Blood lead level

[Medicine Creek Johnny]

Has anyone had there lead levels checked. Mine is at 20 which my Doc says is getting high. I do cast a couple hundred thousand bullets per year. I have also been wet tumbling my brass for the last year and it has still increased. Anybody got any experience or suggestions?

MCJ

[Cholla]

I read if you eat raw onions it is supposed to lower your lead levels. So what that awful western, Cry Onion and start eating onions like apples.

[G W Wade]

Hey MCJ     One of my friends had a bullet casting business also and lead levels got elevated.  He found he was absorbing lead thru his skin while cleaning his guns in solvent.  Started wearing rubber gloves and things improved.   The way you run , didn't think you had any lead in your A%*     See you at Clark I hope.    GW

[Sedalia Dave]

You can get lead contamination from handling fired brass. Be sure to wash your hands after handling brass.

[Bramble Mountain Buzzard]

Buy a case of baby wipes from Walmart. Keep them in your cart, automobile, reloading bench, casting area, etc. Use after every stage. Before eating. After casting or reloading. Any time handling ammo, etc. Wiped down your reloading handles, supplies, steering wheel, gun cart, etc. Might want to invest in filter masks too. They are about $15/100. Any time you have melted lead, wear them.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Johnny -

 

It's hard to get exposure to lead significant enough to raise blood lead just by working around casting equipment.  You sure can't find much lead vapor over a casting pot - we cast no where near temperatures to get any vapor pressure from molten lead.  Nor just handling solid lead ingots or bullets. Still, ventilate your casting area well, and clean up dust.

 

Lead dust from any source can be a real problem.  You can find lead dust in fired brass, brass cleaning media, indoor shooting ranges (especially in cleaning up dusty ranges and bullet traps),  casting dross, and coming off of close shotgun targets.  Lead dust can be inhaled or ingested (swallowed).  Effective inhalation protection is NOT provided by just cheap dust masks.  You need a heavy-metal specific cartridge respirator for that.   Thoroughly clean up clothing, facial/head hair, skin especially when exposed to lead dust.  Minimize standing close to shooters (like RO duty).  Shoot only in well ventilated locations, outdoors USUALLY qualifies there.  If someplace is dusty, stay out of it and clean it carefully.

 

If you are casting 200K bullets a year, how many are you shooting or having shot in your presence?  

 

I probably cast and shoot 30-40K per year, all casting is out doors in well ventilated area, cleaned up frequently.   Brass cleaned outdoors.   Not had any notable symptoms.

 

good luck, GJ

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Do you wear rubber gloves and use a mask while handling the bullets or dirty brass?

OLG

 

[Medicine Creek Johnny]

Thanks Joe. I probably shoot around 20000 a year plus 5000 shot shells. I’m thinking fired brass and RO duty is pry the biggest culprit. Dross could also. I’ll try to keep it cleaned up better as I use a lot of reclaimed lead. I cast indoors but use a good ventilation system. I also coat and bake bullets but wear Uber gloves while doing it

[Medicine Creek Johnny]

No I havnt been wearing gloves while handling brass. That is something I need to start doing

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Just now, Medicine Creek Johnny said:

No I havnt been wearing gloves while handling brass. That is something I need to start doing

What about a 'dust' mask?

Do you shoot much indoors?

OLG

[Guest Texas jack Black SASS#9362]

Chelation  works for me. I eat the proper foods and never had an issue . No processed foods ,etc. Organic leafy greens ,etc. But from what I see shooters eating at matches I am surprised they are still alive.

[Noz]

I was a dedicated bullet caster.  I lost my huge air space indoor casting area. I determinedly began casting outdoors. Very difficult.

Then I sat down one day and realized if I paid me anything for my time to find the lead, transport it to my processing area, pour ingots, melt the ingots, pour the bullets, lube and size the bullets I couldn't afford to do it.

Far easier and cheaper to contact one of the many cowboys that are set up and casting commercially.

[Medicine Creek Johnny]

5 minutes ago, Noz said:

I was a dedicated bullet caster.  I lost my huge air space indoor casting area. I determinedly began casting outdoors. Very difficult.

Then I sat down one day and realized if I paid me anything for my time to find the lead, transport it to my processing area, pour ingots, melt the ingots, pour the bullets, lube and size the bullets I couldn't afford to do it.

Far easier and cheaper to contact one of the many cowboys that are set up and casting commercially.

I do roll my casting machines outdoors if weather permits. I thought I was one of those cowboy casters set up for it (smile)

[Waimea]

5 minutes ago, Texas jack Black SASS#9362 said:

Chelation  works for me. I eat the proper foods and never had an issue . No processed foods ,etc. Organic leafy greens ,etc. But from what I see shooters eating at matches I am surprised they are still alive.

