Tip for people that shoot or and reload a lot.: Donate blood.

[Crash]

Long-term exposure to lead can cause long-term adverse health effects. When you shoot it’s best to shoot outdoors, the next best thing is a well-ventilated indoor shooting range. It’s best to wash your hands after shooting, handling or reloading ammunition.


It doesn’t take much to cause poor health effects, however it would likely take long term exposure, or and many repeated exposures to cause any noticeable health effects. If you just shoot a few times a year your likely not going to get enough exposure to cause you any heath effects. However if you shoot or reload once a week or more, you should defiantly take the precautions I listed above. If you work in the industry or are such a gun nut you shoot or and handle ammunition several days a week you might consider wearing gloves. Also if you reload your own ammunition you might want to consider wearing gloves if you reload several times a month or if you reload large quantities. If you work in the industry your employer might provide you with respirators, if so I would strongly suggest you make a habit of using their safety equipment as recommended.


If you work in the industry or shoot a lot or reload a lot, and if you’re eligible to donate blood, try to donate blood several times a year.

Lead typically doesn’t harm you right away. Though it can cause health problems in relatively low amounts it typically takes a while to get enough in your body to cause adverse health effects. Brain damage is one of the possible long-term risks. If you’re really worried about it you can get a blood test. I have a brother that shot indoors about once a week and reloaded his ammunition for about a year, he noticed he was having trouble remembering things, so he had a blood test and found his lead levels were 10 times the recommended limit. He stopped shooting, and about a year later, he was back to normal (for him hehe).


The reason I recommend giving blood is the body has no real natural way of getting rid of heavy metals like lead. The kidneys and liver ect… really are not effective at removing lead. That’s why such small quantities over a period of time can add up to be harmful. Heavy metals tend to accumulate in the blood. By donating blood you will increase your bodies ability to get rid of the lead. In addition the donated blood will have a chance of helping out others that are in need. The lead in your blood wouldn’t be enough to harm the recipient of your blood.


My brother was not eligible to donate blood that’s why it took him so long to recover. My brother used to donate blood for money, and he did it too often. So that gave him some condition that he is not eligible to donate blood. Nowadays they only let you donate about every other month to prevent getting the blood condition he has. He has started shooting and reloading again, but he shoots at an outdoor range. He has been shooting for well over a year, with no symptoms, just out of curiosity he had a blood test; he is now below the recommended level of lead. We suspect it was poor ventilation at the indoor range he was shooting at that caused his lead poising.

So if you can, donate blood.

[bluesea112]

I wish I had this information when I was a kid. I could have used "lead poisoning" as an excuse for forgetfullness and avoided a lot of spankings.

[jack404]

ummm from personal experience i'd say that not correct

1 i cast lead a lot , fishing sinkers and bullets, and i'm talking ton's over the years
2 i've shot indoors for 30+ years
3 there is less lead in my blood stream now than when i was kid as they did a study as there was a lead mine and processing plant near where i lived and they where worried so they tested

i was tested again 3 years ago and my lead levels had halved from the time i was 13

after all that exposure?

it was more dangerous playing in the lead slag waste piles as a kid than all my shooting casting lead etc ..

i may be wrong but what i have stated is the truth

i aint a expert , but thats my experience

look up port pirie and wyalla and lead testing on kids in the 60's and 70's i was part of that test and have been all my life since , every 5 years ....

[JLA]

If all that is true i should be dead..

[Insulation Tim]

Either way....the key is being a blood donor. I've given religiously for many years. I've always said that it is the cheapest and best gift you can give anyone.

Another bonus for us guys. Men do not menstruate as women do. Hence we generally have higher iron levels in our blood and also die from more heart attacks. I'm just saying.....

BE A DONOR

[JLA]

I never have. I need to.

[HunterAlpha1]

i was discussing with my mom and sis earlier about selling my plateletts for cash until i find work, i guess it would have a double benefit.

not that i go shooting enough to worry about lead in my blood though

[sting75ray]

I donate blood whenever I get the chance. Never really thought about the blood donations or organ donations until I watched Dad go through kidney dialysis for about 5 years. Right after he started my wife and I both decided to become organ donors. I tried to talk Dad into taking one of my kidneys but he would not listen to me. He got a transplant after going through hell. August 20th this year would have been 10 years since the transplant if he would have made it. I lost him the day after Christmas last year. The way I look at is after I am gone I will not need any of my organs so any or all that are still good might as well go to somebody who needs them.

