How to decontaminate my gun?

[cclaxton]

(I'll also point out that one case is "heard it in a class", one is "heard it from an associate", and the other is "guy was in bad health anyway"... hardly solid evidence.)

Just because I heard this from an associate (BTW, a trusted associate I work with every day) does not mean it is not "solid evidence." Why would my associate lie to me about his father's death?

Does this mean that we should not trust anything anyone tells us unless we can personally experience it? I guess that would means we would have to ignore news reports, newspapers, textbooks and biographies because we didn't personally know the people or have direct experience.

If you want to "believe" that lead poisoning is a exaggerated threat, then just come out and say that.
CC

[Tamara]

If you want to "believe" that lead poisoning is a exaggerated threat, then just come out and say that.

Define "exaggerated".

I went through mandatory training and blood LL monitoring and, despite having significantly greater exposure than most hobby shooters (at least the ones who aren't at an indoor range/gunsmithing shop from noon 'til nine, six days a week,) never pinged higher than a 12, just by taking simple, common-sense precautions like washing my hands before touching stuff I was going to put in my mouth. I mean, my desk at work was not ten feet from the range door and a similar distance from the door to the stockroom which was on the "dirty" side of the building.

[cclaxton]

Good News. My lead level is now down to 12.

I talked to a local Match Director for a bunch of IDPA matches. He told me his was over 25 at one point and he thought one of the major factors is related to how well each range is ventilated. He said that the new ventilation at Blue Ridge is actually better than the NRA range. He also said that he uses one set of shoes for indoor matches and keeps them in a bag in his trunk and separate. He brought his number down to normal by limiting his exposure at ranges with poor ventilation and keeping his shoes separate and good washing practices.

Doctor still wants me to get checked every 6 weeks until he feels I have the contamination under control.

Hygenall showed up and it will go with me in my range bag.

CC

[nternal]

I'm using disposable hazmat pants (with attached booties). That way I don't even have to worry about my car. I bought a box and when I run out I'm just going to use booties (the pants are overkill I think).

[Tamara]

I'm using disposable hazmat pants (with attached booties). That way I don't even have to worry about my car.

Re: The floor of your car.

At the risk of sounding overly sarcastic, do you often lick the floor of your car? I ask this because, depending on where you walk, there's probably a lot of stuff down there that's worse for you than traces of lead residue, so you probably should not be licking it.

Seriously: Wash your hands before you touch anything you are going to put in your mouth. (This is a good idea whether you've been shooting or not, BTW.)

[JAD]

Or, shoot exclusively WHO, and eat only with your right hand.

There's a cultural analogy here, somewhere.

[nternal]

Re: The floor of your car.

At the risk of sounding overly sarcastic, do you often lick the floor of your car? I ask this because, depending on where you walk, there's probably a lot of stuff down there that's worse for you than traces of lead residue, so you probably should not be licking it.

Seriously: Wash your hands before you touch anything you are going to put in your mouth. (This is a good idea whether you've been shooting or not, BTW.)

Maybe you might consider that there are factors you haven't fully thought through before assuming that anyone who says something you don't understand is an idiot. Of course I don't lick the floor of my car but I DO put bags of groceries down there. These bags ultimately end up in my kitchen where my food gets prepared. And yes, before you assume I'm an idiot again, I DO wash my counter tops. Unfortunately normal soaps and detergents do not remove lead so there is a potential for accumulation. I don't really care if anyone thinks I'm a compulsive idiot. You can do what you like with your life. I've posted thoughts here to stimulate discussion and to pick up on ideas from other shooters who have educated themselves on this subject.

I also don't care if others don't think lead is an issue. My levels are 10 times the national average after only a few months of shooting and, while well within the arbitrary "safe" levels, I'd like to minimize this health risk rather than ignore it. It may also be that I have inadvertant exposure from somewhere else but shooting has recognized hazards that I have no intention of ignoring.

[Tamara]

I don't really care if anyone thinks I'm a compulsive idiot. You can do what you like with your life. I've posted thoughts here to stimulate discussion and to pick up on ideas from other shooters who have educated themselves on this subject.

1) I did not say you were an idiot. Nor do I believe you think I'm an uninformed Polyanna ignorant of the hazards.
2) I did not educate myself on this topic. I was educated on this topic in a formal setting complete with little certificates and mandatory re-certification, as well as enforcing compliance among the staff at my workplace.

Never keeping grocery bags in the driver's seat floorboards of the car, I had not considered that particular implication.

[Jay Cunningham]

Don't get shitty with one another.

[Jeff22]

Most of the issue with lead ingestion comes from shooting on INDOOR RANGES. The ones outdoors have enough ventilation and natural "cleaning" factors to reduce the lead ingestion levels pretty easily.

Lead ingestion by shooters comes from 4 major sources, not necessarily listed in order of significance:
1. molten airborne lead particles generated during firing, melting off the back of lead bullets, and inhaled
2. particulate lead absorbed when touching/handling lead bullets
3. lead primer byproducts inhaled as a result of shooting
4. molten lead particles inhaled during casting lead bullets

Most of us don't cast our own bullets, so we can ignore #4 above as a source of lead ingestion. However...source #3 above is by FAR the BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR to lead ingestion by shooters. (It's something like 10 times greater than the next highest source!!)

The reason here is that, most "non-corrosive" primers contain lead styphnate or something similar. When lead primers ignite, the chemical reaction creates a lead salt that is airborne, and worse yet, it hydroscopic, like all salts. It picks up moisture easily.

Guess what's in your throat and lungs? Lots of moisture, waiting for the lead salt to combine with it. Instant absorbtion.

The solution---RIGOROUS cleanliness on the range, and care when shooting indoors:

1. Don't smoke, eat, or drink on the range. You are ingesting just that much more lead in doing so.
2. Don't shoot on an indoor range that does not ventilate by pulling combustion products AWAY from the shooting line. If you MUST shoot on a range with poor ventilation (Lord knows why), use an OSHA approved mask.
3. DON'T SWEEP with a broom on an indoor range. The floor is COVERED in lead salts, and brooming puts them back in the air. Pick the brass up or use a squeegee. DON'T pick up brass and put it in your hat! This will just contaminate your head at a later time.
4. Once you are done shooting on an indoor range, wash your hands immediately. If you can take a shower and change clothes ASAP, all the better.
5. Lastly, DON'T go to bed after shooting indoors until you take a shower and wash your hair. You hair traps lots of lead particles that will transfer to your pillow, and then to your mouth/nose while sleeping.

People I know who have followed the above rules can sucessfully shoot indoors A LOT (like IPSC practice multiple times per week) without having excessive lead levels.

I've been shooting on indoor ranges on a regular basis for 30 years. One of the ranges I used to shoot on was not particularly well ventilated, although they made some improvements in later years. I've had my lead level tested twice -- once it was a 13 and the next time it was an 11. My understanding is that those readings were at the high end of the normal range and no cause for concern.

I do know two people who had elevated BLL and their levels were high enough that there was concern by the doctors. In one case, the guy had a commercial reloading business on the side and cast his own bullets in an area that was inadequately ventilated. He stopped casting bullets and the problem was solved. In the other case, it was a police firearms instructor who taught for three months every year in an indoor range built in the 1950s that had inadequate ventilation. A big factor in his situation was that he'd drink coffee while sitting at the control panel in the range, and also chew tobacco. He quit chewing tobacco at the range and solved that issue.