Lead Safety Question

[Van]

Interesting. I wonder if the lead free ammo is hard to find or if they have it at the range.

 

[Biggfoot44]

The range primarily used ( but not owned) by employer has been lead free for several years. It is outdoor , not issue of ventilation , but of "soil contamination" .

At indoor range will usually wear OHSA face mask. Imeadately wash hands and mustache after shooting.

Yes , there have been deaths from indoor ranges , but usually LE Instructors who spent 40hr plus / wk in the range. Semi famous ( and excellent ) gunwriter Tom Ferguson had medical retirement , and eventually passed away from complications of lead poisioning while chief Firearms instructor w/ San Antonio PD.

As a shooter I like my cast bullet handloads , thank you very much.

Were I a (indoor) range owner , it would simplify my piece of mind , and be fewer current or potential future hassles to be no exposed lead, if not lead free , if not non-toxic.

For antigunners , a great way to try to shut down virtually every range in the country.

 

[Van]

Wow that's really interesting. Maybe in 10 years they'll figure out a way to make really good quality leadfree ammo and all this will not be an issue. As much as it could be annoying to see people try to shut ranges down with this as an excuse I'm all for environmental health and safety.

By the way did you actually wear a full respirator or just a cotton mask?

 

[John from MD]

For you younger folks who haven't been members of the NRA too long, I would like to pass on some information.

The anti gunners have been trying to outlaw lead for years as a method of closing ranges and reducing interest in guns. If you haven't watched the priced of ammo lately, it is going nowhere but up and lead based ammo is the cheapest made. The anti's idea is to ban lead and leave only non lead based ammo. The cost of non lead ammo is approximately 4 times as much as lead ammo. Clinton made all military bases "green" and made the american people pay for non lead ammo and surplused all the existing stock piles. The titanium used in some of that ammo came from China.

If lead is banned, the economic impact will cause people to stop shooting. The students, young couples and retirees will cut back or never get involved in shooting. Ranges will shutdown and go away as has been happening in Maryland over the last 40 years.

Take with a grain of salt reports that are issued by the CDC. The CDC is politically controlled and has not been an objective organization for a long time.

From a ballistics standpoint, I was one of the people that tested early copper based projectiles at Fort Meade. Cost then as it is now, was a big factor. Even today, the ammo manufacturers are still trying to make the bullet that will give the same ballistics as a copper jacketed, lead filled bullet.

Pay attention when you hear about the EPA or some other group wanting to ban lead bullets and lead sinkers. Their science is suspect and has been for some time. Back in the '80s, the government had a study conducted at Gettysburg due to worries about how much lead was in the soil. The study found that once lead oxidizes, it does not leach into the soil or water. The antis never want to talk about this study however.

If you practice good hygiene, and your indoor range has good ventilation, you will have a long enjoyable life.

Never let your guard down.


John

 

[Mason-Dixon Baseball]

Freestate's air system is ok. On Target's is better, but the downside is sometimes the targets dance around due to the air blowing. I don't know, maybe they fixed that problem. I don't go there anymore because Freestate is closer.

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Freestate's ventilation is pretty damn good-- blows fresh air from the front of the firing line to the back of the target area where it is ventilated out... Sometimes the targets do dance a little inside of 5 yards if you just have a large paper hanging target, but if it does, just ask them for a piece of cardboard to stiffen it up--- they'll gladly give it to you no questions asked

 

[cyclrcr]

Pay attention when you hear about the EPA or some other group wanting to ban lead bullets and lead sinkers. Their science is suspect and has been for some time. Back in the '80s, the government had a study conducted at Gettysburg due to worries about how much lead was in the soil. The study found that once lead oxidizes, it does not leach into the soil or water. The antis never want to talk about this study however.

I thought I remember hearing about this, but couldn't remember where I read/heard about it. I wonder what the wells around Civil War battle sites are like for lead levels?

 

[quickdrawsam]

Freestate's ventilation is pretty damn good-- blows fresh air from the front of the firing line to the back of the target area where it is ventilated out... Sometimes the targets do dance a little inside of 5 yards if you just have a large paper hanging target, but if it does, just ask them for a piece of cardboard to stiffen it up--- they'll gladly give it to you no questions asked

horst and mccann does the same too. they just need to update there carrier system though.

thats y i lean a lil with freestate. but h and m is a lil less intimidating lol. dont shoot down the lights though!

 

[damifinowfish]

Yes lead is dangerous but

During High School and for 2 years after high school I worked around Linotype machines, Printing Letterpress, industrial melting furnace the kind that could melt 1,000 + pounds at a time, and those were the days safety procedures were non existing. Melted lead to make fishing sinkers for years. Then during a Job physical when they found out I had worked around lead they tested me for lead poisoning. Test all came back showing no lead levels.

All the tons and tons of lead I've handled you'd think I would have something showing up in those test.

Sometimes I think the do gooders go too far by scarring everybody about dangers that do not exist.