[Vladimir]

Originally Posted by HunterAlpha1

i was discussing with my mom and sis earlier about selling my plateletts for cash until i find work, i guess it would have a double benefit.

not that i go shooting enough to worry about lead in my blood though

It's a great way to get some cash and I did it for about a year through university. You either become a really cheap date too, or you follow the recommended advice and cut drinking to a near minimum .

Originally Posted by sting75ray

I donate blood whenever I get the chance. Never really thought about the blood donations or organ donations until I watched Dad go through kidney dialysis for about 5 years. Right after he started my wife and I both decided to become organ donors. I tried to talk Dad into taking one of my kidneys but he would not listen to me. He got a transplant after going through hell. August 20th this year would have been 10 years since the transplant if he would have made it. I lost him the day after Christmas last year. The way I look at is after I am gone I will not need any of my organs so any or all that are still good might as well go to somebody who needs them.

There is that risk of being "harvested," but they also work a lot harder to keep you alive if you are an organ donor. My dad has seen it several times. Gives you a little more time for that miracle .

[millwright]

Crash,

While I think your reasoning faulty and your conclusions completely "s**t, I support your conclusion completely !! .>MW

[pulltabbob]

As much as I would like to be a blood donor, I am not eligible due to Hepatitis. I have lived with it for over 55 years. Every once in a while I check with the blood bank and the keep telling me "No way."

I pour my own bullets and sinkers and go through 1000 pounds of lead a year easy. Just bought 326 lbs of lead for 30 cents a pound. This is pure lead too. I take possession on Friday so will be busy pouring into ingots after I get the correct mix for each type of bullet. Like BHN of 14 for normal bullets and sinkers and pure lead for my black powder bullets. All of this lead is in sheets that are 3/4 inch thick. The guy I am buying it from used it as ballasts when he was plowing snow. He is no longer in the business and wants the lead gone.

[langenc]

So you donate and give the lead to someone else!! What if it was the other way around??

[CampingJosh]

Originally Posted by langenc

So you donate and give the lead to someone else!! What if it was the other way around??

Blood to save my life that may have a little bit of lead it in? Yeah, I think I'd take it.

[ckill1]

Sorry Vlad...we don't work any harder to save your life if you are an organ donor. Just aint true. You can't begin the process of organ retrieval until a person is legally dead anyway, so keeping them alive as you say, would be counter productive! Once a person is declared legally dead then the process does get more intensive, which LOOKS like we're trying harder, but it's just that the process is very selective with blood & serum typing.

CK

[JLA]

Its all moot anyway. If im dead, I gurantee you I aint gonna care who or what gets my liver, heart, kidneys, etc...

[terryu1]

Originally Posted by HunterAlpha1

i was discussing with my mom and sis earlier about selling my plateletts for cash until i find work, i guess it would have a double benefit.

not that i go shooting enough to worry about lead in my blood though

Actually I urge you to not sell unless you are in dire need. I have donated more than 16 gallons over the years and 70 platlet donations at Red Cross. I have a blood center which buys blood only one block from my home. Problem is that they then SELL it to patients. Blood is not covered by insurance and causes additional charge to patients in need. Red Cross does not charge and only asks that you or family member donate a pint to help replace if possible.

I have O negative blood which is universal donor and a blood type which the blood centers pay a premium for and I would never sell it. Just a thought.

[howlnmad]

I donate all the time, I'm considered a mega donor. Every now and then I'll donate in someone elses' name. The Medic blood mobile that we have come around has a machine on it, I think they call it Alec. It seperates the blood and removes the plasma right there. This makes it usable immediately and produces 2 units instead of just one as when you give whole blood. I think donating is a great idea.

[HunterAlpha1]

i recently went to the local blood center to see about selling my plasma since i can't seem to find work, but unfortunately my veins are too small for the needles

[4570fanatic]

I really think that this this lead exposure thing has been blown out of proportion. I had a worry about lead exposure, but really all you need to do is; wash your hands,arms,face, and hair after shooting. You must also not put your fingers in your mouth after shooting, and avoid eating after shooting. Be sure to also blow your nose after shooting, because that stuff builds up in your nose. Be sure to also keep your calcium levels up, to prevent the lead from sticking to your bones. Women and younger children are at a great risk for lead poisoning, due to a calcium deficience. A friend of mine build his own mini gun range, which has no ventalition, and he is doing just fine. I hope what I said will help those that are worried .