Our indoor range has banned the use of cast lead bullets because ALLEGEDLY it adds lead to the air and coats the walls ceilings and floor with lead.
I won't argue that one one way or the other.
HOWEVER, can we argue that powder coated bullets do NOT leave a lead residue in the air and on the walls, ceilings and floor?
I need some scientific evidence, not opinions, please.
Jax lead bullets can break open and will leave lead dust. Same with coated. Ranges must have lead scrubbers in AC system and that costs to get filters changed. They also probably sell jax bullets there. It is about $$ so not a real chance of changing anything. Sorry.
Did they ban FMJ, where the base is exposed lead, or primers? Primers are a primary cause of lead in the air. Whoever made that decision is ill informed.
Is there any SCIENTIFIC basis for these statements?
For the counter-point: What type of bullets do they allow?
Open lead base
Jacketed lead core
OR are they only allowing lead-free bullets?
I thought I heard somewhere that many primers contain lead and could emit lead?
Jacketed only. FMJ or half jackets. Polymer coated allowed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grmps
FMJ has an exposed lead base. If they really cared about lead exposure they would only allow TMJ or lead free bullets and both need to be fired w/ lead free primers. As usual someone doesn’t have all the information.
I just tested 308 loads with lubed and coated boolits and the coated boolits did much better in every load and boolit style i tried. I guess I will be doing my part in "controlling" the airborn lead at my range.
What is the backstop?
Metal with a water trap.Quote:
Originally Posted by Silvercreek Farmer
Looks like they are not against cast boolits, they are against lubed boolits and the extras smoke the lube creates.
both powder coating and HiTek coating are considered
"Polymer coatings"
Many indoor ranges have banned lubed boolits
OK...I get all this.
But WHERE have there been ACTUAL STUDIES?
If I am going to try to change their minds, I need PROOF.
Any help is appreciated.
If a lead wipe test is done on shooting tables 50 feet from the backstop high levels of lead dust will be found. I have always attributed that to the impact of the bullet on the backstop, muzzle blast and possibly from primers.
If a FMJ hits a metal backstop it is going to fracture the jacket and the lead will be exposed. In doing so lead dust will be generated. I have salvaged range scrap for many years and like those that do can assure you a FMJ contains lead alloy and they alloy will melt out leaving the damaged jacket. A backstop with some elaborate design as to trap the bullet might help but even then lead dust could be generated with a lead bullet's friction on the barrel. The only way I can see they will eliminate lead exposure is to eliminate the lead completely.
Testing was done about 10 years ago at a large indoor range in Sydney, Australia. HITEK coated bullets were shot against TMJ, FMJ, JHP, and lubed lead.
EPA lead testing protocols were used with collection and monitoring equipment.
Results showed that TMJ (plated, copper washed etc) and HITEK coated added zero lead to the background levels. FMJ and Lubed lead were the worst.
J and M Specialised coatings and Topscore Projectiles commissioned the testing.
All testing was done by a certified NATA Lab.
Its just flawed thinking. The lead styphanite in the priming compound is airborne. Every time a lead core jacketed bullet hits a hard steel backstop a small amount oflead is vaporized. I think the biggest issue for lead bullets indoors is conventional lubes smoking up the & probably causing filters to be cleaned more often. I think most indoor ranges base policy on what gets them to sell their own ammo.
FISH4BUGS, go to this forum
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Hi-Tek-coating
And ask HiTek (a member and developer of HiTek coating) if he can send you a copy of the study
Primer manufacturers ceased using lead styphnate in primers around 1985. No problem with primers manufactured subsequent to that date. However, many of us may have purchased large quantities that predate that time. No way to know what a given shooter is using, especially reloaders. Hence the move to push for purchasing ammo sold by the indoor ranges. Big Boomer
Did they have a HAZ-MAT crew come in and decontaminate the range building ?
If not, then the Lead contaminates are still present, and continued Range activity will not halt further contamination.
Did the Employee's get the Lead levels in their blood checked. That would really tell the story.
Sounds like Horse apples to me.
Well I think if you look it up you will find lead styphnate is still used in most primers , only a few companies are making lead free primers , I looked up the msds sheets and they list Benzenediol, 2,4,6-trinitro-, lead salt which when googled brings up lead styphnate .