Are you poisoned? The lead blood levels poll...

[Lloyd Smale]

knowing the way CA is i wouldnt put it past them to try to throw you out of the state so that none of those yuppies could accidently brush up against you. All kidding a side be careful with who you let know. When mine was 69 my doctor reported it and ossha came busting down the doors at work and imspected the whole building. They didnt find a problem but my boss was none to happy about wasting his day walking them around.

nope, it's well known that CA pared back standards to beyond-needed levels.

No disrespect taken in either case.

[Lloyd Smale]

for the last 10 years ive been tested yearly. Mine started at 69 and was taken down to @30 buy chelting. Since then ive been a bit more careful but havent done anything specail and it bounces betweeen 15 and 30. Keep in mind that most tests arent any more accurate then that. Through the whole thing ive not a single symptom from it. When mine got down to 30 the doctor said to be careful but dont worry about it.

Actually, anything 40 and less is OK by OSHA for a lead worker.

The 10 value is for children, not adults.

I wouldn't believe anything Cali came up with, they think semiauto rifles cause crime. They
are the DEFINITION of full of carp.

Bill

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Got my results back yesterday.... I'm a 4! My lead level that is.

[labradigger1]

I had mine tested a couple weeks ago, came back 12 ug/d.
I cast indoors with a squirrell cage exhaust fan sooo?
Used to mouth pellets as a kid for quick follow up shots.
Lab

[Sgtonory]

Got mine back. Deal a lot with once fired brass and cast a lot. Mine was 26.

[MtGun44]

26 won't hurt you, but indicates that a bit more effort is required. Washing hands
after casting and never eating, drinking or smoking with Pb contaminated hands.
Also, it is possible to pick up dust from the priming residue on brass, so paying
a bit of attention to that may help.

Bill

[jsizemore]

I mentioned on another forum the challenge of shooting boolits you've cast at longer distances. You should have heard the chorous of certain death from being around all that lead. They were quite happy with reloading their jacketed bullets and 22lr ammo oblivious to the fact that they've been handling it all along.

[Landshark9025]

I haven't read through all 20 pages yet, so if this is redundant please forgive me. It seems that to build up quantity in your system that you cannot naturally eliminate, duration and frequency are two major factors. Therefore, in order to reduce exposure, it seems like the wisest thing is to buy new, higher capacity molds to reduce the casting exposure and a progressive press like the Hornady LnL.
(Posted as my birthday is in about a month.)

[Magana559]

Mine was 7. I have been casting for a while now and probably smelted 2 tons of lead....No lie!

[jcwit]

At my age of 70+, it's not one of my major worries.

[barrabruce]

Can't find my results now but I did go and get a test done.
Was happy to find it was at safe environmental level.
I cast and paper patch and play with my bullets quite a bit.

I do live out of town thou....I suppose I could be about suburban or city folk status.
I have concluded that I am in more danger from the fumes from my casting pot and kero stove than lead.
Being a heavy smoker doesn't help none.

I do cast outside and even made a wind indicator to see where the fumes are going.

I think I will try and rig up a fume cupboard of some sort one of these days.

Have to find it again and post the levels.

Glad I took the test...really eased my mind somewhat and gives me a base level.

Bruce

[Harter66]

2 yr ago I got mine checked just to set a base line. At 10.2 my Doc kind of freaked out. I had it run this yr and I'm down to a happy 6.8 . The kicker is what changed , I didn't change where or how my casting or smelting is done .what did change is all of the contact w/oxidized od green paint 3-5 hrs a week at work. I've beenlayedoff off all but 28 of the last 86 weeks and not exposed to 20-60 yo ammo packaging that the job requires me to "fondle" .I can't help but wonder if management's function issues are not lead poisoning.

[retread]

At my age of 70+, it's not one of my major worries.

I'm in the same category. Not even going to worry about it!

[claudesapp]

I got tested, it was 2. My doctor was wondering what I was even concerned about, and I was less concerned after seeing the results. The Dr told me not to worry about it, the lead concern is in children whose neurological pathways are not yet developed. Not to say lead in the bloodstream of adults is of no concern, but after my test I'm just going to wash and shower after a day shooting, casting, or reloading and not think more of it.

I just hope other things don't keep me from shooting, casting, or reloading for decades to come.

[nylocmik]

I chewed the paint off my crib rail when I was a baby, played with toys from China when I was a boy and now hand load ammo. It's either too late or I have developed an immunity from it.

[waco]

Been casting since 1999. Got tested six months ago. Levels were so low, doc said they didn't even register. He said whatever your doing , keep it up.

[Bagdadjoe]

don't think I have any in my blood, but have been accused of having it in my pants....oh yeah..my right foot too.

I wash my hands well after casting, ventilate as best I can and at my age, 67, I don't think I have enough future left for it to bother me all that much. I don't smoke or drink, so I can take the time saved there and trade it for casting. It's kind of like "cap and trade" for CO2 emissions.

[cwheel]

Just got results back from the doc, 2.2m. I thought it would be much higher after a lifetime of casting, metal spraying, babbit casting and welding. The metal spraying with 2 of my 3 employers had poor air control over the process, only one was good. Casting large babbit bearings was routine for more than 25 years. Guess I'm lucky. Good air control now.
Chris

[Deliverator]

If you look back in history you can see the wonderful effects of lead poisoning. You know the whole gang violence thing in the 1990s? You can link the growth of gang violence, and then the subsequent reduction in violent crime over the last 15 years, to the wonderful power of large groups of the under priviledged being exposed to leaded gasoline vapors. Lead has been proven to be an inhibitor of neuralogical function. Generally this presents as impulse control issues. Thus, crime and violence.

This is also visible in the latter years of the roman empire. Lack of impulse control increases excessive spending and crime as well as other abuses.

Though lead is no where near as dangerous as it is claimed to be. Assuming you aren't chewing on lead bricks or huffing leaded gasoline exhaust you should be just fine.

[C. Latch]

We had our kids tested recently. They scored a 1 and a 2. No worries there.