 

I do RO duties and spot.

Always figured part of spotting was setting steel.

What keeps hitting the steel and (usually) disintegrates? Lead shot.

Then what does everyone do after shooting?

Usually eat. 

I washed my hands but not enough.

Now I wash thoroughly and then wash again with D-Lead soap.

Let you know the end of the month how it's going.

 

Waimea

[Three Foot Johnson]

I worked at a lead smelter for 23 years ("78 - '01), and a blood lead level of only 20 was the stuff of dreams. In-plant medical removal was... 45(?), and you were allowed to go back to your regular job when it got down to 32.

We were always cautioned that chelation was a bad thing, as lead has a very sharp, granular structure, and chelation treatment caused progressive and irreversible kidney damage.

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that BLLs among all adults be <10 µg/dL. Doctors treat adults with lead levels greater than 45 ug/dL. Avoidance is the primary treatment.

[Rowdy Ranger Rick]

A year or so ago same subject was discussed in this forum. Organic broken cell chlorella was recommended by a member's doctor to cleanse system of metals. I take combo chlorella and spirulina to cleanse my system for separate issue. +1 for all the above suggestions, plus research use of chlorella herbal supplement.

[Sedalia Dave]

1 hour ago, Medicine Creek Johnny said:

No I havnt been wearing gloves while handling brass. That is something I need to start doing

 

If you are handling lots of fired brass then yes you should be wearing gloves.

 

We tend to have kids shag brass at matches all that brass is coated with a small amount of lead dust. Primarily from the primer. Kids and adults that are picking up brass should use a picker and a bucket or wear gloves.

 

About a year ago a shooter posted about his son getting lead poisoning. They determined that his exposure came from picking up fired brass with his hands.

 

Be sure kids and adults wash their hands before eating or drinking.

 

A persons tendency to adsorb lead has a lot to do with genetics. 

[Waimea]

39 minutes ago, Rowdy Ranger Rick said:

A year or so ago same subject was discussed in this forum. Organic broken cell chlorella was recommended by a member's doctor to cleanse system of metals. I take combo chlorella and spirulina to cleanse my system for separate issue. +1 for all the above suggestions, plus research use of chlorella herbal supplement.

I tried this.

My number actually went from 19 to 22 in the 3 months I was taking it.

I stopped but have since wondered what if I had stayed on it.

[watab kid]

nope - im not really worried anymore , at my age and exposure level i doubt it will ever be an issue , but i recommend to those that cast a lot 

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

20 minutes ago, Waimea said:

I tried this.

My number actually went from 19 to 22 in the 3 months I was taking it.

I stopped but have since wondered what if I had stayed on it.

 

There are no reliable scientific studies that Chlorella does any of its purported claims, from curing cancer, to colitis, to detox. It is pretty harmless unless you are allergic to it. It does cause gas, which may be a good thing for the 'pull my finger' crowd.

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

It's a subject that always comes up..I really believe that some people  for whatever reason get higher levels than others. I have a friend that doesn't melt or cast yet his levels are much higher than mine which has been as high as 20 &   presently  7. I melt, cast, [ dry tumble in the open  ] etc.

Gloves for casting are okay but surgical gloves for loading are just a PITA as you lose the feel for what you are doing.

I always eat food back at the clubhouse & wash my hands & face frequently when on the range  or playing with lead..Something which I have found helpful  is a handful of walnuts each day.Some say that drinking milk after handling lead helps.

Lets face it we all love our shooting & most try preventative measures to keep our levels low..I'd say with confidence that we care but not going to give away  shooting.

 

[Guest Texas jack Black SASS#9362]

1 hour ago, J Bar Binks, #47015 said:

I worked at a lead smelter for 23 years ("78 - '01), and a blood lead level of only 20 was the stuff of dreams. In-plant medical removal was... 45(?), and you were allowed to go back to your regular job when it got down to 32.

We were always cautioned that chelation was a bad thing, as lead has a very sharp, granular structure, and chelation treatment caused progressive and irreversible kidney damage.

  Fake news, Chelation has been in use for over 100 years and yes, recommended by the medical community.

[Three Foot Johnson]

Perhaps - these warnings came from our internal medical staff, which consisted only of one full-time RN, a part-time RN, and a contracted MD.

[Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L]

Two of my cowboy shooting friends had very high lead levels and did make some big efforts to get it down, When comparing notes they found that both of their lead levels were the same initially and when tested again a few months later both had significant drops. Turned out both the initial tests were done at the same lab and they strongly suspected a problem with the lab. You know both these shooters Johnny. A second test may give different results. Resetting picking up and placing targets is a good source for lead contamination.

