The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I just got my annual check result. Elevated lead level (no surprises there) no requiring chollating (good news).
Doc says don't bother checking again as it's not worth it but consider stopping exposure to lead (not gonna happen).
I don't smoke, don't drink very much and no longer chase women (in case I catch one!!!). Give up shooting, I don't think so!
Anybody else on here getting their blood lead level checked - it is probably worth it?

As befits a man of your calibre.....

Glad things are ok for you, just take precautions.

I cast outside up-wind of the lead pot.
ukrifleman.

We think chronic exposure to lead (long and slow, ie breathing in a few fumes or eating your sarnies without washing your paws) is far less of a problem than acute exposure: say 150 gn at 3,000 fps.

The only way your lead blood levels will rise through casting is by ingestion of the dust, lead doesn't vaporise at casting temperatures, so a clean regime of washing your hands, changing your clothes after casting along with no eating, drinking, smoking, picking your nose or scratching your arse whilst casting means that you shouldn't get increased lead levels in your blood.

Increase in lead levels is more likely to come from shooting indoors where the lead dust from the primer compound is airborne and inhaled on the range.

Sorry to be a pedantic metallurgist, ooman, but any material at its melting point exists in all three states: solid, liquid and gaseous - that is why it is called the triple point. If you melt lead, there *IS* lead vapour around.

Just keep your snout upwind of it.

dromia wrote:The only way your lead blood levels will rise through casting is by ingestion of the dust, lead doesn't vaporise at casting temperatures, so a clean regime of washing your hands, changing your clothes after casting along with no eating, drinking, smoking, picking your nose or scratching your arse whilst casting means that you shouldn't get increased lead levels in your blood.

Increase in lead levels is more likely to come from shooting indoors where the lead dust from the primer compound is airborne and inhaled on the range.

+1.
Lead styphenate is the worst culprit in the priming compound.

Around 1980 I was shooting pistol in an indoor league which included several police forces: we would meet up on Thursday nights, taking it in turn to visit each others ranges---I got to see a few police ranges as a result. Turned up at a police range one night and the Police Athletic Association organizer was not there."Where's Arthur?" I inquired. Reply: "He wont be shooting again for a long time." Arthur was a police instructor and regularly spent his working days on the range. The extraction system was faulty and he started to feel really sick. When he was examined, they found blood in his lead stream.
We panicked. Our indoor range didn't even have an extraction system: just three steel chimneys in the roof. it was a company owned range, and so we arranged for three of us---one young, one middle aged and one ancient---to see the company doctor. Our lead levels were all normal. We had extractor fans fitted in the roof vents and carried on.
When I had my annual company medical, I always had my lead level checked---always normal. I cast about 3000 bullets a year and have been retired for 12 years and so this year, I had my blood lead level checked again. it is still normal.
Regarding dust, my old indoor range had an unsealed concrete floor and sweeping it tended to raise a dust cloud. Our solution was to place a one gallon plastic container of water in the middle of the floor and shoot it with a 44 magnum. Everything was evenly damped to just the right level and the floor could be swept without raising any dust.
Fred

Just for interest I cast around 2000 boolits per session!
That does get somewhat boring.

dodgyrog wrote:Just for interest I cast around 2000 boolits per session!
That does get somewhat boring.

I cast 5000 Bullets a year for myself, but I also melt the entire lead content of a very busy range. The ingots are then turned into Boolits by someone else and sold for Club funds. This is a typical batch.



You've got me thinking now, maybe I should get a blood test too.

Although as you can see from my photo I appear and feel quite normal.