Handling lead bullets

[JonF]

I reload about 100-150 rounds of 38.spl with 148gr/lead BBWC or HBWC after each range (target) session. This amounts to 2 or 3 times a month.

Is there any published information regarding cautions for handling lead bullets in this quantity and or time period?

As common sense dictates I wash my hands thoroughly after each reloading session.

Comments and opinions welcome.

JonF

 

[Mossy Pops]

handling lead bullets

This is just an opinion, I'm not a medical authority.
I've been casting and reloading lead bullets off and on for over 30 years and I believe that common sense precautions are all that's really needed. This would be washing your hands after loading. If you have cuts or sores on your hands, maybe not reload till they heal. Avoid putting your cups, mugs, glasses, etc. on the work bench or handling them before washing.
When I cast, I do it just outside of my garage or just at the opening if its raining. I try not too take any breaths if my face is over the pot (rarely anyway). I use work gloves that are only used in reloading. I wash my clothes and shower afterwards.
My latest physical said I am in exceptional health. I've never had cancer or other nasty diseases. I think I'm still as sharp (or slow) mentally as I've ever been.
I've certainly derived a lot of pleasure reloading and casting over the years and saved a small fortune in the process. Hope you have the same results.

 

[Smithhound]

Mossy Pops summed it up nicely, good advice. I have been casting since '90 and working with lead since '79. I was a cable splicer and at that time I worked with lead cable and sleeves in manholes and splice pits. I've cast tens of thousands of bullets over the years. I too recently had a complete physical and asked the Doc to check blood work for lead and heavy metals. Everything came back well within limits. I use common sense precautions and don't worry too much about it.
The only person I've ever known who had lead poisoning from casting was a fool. He cast in his unventilated basement for years. It wasn't pretty what happened to him, cancer finally took him, whether that was related or not I do not know. But his skin had that yellowed jaundiced look he had to get very painful shots over a period of time. He was not a happy guy.
Lead is a systemic poison, it builds up in the body and is very hard to process out, so just be careful, don't lock yourself in an enclosed room, use your head. You wouldn't work on your car with the engine running in a closed garage (at least not for long) so follow your God given sense while reloading or casting.
RD

 

[sophie]

This is also just an (my) opinion. I worked for Cadillac for 47 years as a front end, brake, tire balance and whatever and handled lead wheel weights every single day that I worked. We also relined our own brake shoes and cam ground them before installation and that was when all the linings and shoes had asbestos in them.

I reloaded for quite a few years melting my lead in a pot on a Coleman stove and later buying a RCBS furnace.

I think if a person just uses good sense and cleans up good as mentioned in an earlier post that it doesn't seem to be as harmful as one might think. Just don't do your lead melting in confined areas and have plenty of ventilation and avoid breathing fumes from the melted lead directly is a good practice. As far as handling lead bullets that you buy for loading, follow the same rules. I hate to think what is actually published as far as regulations go in actually handling lead. I am 72 years old and don't seem to have any effects from handling lead everyday and I have never worn gloves of any kind.

Just my 2 cents

 

[pokute]

Lead is a serious hazard for children. It is a well established cause of developmental disorders. You should not be handling lead at all anywhere that children are going to be present at any time. You can be prosecuted for creating a lead hazard, and it is very difficult to clean up after the fact. This is why you need to be concerned about handling lead.

The rags that you use when you clean your guns wind up with lead on them, and for that reason they should not go in the wash with your clothes, bedding, etc.

 

[mikld]

Personally I think the "lead poisoning" scare running around he web is way overblown. As Mossy Pops and Smithhound have stated, common sense is the best safety tool when working with lead. Don't chew on a lead bullet as you're casting. Don't stand over you pot breathing deeply as you melt lead. Don't eat or drink during casting/lead bullet handling. Simple.

I've been a machinist/mechanic (using lead for soldering, body work, plumbing) for prolly 40 years, I cast sinkers on Ma's stove as a kid, I have been reloading/casting lead bullets for over 20 years. Using common sense, my last check-up show no elevation in blood lead levels...

