Range Paranoia

The lead thing is really getting out of hand.

Look, the Romans had water pipes made out of lead and they seemed to produce healthy smart people. I'm not saying that's a good idea, but the risks seem wildly overblown.

Hell, I didn't live in my first non-lead painted house until I was in my teens.

If I worked on the range at an indoor facility I'd be concerned. Hell, I'd probably wear something over my mouth and nose when I went in to sweep up.

But going to an indoor once a week or so can't possibly be so dangerous you need to wear special clothes and whatnot.

Like a lot of other things we hear about, I suspect the whole lead toxicity thing is vastly overblown except for levels in kids, which are particularly at risk for serious problems from lead exposure.
 
wmccurdy53 said:
I recently had a long talk with an occupational therapist because of my elevated lead level.
Her recommendations:
Wash face, hands and arms with soap and COLD water before leaving the range.
Change out of your shooting clothes before you get in the car, otherwise you will contaminate the interior of the car.
Wash range clothes separately from other laundry.
Do not wear range footwear into the house, you will contaminate the floors (bad for crawlers).
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Jose said:
Good God in Heaven, some of you guys do get carried away.

I wash my hands where I get home. Period. End of story. I take a shower at the end of the day just like I do every day.
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I feel the same as Jose. I wash up quickly at the range, take my clothes off before a shower, where my GF washes my back.....and other stuff[smile]. No other special practices. Now, when reloading I take more precautions, but that is only to alleviate lead dust in the air. My truck must be a rolling Superfund site by now.[thinking]
 
Bill Nance said:
(stuff snipped)
Like a lot of other things we hear about, I suspect the whole lead toxicity thing is vastly overblown except for levels in kids, which are particularly at risk for serious problems from lead exposure.
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Agreed. We should additionally remember that the main hazard with lead paint was old, peeling lead paint that little kids would flake off, play with, and eat.

Anybody over the age of putting every last loose thing in their mouths was safe living in an old, lead paint house as far as I recall.

After all it's Pb, not Pu.
 
One of the advantages of learning to shoot handguns with double action revolvers is that one reaches a level of trigger control that makes other kinds of firearms a piece of cake by comparison.
 
i wear a biodegradable spandex bodysuit to the range. It typically begins dissolving after 350 rounds. as soon as people start to stare i am out the door and the suit is 100% dissolved within minutes. no car or home contamination, but the winter months can be tough
 
MJM said:
i wear a biodegradable spandex bodysuit to the range. It typically begins dissolving after 350 rounds. as soon as people start to stare i am out the door and the suit is 100% dissolved within minutes. no car or home contamination, but the winter months can be tough
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Sounds like a good idea for a member group buy.
 
I've never done much of anything in regards to shooting.

Is there a report or study that says you get a lot of lead dust on you from shooting? I won't think it would make much, and that most of it would be expelled away from you and settle very quickly.
 
I just wash my hands! I would be more concerned with whats in food and household chemicals used in cleaning than the lead I might pick up at the range!
 
Scrivener said:
Let's not get carried away. Remember, shooters running around in hazmat gear will be used as evidence of:

1. Militias planning CBW attacks;

2. Militias planning assaults on nuclear reactors; or
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[laugh2] [rofl] [laugh] [rolleyes] [popcorn]

HardJeepGuy said:
My truck must be a rolling Superfund site by now.[thinking]
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[thinking] It's a miracle you truck is still rolling. [wink] [smile]
 
careful34 said:
I've never done much of anything in regards to shooting.

Is there a report or study that says you get a lot of lead dust on you from shooting? I won't think it would make much, and that most of it would be expelled away from you and settle very quickly.
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If you're indoors, you're not going to get much on you, you're going to get it IN you. In the lungs, in the GI tract. This is why it's advisable to make sure you never shoot indoors without the proper ventilation turned on or some sort of mask.
 
Bill Nance said:
The lead thing is really getting out of hand.

Look, the Romans had water pipes made out of lead and they seemed to produce healthy smart people. I'm not saying that's a good idea, but the risks seem wildly overblown.

Hell, I didn't live in my first non-lead painted house until I was in my teens.

