tamworth

I read in an Ayoob book of mine that cleaning should be done indoors because every time the brush goes through, you fill the surrounding cubic yard with lead. I was trying to tell my dad this because I wasn't sure if he opened any windows while he cleans. He said he shoots full metal jackets, so there shouldn't be any lead exposed to his gun. He still opens the windows though, because of the chemicals in the cleaners.

So my question is: can I safely bet that there is no lead inside my dirty gun if I use fmj ammunition? Thanks very much...

762

unless its that lead-safe stuff (TMJ), a FMJ round still has lead exposed in the base of the round which is exposed to the heat and gases upon firing.

__________________
Let's Roll - Todd Beamer

MOΛΩN ΛABÉ

SIXTO

Nope, there lead there, but unless you're eating it, there is not a whole lot to worry about.

__________________
In a land of sheep, even a toothless wolf is king.

Wake Up! The zombie invasion has begun years ago.

tamworth

thanks!

JerryM

I have been reloading and cleaning for over 50 years. I have suffered no problems.

I guess folks have to have something to be overly concerned about, but dangers from lead in cleaning guns is baloney. I am "living proof." So are millions of others.

Ayoob does come up with some doozies.

Regards,
Jerry

762

the effects of lead exposure can be seen at a local gun store out here ;-)

__________________
Let's Roll - Todd Beamer

MOΛΩN ΛABÉ

gg12

Lead poisoning is mainly something to worrry about in fetuses and children, adults are not as suspectible.

Remodeling an older home and inhaling large amounts of dust MIGHT put you at risk of breathing in enough lead dust to cause a problem, but cleaning your gun (full metal jacket or just plain jane lead bullets, one gun or twenty guns) doesn't put enough lead in the air to matter, even to a child or fetus.

Now if you chew on the bullets or eat the little pieces of lead you clean out of your gun, well you have issues much larger than lead poisoning.

B52

+1 just don't eat the lead. I usually clean my guns in the garage or my office because I have three small children and I worry about it harming them. I have handled lead and solvents for at least 20+years and the only person who thinks it has made me crazy is my wife, lol.

PaulJ

it just doesn't hurt to wash your hands once in a while ;-)

__________________
I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend. (Thomas Jefferson)

Rob99VMI04

I had to go to a week long conferrence on lead, OSHA, and Shooting ranges. Most of it was extremely boring. However, the issue of lead was discussed for almost 3 straight days.

Directly ingesting lead doesnt' really hurt you. (i.e. picking up an ingot or a miniball and swalling it.) the same way it came in is the same way its coming out. The dust from the range is what gets you, and not just from breathing it. In fact from what the instructor said the majority of the lead you get off of a range comes aborbing them through your ocular cavities. (i.e. your eyes) . In other words you wear eye protection not only to protect for other reasons but to keep from absorbing more lead.

Cleaning a gun, I would think the chemicals are more of an issue then the lead is.

__________________
"You may find me one day dead in a ditch somewhere. But by God, you'll find me in a pile of brass." - Trooper M. Padgett

"When seconds count.....Cops Respond in Minutes"