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Thread: Are there any risks from handling lead pellets?

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    Are there any risks from handling lead pellets?

    what is the truth about any dangers from lead pellets? should you wash your hands after handling them, has anyone looked into it? is there anything to avoid or should we just ignore the warnings.

    I know that there have been a few threads on this subject and shooters just say lead is best as we all know but is it safe, would you let your children handle lead pellets without a care?

    Someone in the know please clarify

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barryg View Post
    what is the truth about any dangers from lead pellets? should you wash your hands after handling them, has anyone looked into it? is there anything to avoid or should we just ignore the warnings.

    I know that there have been a few threads on this subject and shooters just say lead is best as we all know but is it safe, would you let your children handle lead pellets without a care?

    Someone in the know please clarify


    Do you fancy any of these conditions ?
    Symptoms
    Exposure to lead can be harmful especially to unborn babies and young children. Children absorb more lead than adults due to their growing bones and other organs which lead can become deposited in.

    The signs and symptoms in young children can include:

    irritability and fatigue
    loss of appetite and weight loss
    abdominal pain
    vomiting
    constipation
    hearing loss
    developmental delay and learning difficulties
    Although children are at increased risk of the effects of lead poisoning, exposure via drinking contaminated water can also result in illness in adults. Even if you are experiencing these symptoms, it does not always mean you have lead poisoning.

    One of the reasons paint containing lead was banned from children's toys .




    Symptoms in adults can include:

    high blood pressure
    abdominal pain
    constipation
    joint and muscle pain
    pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
    headache
    miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women
    fatigue
    memory loss
    If your property has lead pipes and you or your children are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your GP.

    Yes other things cause they symptoms but the more you can do to stop adding more of these things that cause them the better.
    Last edited by bighit; 06-12-2021 at 12:32 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bighit View Post
    Do you fancy any of these conditions ?
    Symptoms
    Exposure to lead can be harmful especially to unborn babies and young children. Children absorb more lead than adults due to their growing bones and other organs which lead can become deposited in.

    The signs and symptoms in young children can include:

    irritability and fatigue
    loss of appetite and weight loss
    abdominal pain
    vomiting
    constipation
    hearing loss
    developmental delay and learning difficulties
    Although children are at increased risk of the effects of lead poisoning, exposure via drinking contaminated water can also result in illness in adults. Even if you are experiencing these symptoms, it does not always mean you have lead poisoning.

    One of the reasons paint containing lead was banned from children's toys .




    Symptoms in adults can include:

    high blood pressure
    abdominal pain
    constipation
    joint and muscle pain
    pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
    headache
    miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women
    fatigue
    memory loss
    If your property has lead pipes and you or your children are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your GP.

    Yes other things cause they symptoms bit the more you can do to stop adding more of these things that cause them the better
    So does that mean it is safe to handle lead pellets or not

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barryg View Post
    So does that mean it is safe to handle lead pellets or not
    Yes but wash your hands afterwards and the same with children and dont eat them obviously.

    Yes I know lots of houses still have lead pipes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bighit View Post
    Yes but wash your hands afterwards and the same with children and dont eat them obviously.

    Yes I know lots of houses still have lead pipes.
    Can your hands contaminate other things before you wash them?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barryg View Post
    Can your hands contaminate other things before you wash them?
    Yes. Studies have shown that people who work with lead could transfer lead via their skin hair and clothing to their families.


    You can absorb lead via your skin too according to some studies others say you can't.

    Quote
    Some studies have found lead can be absorbed through skin. If you handle lead and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, you could be exposed. Lead dust can also get on your clothes and your hair.

    Yes it's a 14 year old report. It may still be valid today.
    https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lea...0your%20family.

    Will you absorb enough through handling pellets? Depends how many you handle and over what time frame but I dare say it wont affect many shooters.

    I still wash my hands before eating after handling them or wear gloves out in the field. Though I did not in the past.
    Last edited by bighit; 06-12-2021 at 12:19 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bighit View Post
    Yes. Sneeze on into your hands and touch something and you can pass on viruses like the flu and the cold.

    You can absorb lead via your skin too according to some studies others say it's safe .

    Quote
    Some studies have found lead can be absorbed through skin. If you handle lead and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, you could be exposed. Lead dust can also get on your clothes and your hair.


    Will you absorb enough through handling pellets? Depends how many you handle and over what time frame.
    I was hoping to get a more reassuring answer that lead pellets were safe for use in our hobby/sport but I guess that there is no burying your head in the sand these days with the info on the old tippy Tappy

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barryg View Post
    I was hoping to get a more reassuring answer that lead pellets were safe for use in our hobby/sport but I guess that there is no burying your head in the sand these days with the info on the old tippy Tappy
    It's there if you want to find it. Lead is toxic that's a fact .
    Handle them whatever way you think is safe for you.

    Most on here are in the older age bracket so it may not matter to them but if they let their children handle them it may affect them quicker as the info above states.

    I edited out the sneezing as that's common knowledge that most people would know.

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    Remember most pellets are not pure lead they're an alloy and as most are harder there's going to be less cross contamination,
    and if they're coated in some form of lube probably less again.

    I'm sure if you were up to your elbows in pellets all day every day there would be serious health risks,
    same as if you ate fast food every meal of every day that would be a serious health risk.

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    Overall clean metallic lead is less problematic, but, good handling practice is recommended, i.e. hand washing and don't store them in your mouth.

    Heavily oxidised pellets should be treated with a greater degree of caution as the oxides of lead are more readily mobile and easier to uptake.
    People who have been there focus on the fundamentals. People who sit at keyboards all day focus on the trivial and inane.

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    If you've heard the term mad as a hatter, this comes from the hat making trade where people were in contact with chemicals containing lead everyday they went to work, eventually going mad.

    It's all cumulative.

    I personally don't worry about handling lead pellets. I do wash my hands before eating. Although I do recall down the range when mince pies were being handed out not actually washing my hands first.

    It is said lead makes your hair fall out but I don't believe it.
    Repariere nicht, was nicht kaputtist.

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    People who handle lead at work are given Milk to drink. This is supposed to prevent the lead being absorbed by the body.

    If melting scap lead, do it outdoors, not in the kitchen!

    Hatters used Mercury, it was the fumes from this that caused their problems.

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    Ah yes, thank you for my correction.
    Must be all the lead in my brain from handling pellets.
    Repariere nicht, was nicht kaputtist.

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    I'd be more worried about sending the kids up to do the lead flashing, then handling some pellets, which kids have been handling for 100 years and not dropping like flys.
    Super soaker 3000 (water), nerf fang (foam), noisy cricket (energy), m41a pulse rifle (10x24), Gat gun (.177)

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    I've been shooting airguns and regularly handling lead pellets for over 40 years with no adverse effects.

    I collect them (or rather the packaging they come in) too and have probably touched millions over the years.

    Yes, wash your hands after handling them and no, don't put them in your mouth.

    Like with most things in life, a common sense approach works best when applied.

    John M
    Currently looking for Baikal Makarov pistols with the following prefixes to the serial number: 98, T01, T09, T21, T22
    Prefer boxed or cased but will consider loose examples too.

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