[Sedalia Dave]

Mine was 9 and I don't cast, Wet tumble and had been using coated bullets for a couple of years at least. I pick up brass a lot so I figure that is where mine came from. Will have it retested this fall.

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

I don't cast lead bullets only handle them when loading. Mine was 13 the last time I had it checked which was in the normal range albeit slightly on the high side.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

For folks that don't know this. 

Okie Sawbones is a MD. Listen to him about this medical stuff...........

 

OLG

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

15 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

If you are handling lots of fired brass then yes you should be wearing gloves.

 

We tend to have kids shag brass at matches all that brass is coated with a small amount of lead dust. Primarily from the primer. Kids and adults that are picking up brass should use a picker and a bucket or wear gloves.

 

About a year ago a shooter posted about his son getting lead poisoning. They determined that his exposure came from picking up fired brass with his hands.

 

Be sure kids and adults wash their hands before eating or drinking.

 

A persons tendency to adsorb lead has a lot to do with genetics. 

Don't overlook the dirt as a source at a firing range.

The brass and your feet and such are covered with range dust.

OLG

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

When I first started posting on the Wire, 2004, this topic came up, as it should frequently. My concern is still the same as it was then, preteen children picking brass and setting targets.

 

Most doctors will tell you that the danger is much greater at a lower level for children.

 

I was told I was "tilting at windmills."

 

 

[Sarge]

Last year mine was 37.  Six months later, it was 11.  Here is what I did:  1)  Started wearing a respirator mask when shooting indoors; 2) Wash hands and face immediately after shooting, or after handling guns or ammunition either in cold water or with handi wipes; 3)  I stopped casting bullets (even though I was wearing a mask); 4) switched from dry tumbling to wet tumbling; 5) Started taking Spirulina; 6) When I'm done shooting, clothes go immediately into the wash machine.

[Waimea]

6 hours ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said:

When I first started posting on the Wire, 2004, this topic came up, as it should frequently. My concern is still the same as it was then, preteen children picking brass and setting targets.

 

Most doctors will tell you that the danger is much greater at a lower level for children.

 

I was told I was "tilting at windmills."

 

 

 

I think you were right on the mark.

5 hours ago, Sarge2 said:

Last year mine was 37.  Six months later, it was 11.  Here is what I did:  1)  Started wearing a respirator mask when shooting indoors; 2) Wash hands and face immediately after shooting, or after handling guns or ammunition either in cold water or with handi wipes; 3)  I stopped casting bullets (even though I was wearing a mask); 4) switched from dry tumbling to wet tumbling; 5) Started taking Spirulina; 6) When I'm done shooting, clothes go immediately into the wash machine.

 

Doing the same except for #3 and 5.

 

Hoping for similar results.

 

Waimea

[Roger Rapid]

There are several posts on the SASSnet on causes of increased BLL, and how to control it. If you keep back issues of the Cowboy Chronicle, I wrote a detailed article for March 2017 issue that describes causes and solutions. (If you don't have a copy of that issue, I prepared a separate white paper from that article and am happy to share it - just PM me with your email addr.) Getting BLL under 10mg/dl is important if you cherish a healthy life. Cilantro works, but Spirulina - especially the Hawaiian variety - works much better. My BLL was 18mg/dl before taking a teaspoon of Spirulina every day - now it's 10mg/dl, and I shoot four to five matches a month. There are five shooters in our club (CVR) who had raised BLL - one at 22mg/dl - and went on Spirulina and now they are ALL at reduced levels. 

 

Being careful of not touching food or water-bottle mouths with your hand while shooting is VERY important - touch wrappers only. Washing hands with D-Lead soap or using D-Lead wipes after shooting is very important. 

 

The highest exposure to lead particulate is when shooting, especially when TO-ing and standing in a cloud of lead particulate for extended periods. Wearing a dust mask would be very helpful, but not really "cowboy dress." Two years ago, for a period of six months (between blood tests), I pulled my bandana up over my mouth and nose while shooting, and did the same when running the clock. That appeared to make the biggest difference in a noticeable drop in my BLL. I still wear my bandana from time to time and none of the other shooters every razz's me about it. I'm happier being healthy.

 

Don't treat it lightly - increased BLL can be a real problem.

 

RR

[Don Jorge]

Anyone have experience using DMSA for chelation therapy with or without spirulina?   

[Rowdy Ranger Rick]

Do you mean DMSO? I've heard of this for getting treatments faster into the blood stream. I use it as a gel on top of occasional use of analgesics for muscles and joints. DMSO is used in some analgesics already because of its ability to be readily absorbed into the skin. You want to be careful with its use, it will cause liquids, ointments, etc. on your skin to be absorbed more readily.