Simple lead testing at home.. surprising

Joined
Jul 28, 2005
Messages
5,659
Likes
111
Feedback: 6 / 0 / 0
I can't say how good these test kits are but I picked up a lead test kit at Home Depot today. You basically wet small pieces of material with water and wipe surfaces that you are concerned with. I tested the following areas:

1) Kitchen table
2) Poland Spring water bottle (from garage not close to reloading gear)
3) Reloading press (in garage)
4) Tumbler surfaces (in garage)
5) Surface of dehumidifier near reloading equipment (in garage)
6) 3 1911 mags that were fairly clean but used at a recent practice

The tests indicate lead if the material turns pink (some lead) to red or purple (more lead). I was surpised at what I saw.

-No lead on kitchen table or Poland Spring bottle (that is good)
-Slight pink on press, dehumidifier AND tumbler (I thought the tumbler would be red for sure!)
- To my surprise the brightest red was from the mags! I know it shouldn't be a surprise that there was some lead present but I was surprised how dark it was relative to the other tests! I think I'll reconsider how I store my magazines... as sometimes they get thrown in the range bag or the bottom of my closet before cleaning.
 
Wow. I'm surprised you didn't find more in your tumbler. Mine lit up like a Christmas tree. I never thought to test the mags. Do you shoot a lot of lead bullets?
 
Wow. I'm surprised you didn't find more in your tumbler. Mine lit up like a Christmas tree. I never thought to test the mags. Do you shoot a lot of lead bullets?

I know... suprised myself... totally. I DO NOT shoot lead... matter of fact almost exclusively plated. This gun and the mags tested have ONLY shot plated. Mostly Winchester primers.

For the record the area I tested was the OUTSIDE surface of the tumbler... not the inside. I'm sure that would make a huge difference... but my tumbler does have the mesh/open cover for quick straining.

The kit was $10 from Pro-Lab.
 
You bring up a good point, how many of us handle mags when we're not at the range and don't wash our hands afterwards?

No kidding... I dry fire and practice reloading all around the house. Equate this to-> mags dropping on the floor... never mind my hands.
 
I wonder how significant the lead exposure is during a three hour trip to an indoor range. Should we be supplementing with Vitamin C before a trip to reduce lead absorption?
 
Lead exposure

For what it's worth, I've often wondered about lead exposure. I've been an active reloader for forty years and been very active for the last four or five years (IDPA), loading close to 10k a year. Further, I cast the majority of my bullets (.45acp & .40S&W). I just had my blood tested for lead and found it to be on the low side of normal! I take no special precautions other than to try to keep my hands clean and not eat while reloading or casting. My impression is that all the hand-wringing over lead poisoning is just more foolishness from our wonderful nanny state as it reaches out to find new and innovated ways to save us from ourselves.

YMMV
 
My information could be outdated, but at least at one time, I believe the primary ingredient in modern, non-corrosive primers was lead stiphnate. This replaced the chlorides used in corrosive primers.
 
accuracy

I would advise against someone using these to determine if their house is lead free. I've been told that the accuracy of these tests is questionable.
Just my two cents.....
 
My information could be outdated, but at least at one time, I believe the primary ingredient in modern, non-corrosive primers was lead stiphnate. This replaced the chlorides used in corrosive primers.

It still is. It is my understanding that airborne lead from shooting comes from two main sources: 1) the primer, and 2) if the base of the bullet is not jacketed then a small amount of the base of the bullet is vaporized during combustion. Note that the base of FMJ bullets are not jacketed. The base of JHP and TMJ (or plated) bullets are jacketed.

Non-toxic ammo exists that has no lead in the primers. But it is very expensive and in the past I've heard about issues with shelf-life.
 
I wonder how significant the lead exposure is during a three hour trip to an indoor range. Should we be supplementing with Vitamin C before a trip to reduce lead absorption?

If the range has adequate down range air flow, not much. The biggest danger would be the powder/primer residue. Which you simply wash off.

If lead exposure was significant enough to pose a danger when using firearms, there would be a shitload of sick people.
 
Often when I return home from the range I immediately shower prior to touching my kids. A bit of an over reaction I'm sure, but they are young.. and I just remember the old school horror stories about lead and kids.
 
Often when I return home from the range I immediately shower prior to touching my kids. A bit of an over reaction I'm sure...

Not an over reaction at all. I do the exact same thing, and it's not limited to taking a shower right when I get home, either.

First thing I do is take my range bags and put them in a designated spot far away from my living area (I also go to great lengths at the range to keep them clean).

I then strip off all clothes - underwear and everything - that I wore to the range and put them in the washer. After a hot shower, I replace whatever ammo I didn't shoot (once again, in a specific area far away from the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.). The exteriors of any plastic gun cases that were brought to the range receive a wipedown with 409 or some other all-purpose cleaner.

Any gun-cleaning is done in the garage or basement, and I throw all dirty patches and any other contaminated items in an outside trash barrel.

I don't consider all this to be excessive in the least. It's just common sense, after exposing yourself and your equipment to the toxic brew of chemicals present at a range, particularly an indoor one. There's not much I can do about the poisons I'm sure I breath while shooting (the ventilation system notwithstanding), but I try to do everything I can to limit what might be spread through physical contact.
 
That's why I pony up for WinClean ammo. Since I don't make it to the range all too often, it's worth the extra $$ . Also makes cleaning the guns a lot easier. Still wouldn't mind trying some frangible stuff. Haven't found any, not that I've been looking really hard though.
 
That's pretty scary. I often leave my magazines on my desk -- something I'm going to have to stop doing now (4 year old in the house).
I think we are all at risk for lead absorbtion, but kids are just at a greater risk. I think staying clean after a range trip and always washing your hands before eating will pretty much keep you in the green.
 
People who shoot indoors a lot are recommended to have a blood lead test done each year during their physical. It is an extra step, so you need to ask for it. Most people I know that shoot a lot indoors do have an elevated lead level, but not harmful.

Classes are so much fun when you have to scold Adults to go wash up after shooting or even handling firearms (no matter how well we clean them, there is still lead)
 
If you are going to get a lead test, call your doctor a couple days before your visit and tell them that you need a lead test and remind them that they need to order special glassware.

Lead tests have to be done with a particular vial (the difference is the chemicals used to clean the vials), and most doctors' offices don't normally stock the correct one for lead. If they don't have it, then you'll have to come back later when they get the correct vial. Been there, done that. Twice.
 
Okay so we all have some exposure to lead due to our hobby. Now that we know to minimize it by cleaning, storing and washing away from the family etc. What else can we do to minimize problems that any degree of elevated lead exposure can cause. Someone said vitamin C?!? Is there something we can take to help our body naturally eliminate or speed up the elimijation of the lead already in our systems? Can we get rid of it? None of up want to stop so what to do??
 
Back
Top Bottom