If I worked on the range at an indoor facility I'd be concerned. Hell, I'd probably wear something over my mouth and nose when I went in to sweep up.

But going to an indoor once a week or so can't possibly be so dangerous you need to wear special clothes and whatnot.

Like a lot of other things we hear about, I suspect the whole lead toxicity thing is vastly overblown except for levels in kids, which are particularly at risk for serious problems from lead exposure.
Click to expand...

Actually, it's been argued by historians that lead poisoning lead to the fall of Rome- sterility on the part of rulers, and mental symptoms lead to instability of the Empire. Historians argue both sides, but the Romans were quite clearly affected in some way by the copious amounts of lead used in their culture.
 
Heck, the Romans ATE lead. Specifically, they used a lead compound as a sweetener.

They also ate off of / drank out of pewter tableware (as we all did until the 1850's or so). Water was the least of their problems.
 
Timber said:
seriously. i wipe them on my pants, grill up a steak, and eat it with my fingers.
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This is done after changing the oil on the truck and greasing all of the front end components and driveshafts- a little grit goes a long way in cleansing the digestive tract
 
red87930 said:
I had a special system installed at my house fro when I return from a day at the range, I took the wife shooting the Mark III and she stood next to a guy shooting a smoky ammo'ed 38. I would hate to think what would happen if we had been shooting indoors. [smile]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbFdYep6Pcg
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Never saw that movie, but will. Good link!

Start at about 5:49 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhp63DIM30o&feature=related

or jump to the next in sequence here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab0woEupW90&feature=related and at 1:02.
 
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Boston_Shooter said:
I have a dedicated, old pair of timberlands for the range. I take them off outside, then carry them to the back porch.

As far as clothes go, I was thinking (more paranoia) if I just change into clothes for the range...would it be better to just take them to cleaners...so my wifes and baby's clothes are washed in the same machine?

I apologize if I seem a little over paranoid....but when you come from a family that's been cursed with so many cancer deaths (I guess whose isn't nowadays) I'm just trying to be cautious.
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You're right to worry about lead exposure from indoor ranges, both to you and your child-to-be. Unlike many of the "experts" who've already posted that you're foolish to be concerned, I actually work in the field of human health risk assessment and I have personal experience with lead poisoning from the amount of time I spend in poorly-ventilated indoor ranges. I can assure you the danger is real, and particularly so for children.

Lead is not generally considered to be a carcinogen, by the way. A number of researchers suspect that it may be, but the link has yet to be established.
 
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lead

I cant speak for you all but I am 85 and have been casting since 1937.toy soldgers were the rage then and we cast our own.I shot at least twice a week on the indor range.I had a reading of 45.then lead gas was stopped,my reading is around 4 now.many of us washed parts in gas.so where does the lead come from.I wash my hands after shooting mostly because of dirt.
if you worry so much get a full suit and head gear.and of course you will need a dedicated shower.it wont change anything but you will feel better.
 
Scrivener said:
Ah. Yet another example of how humor and sarcasm failing to be conveyed in the flat medium of the net.

Sorry for any misunderstanding.
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No need to apologize. I understand how my statement could have been misconstrued. "Smiley wink" emoticon or not.

That said, I was serious about recommending the use of coveralls to the OP.

A complete change of clothing seems to be an extreme hassle that could be avoided by using the over-clothes.
 
To be honest all the precaution that we can take after shooting are jus “placebo”. Worst things we touch in a regular basics everyday and not always we can wash our hands right on the spot.

I really understand your paranoia as you call, but probably the things that we do daily as the AC or heater on the car, check hands with friends, coworkers or clients, play with our pets, visiting a sick person, shopping and touching products that other touched before or just walking on the street while 1,000’s of cars are passing near us, are way worst.

Ish.
 
MJM said:
i wear a biodegradable spandex bodysuit to the range. It typically begins dissolving after 350 rounds. as soon as people start to stare i am out the door and the suit is 100% dissolved within minutes. no car or home contamination, but the winter months can be tough
Click to expand...

Garys said:
Sounds like a good idea for a member group buy.
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I wouldn't recommend this if you want to keep increasing attendance at group shoots. I haven't been to one yet, but if I see a group buy on this, I'm pretty sure I'll never go [smile]
 

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