when cleaning.

 

[moxie]

ed333,
Thx. Think I might have that done too.

 

[USAF385]

Most lead poisoning from shooting comes from breathing the dust and eating the lead.

Oh... my dad was right... I guess I should stop eating bullets I find laying around

 

[Alk8944]

That was my own idea after learning that a couple of fellow club members had levels high enough to do something about.
I think our Action Pistol Committee needs to recruit some new and younger blood. Serving as range officer at a falling plates match, there can be 20 to 30 guns, each firing 96 rounds, and you are right up there on the line with the shooter. Our plate rack range is in a bit of a dead air pocket, and the smoke can hang in sometimes. I think breathing it in is the culprit for me. I am careful to wash up, not eat during match, etc. I am starting to use throwaway latex gloves when cleaning.

Did he tell you what your blood Lead level was? The only time I was concerned enough to have a Lead Screen done my Doctor said anything below 24 MCG/DL was considered normal. I was a 6.

Blood Lead levels are much like Cholesterol and Triglycerides, there is a great metabolic factor which causes wide variations between individuals inspite of apparent exposure factors. My exposure factor should have been relatively high and I was a 6. Another who isn't even a shooter, caster or have other apparent exposure factors could very possibly run in the low to mid 20s. While reducing exposure isn't a bad thing you just may be one of those whose base-line number is in the high normal range.

 

[Ed333]

It was 21. I don't think the absolute level concerned him so much as the jump, from around 8-10 to 21, in six months. And that is a new high for me. And I cannot deny that i am more forgetful these days, with a shorter attention span, so....

 

[WR Moore]

A couple of things come to mind. First, if you have to manually reset the plate racks, wear gloves-leather over latex if possible. Secondly, it was sometime in the 1980s before OSHA started looking at indoor range ventilation. When they did, many ranges were in deep trouble because the required ventilation volumes were much higher than originally believed necessary. Just because you're outdoors doesn't mean you're OK.

 

[Alk8944]

It was 21. I don't think the absolute level concerned him so much as the jump, from around 8-10 to 21, in six months. And that is a new high for me. And I cannot deny that i am more forgetful these days, with a shorter attention span, so....

Don't mean to make light of this, an increase like that does need explaining. Some fluctuation within the normal range is to be expected. Has he been routinely running a Lead Screen on his own? That is curious if true. Many MDs seem to not even be aware. The one I had done I had to talk like a Dutch Uncle to run it!

So far as forgetful and having a short attention span, it ain't going to get any better. Just one of the hazards of getting older. Until they discover another way to avoid aging you're just going to have to live with it. Yes, pun intended.