 

[JonF]

Thank you muchly.....

even old timers like me (74) like and need to hear from people experienced on a topic. I like to think that one reason I've lasted so long is because I not only "hear", but I "listen" too.

Thanks to all for intelligent and fast responses.

JonF

 

[Milton]

Follow this link to see about lead poisoning.

Lead, elemental - National Library of Medicine HSDB Database

In a nutshell there is little evidence that elemental lead is any problem at all,the problem with lead is with its various compounds.
If you are handling lead bullets(elemental lead) and taking the precautions of washing you hands you should have no problem.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Just handling lead bullets will not increase lead levels in your blood. Most lead poisoning occurs from breathing in lead fumes or ingesting the lead itself. Since you can't create fumes when loading lead bullets that would be a cause of contamination and as long as you don't put your hands in your mouth, eat or smoke without washing your hands well after loading that won't hurt you either.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Most lead will be removed when cleaning the weapon and
when you wash your hands before a meal, at the worst.

People have a better chance of getting sick from the mercury found in the fish they catch and eat, with the acid rains and stuff........... mostly if you live in a mining area !!

 

[SMSgt]

Don't lick your fingers while handling and wash your hands afterwards. You'll be fine. It's not the touching, it's the ingestion.

 

[cddanjr]

Nitrile gloves are cheap insurance. I noticed as I started loading, my left hand always got some sort of oil/grease, metal shavings et al. So I now use the gloves.

Chuck

 

[Titegroups]

Try to refrain from licking your fingers and you should be fine.

 

[blujax01]

If you're licking the bullets to lube them up, make sure to gargle with a good, strong gin before you kiss the Missus.

You're welcome!

 

[Jefftyler]

Old copy of ABC's of Reloading also states to refrain from smoking after reloading if you haven't washed up. Remember being a stupid kid and biting fishing sinkers to close them up on the line. Don't do that anymore.

 

[blujax01]

Old copy of ABC's of Reloading also states to refrain from smoking after reloading if you haven't washed up. Remember being a stupid kid and biting fishing sinkers to close them up on the line. Don't do that anymore.

And rubbing mercury from broken thermometers into pennies to make them look like dimes!

 

[125JHP]

When I'm doing a big batch of WW or loading boolits I too use the nitril gloves most of the time. 'course neck cancer made me more cautious these days than I used to be.

 

[Dave T]

I always thought the lead scare was over blown too, until I got serious about black powder cartridge shooting and started casting all my own bullets. I was shooting a lot in those days and casting once a week at a minimum. After 9 years of that I had a physical and I had elevated lead levels (don't remember the numbers as this was a while back). Surprised me quite a bit and worried both the doctor and the wife. Got out of the old time guns and the constant bullet casting. Tried to do more of my self-defense/carry practice outdoors instead of at the indoor range. Next time I was tested, about 7 months later, the level was down and a year later it was back to normal. I've switched to plated bullets these days and only shoot outdoors. YMMV!

Dave

 

[Waywatcher]

I reload about 100-150 rounds of 38.spl with 148gr/lead BBWC or HBWC after each range (target) session. This amounts to 2 or 3 times a month.

Is there any published information regarding cautions for handling lead bullets in this quantity and or time period?

As common sense dictates I wash my hands thoroughly after each reloading session.

Comments and opinions welcome.

JonF

As the father of multiple little ones, I take this issue with the utmost seriousness. I reload with lead bullets, many hundreds of rounds a month. My kids get routinely tested for lead and always read "low" which means unreadably low levels.

In my reading, there are a few activities that lead to elevated lead levels. One is dry tumbling--the byproduct of fired primers is lead, and it gets airborne and inhaled when dry tumbled. Two is casting. Lead molecules easily get airborne and cling to clothing, skin, hands, etc.

So, I don't cast my own, and I wet tumble; and it is working for me and mine.

 

[Nasty Ned]

Just one more thing, don't pick your nose when casting lead boolets.

NN