Blood tests for lead done.

[dondiego]

Vitamin C is easily taken in by consumption of orange juice and vodka makes it go down a lot smoother.

[THBailey]

I am a textbook case of terrible lead protocol. I cast a bunch, boolits, sinkers and jigs. I used to do the casting in the garage with no flow through ventilation, although now I do it on an outside porch with a fan blowing. I do a ton of shooting, though at outdoor ranges. I fish a bunch, biting split shot closed and also biting 1/8 inch lead wire to swage it to my line. I do spit afterwords. Been doing these things my entire adult life, in my 60's now. My lead levels have always tested well within limits. My take is solid lead is not particularly absorbable, rather lead compounded in absorbable mixtures is the problem. Then again I do down copious quantities of vodka and orange juice, maybe that IS THE SECRET!!

[Engineer1911]

I am a typical small time bullet caster and shooter. 18 years ago I spent considerable time at an indoor range, now all my shooting is at an outdoor range. I now live in an early 1950's vintage house that may have copper piping and lead solder. My lead blood level was 21.1 μg/dL . I'm getting the kitchen water tested in 2 samples, from the faucet and from the refrigerator door that has a carbon filter for the ice maker.

If the water is a problem, my wife will get a blood test also.

[dannyd]

60 lbs of smokeless powder = 1 gallon of gasoline

[THBailey]

I am a typical small time bullet caster and shooter. 18 years ago I spent considerable time at an indoor range, now all my shooting is at an outdoor range. I now live in an early 1950's vintage house that may have copper piping and lead solder. My lead blood level was 21.1 μg/dL . I'm getting the kitchen water tested in 2 samples, from the faucet and from the refrigerator door that has a carbon filter for the ice maker.

If the water is a problem, my wife will get a blood test also.

So, how did the water test out? When we lived in an old copper pipe soldered house we heard that might be a problem. The recommendation then was to let the water run a while before drawing any off for drinking or cooking.

[JohnH]

I have thought this topic asinine since I first saw it pop up here some years ago. Do a search, it's been discussed quite a few times. Considering the recent lead poisoning disaster in Flint, Michigan's water system, I tend to think that we are in more danger of being poisoned by the ineptitude of government officials than we are of poisoning ourselves.

[Lloyd Smale]

Mine was 41 at one time. I did the pill deal for it twice to get it down. that was about 15 years ago. Had it checked last summer and it was at 15. Doc said that was borderline on whether I should go through the pill deal again or not. I didn't bother. I was a sloppy lead handler and shot indoors a lot. I don't shoot any indoor matches any more and haven't for years. I'm not what you would call an anal lead handler but am a bit more careful then I was for the first 20 years I casted. Just don't think that it cant happen to you.

[6622729]

No, lead is highly toxic! The difference is that it can be properly handled to minimize the risk. Thank goodness they simply haven't taken that away from us too. I'm sick and tired of everything in my life being controlled, limited or eliminated due to needing to protect people from themselves, reducing everything for the safety of the least common denominator. Some people shouldn't drive cars. Some shouldn't reload, some shouldn't have guns and some shouldn't cast boolits.

what? you mean it's not "highly toxic" like the news people, and others, try to tell us? surely they wouldn't mislead us like that!!

[old woody]

Many years ago when I was a kid my Dad felt tired all the time & luckily our family doctor was a friend of my Dad's (my Dad custom built the Doctors home). My Dad did the plumbing, electrical etc. The Doctor tested Dad's blood for lead poisoning & treated him for it. Made a world of difference in how my Dad felt. Back then plumbers used a lot of lead casting in drain pipes in basements. Due to that I don't cast, but buy cast bullets (which I love to shoot) from suppliers.

[rototerrier]

Just got tested and received a 5 mcg/dl result. I cast indoor under a vent hood that exhausts to the outside. I cast about 8k per year and shoot close to that much. Guess I'm doing ok.

[sw282]

Mine tested @ 39 last year when l turned 70... I last cast in Aug 2016 app 100 lb of 44 boolits from my H&G 503... 0nly about 10 lb of them left before its time to cast again... l shoot a couple hund rds a week indoors with 90% being CAST 44s.. l have taken no steps to reduce lead content since being checked, except the break in casting.. Scheduled for another physical in a month or so and will have the lead levels checked again...

[woodbutcher]

Last that I knew,the fumes from one quart of gasoline=15 sticks of dynamite.Happy 4th of July.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[Geezer in NH]

Great test now "WASH Your HANDS" Did your mother not tell you this before dinner???? Gesh smoking same as eating WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE! Please learn and stay alive for us and your family.

[jerry6stl]

I've cast for 30+ years, and my blood tests fine. Ventilation is important.

[max it]

HI Ya, its the shooting indoors:
after i got a 17ug/dl back and requisite calls from Cal OSHA
my Dr. researched it and found that the indoor range expels lead styphnate from the primers. and that is the worst offender.
now bear in mind that i am of a Super Senior or so says the Glock GSSF and that may have some bearing on the case.
anyway i smelt, cast, loaded for several years.
Over 50ug/dl means your brains start to be affected.

[Tripplebeards]

I got a little paranoid after smelting 6 hours a day for two weeks and did some research how to prevent lead poisoning and lower the lead level blood streams and came up with a product called Yerba prima bentonite detox. After the second morning (TMI) my number two looked dusty blue like oxidized lead.

It's basically clay and all natural. For $13 I figured it was worth a try. It apparently absorbs all the foreign metals in your body and exits in your bowls...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yerba-Pri...&wl13=&veh=sem

[Rainier]

Good job with a low blood lead level!

The challenge, as I see it anyway, we face as both casters and shooters is what is referred to as “Chronic Exposure”. Sadly, when we are exposed to lead some it is shunted into the skeletal structure where it can be stored for over 10 years. Not a lot of good testing available to determine if someone has suffered chronic exposure either.

As mentioned Vitamin C supplementation is good on a couple of different levels. A natural chelating agent is coriander / cilantro, it has been shown to act as natural lead chelating agent in both animal and human studies. The best defense of course is exposure mitigation - i.e. don’t use your teeth as a hardness tester.

[whisler]

My doctor advised that a good test for chronic exposure is a hair analysis.

[Rainier]

whisler
My doctor advised that a good test for chronic exposure is a hair analysis.

Hair analysis can be good but the challenge is making sure there are no contaminants on the hair. Another possible good test is the finger nail test but again you have to be careful not to contaminate the sample. What some Doc’s like to use is a provocation or “provoked” test using EDTA as a chelation agent followed by 6 hour urine testing. Sadly, from the data I’ve read, it appears that even with the test results you may not get a clear picture of the extent of the exposure.
Again, the best defense is always exposure mitigation - have fun and be careful out there!

[tucumcari_kid]

Went in for my physical a couple of weeks ago and had every possible test done.

Told the doc that I cast bullets and reload ammunition as well as shoot about once a week or so and she wanted to test me for lead exposure.

A couple of days before the test, I had cast bullets for my dad's side business so I went through 190lbs of lead in two days. About 4400 bullets. I also shot a couple of hundred rounds and reloaded a couple of hundred rounds as well.

I have poor lead handling habits, I admit. Will cast for a couple of hours and then go outside and smoke without washing my hands.

I was a little concerned about lead exposure, to be honest.

But, lead level was 4.2 with normal range 0.0 - 10.0.

The worrysome combination for me is the smoking and lead. Have seen the same thing with asbestos and mesothelioma -- workers who smoke on their breaks or on their way home. If there is any transfer to the cigarette, it is going through your lungs straight to the blood stream. My wife always complains about my safety habits, but I think there would have to be a lot more than occasional exposure.