Nitrile Gloves?

[garyb]

Anyone else out there concerned about the contaminants involved in reloading? Are you simply washing your hands after handling components like shot brass, lead, etc... or are you wearing Nitrile gloves? Obviously on the range, we simply pick up the brass. However, I always wash my hands when I'm done handling the components from the range. When I reload, I have started to wear nitrile gloves...just to be extra safe.

I spent over 30 years handling lead, molding round balls, etc...for muzzleloading competitions. The lead exposure IS a serious issue. With smokeless reloading it is a little different creature because of copper plated bullets. However, there are still risks to the contaminants to be concerned about. Beware! Lead exposure can be tested for...ask your Dr when he/she orders blood work on your next visit.

[CJB]

Better wear a mask at the range, and when you reaload then...

....because if you're concerned enough about exposure to things, its the airborn stuff thats gonna do you in.

[Dino]

Just make sure when you wash your hands to use cold water, the hot water opens up your pours and lets the lead into your skin. And yes breathing in the contaminates is just as bad. You should also change your clothes after a range outing. And always use gloves when cleaning your weapon.

[AIRret]

I wear gloves when I'm cleaning my guns, but not when reloading. Maybe I'll have to rethink that.

Have you heard of products like "lead out" and others that are suppose to thoroughly remove the lead from your skin.

[JustinN]

I wear gloves when reloading, but not to keep me safe, it's to keep me from contaminating my powders and primers.

[CJB]

How my generation ever survived, ever accomplished one single thing, ever amounted to more than just a pile of worm food, without all the safeguards, the lawyers and the "support from Uncle Sam" is beyond my comprehension.

[muggsy]

I don't plan on living forever and if I did I still might get run over by a bus. My old man gave me a bottle of mercury to play with when I was a kid and I survived. I live life and enjoy it. I'm not a member of the nanny state.

[CJB]

Daryl Van Horn had it right when he said "I see men sixty, seventy years old breaking their balls to stay fit. What for? When I die, I want to be sick, not healthy!"

[Bawanna]

I wash my hands thoroughly before I leave the range. I don't wear glove for cleaning or reloading. If I have to touch primers I use tweezers. Other than that I wash before and after reloading.

I have to wear gloves from time to time at work and I have to wear them sometime assembling the fishing lures I help assemble when they are polished so they don't get finger prints on them but I don't like wearing glove much.

Many officers wear gloves cleaning their guns, I don't know how they do it, drives me crazy.

[AIRret]

I wear glove to clean my guns primarily because the chemicals involved dry my hands and cracks the skin.

But I still love hoops.

[downtownv]

Gloves around lead and gunpowder??????

What about asbestos? Have a Laugh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlfCZ7TpbNA

[garyb]

I wear gloves when I'm cleaning my guns, but not when reloading. Maybe I'll have to rethink that.

Have you heard of products like "lead out" and others that are suppose to thoroughly remove the lead from your skin.

Never heard of "lead out", but will look into this. However, I've started to wear gloves when handling components. It is easy to reload with gloves on, so "Why not"?

As an aside....I know that for some who never gave any concern about lead exposure, it probably sounds like a silly subject. Back in the day, we never used hearing protection and now I regret that it was not something that was preached as a safety concern. My hearing sucks today. But the truth is that lead exposure "can become" a serious issue that creates health issues from which the cause never gets diagnosed....unless you tell your physician that you do come in contact with lead.

Everyone always preaches, safety, but some aspects of safety go unnoticed....until others suffer from health issues down the road. I am not saying that reloading safety is a major health issue....not at all. I am merely pointing out that it is very easy to prevent health effects by simple practices....washing hands after reloading and wearing gloves while reloading.

Some of you out there will get the point and change how you do things! Others will keep doing what you are doing, cause it works just fine....so you think. Truth is, it takes 5 seconds to slip on a pair of thin nitrile gloves. You will get used to them for the hour or so of reloading...and will forget you even put them on. You will avoid unnecessary exposure.....AT least wash your damned hands when you are done.

And wear eye and ear protection on the range. Respirators optional....haha.

[CJB]

What about asbestos?


What about it?

Teacher: Little Jonny, can you use the word asbestos in a sentance?

Jonny: Sure teacher. While its true my girlfriend has a great rack, I really love her asbestos!

[downtownv]

What about it?

Teacher: Little Jonny, can you use the word asbestos in a sentance?

Jonny: Sure teacher. While its true my girlfriend has a great rack, I really love her asbestos!


Racks first, asbestos #2 Breast fed baby syndrome....;)

[garyb]

I copied this from Speer reloading safety. Kind of common sense stuff. Just an FYI reminder to reloaders. How many eat or drink while reloading? I would not guess that anyone is dumb enough to smoke during the process. Also beware of the effects on children. Keep your reloading area clean by wiping it down with a damp rag to eliminate dust. Don't handle children until you wash up. Good idea to keep children away from the reload area for many reasons anyway.

LEAD EXPOSURE

The metallic element lead can, at high exposure levels, result in birth defects, reproductive harm, or other serious medical problems. Lead is present in primers and most bullets, and the reloader may be exposed to lead when handling reloading components (including fired cases), shooting, or cleaning firearms or reloading equipment. Simple guidelines will limit your exposure and result in your hobby remaining a safe one.


Observe good personal hygiene. Wash hands thoroughly with soap as soon as you finish handling ammunition, shooting, or cleaning firearms. Simple hand washing is the best step to minimize lead exposure.
Never eat or drink while reloading. Failing to follow this simple rule means that lead residue on your hands goes directly into your body. Keep your hands away from your nose and mouth while loading. If you smoke, wash up thoroughly before taking a smoke break, and take that break well away from powders and primers.
Avoid breathing dust in the loading area. Have your loading room properly ventilated. If you use dry case-cleaning media, wear a dust mask when charging and emptying your case cleaner. The media can become charged with lead from fired cases.
Clean the reloading area regularly. This prevents the buildup of dust that may contain lead. Wipe horizontal surfaces with a damp cloth. Damp mop hard-surface floors often. Avoid using carpeting in areas identified as loading areas. In addition to holding residue, carpet can induce static electricity problems that constitute a hazard when handling primers.

[downtownv]

Good points
The ole Cleanliness is next to Godliness.....

[garyb]

Gloves are probably not essential, but do add an extra measure of protection. Being hermetically sealed is not a bad thing...haha. When I shot competition muzzle loader, we had a "Card" on the competition line who slipped a condom on the end of the club President's barrel when he wasn't looking. The President discovered it just as he raised his rifle on the firing line. This "Card" hollered out to everyone that the President needed to practice "safe shooting"! We all had a good laugh. It was a fun club.
Anyway....the issue of lead exposure probably applies more so someone melting, molding and handling lead bullets regularly, than it does to reloading copper plated bullets or handling primers, etc... However, the safety considerations previously mentioned would still apply to reloaders and bullet makers alike. Gloves are probably just an extra added and possibly unnecessary measure of safety.

Lead exposure can lead to serious health issues, so just beware.

[ozkahr]

garyb - I think you are absolutely correct in wearing nitrile gloves when you reload and clean firearms. There are a lot of things we did when we were younger that we no longer do. In New Orleans, they used to demand that you put your drink in a plastic to-go cup so you could drink and drive safely! They didn't want the broken glass all over the streets. I'm already playing with a half a deck. No reason to waste the other half with lead poisoning.

I wear nitrile gloves all day at work, so it's not a big deal for me to wear them around firearms components. The instructions that came with my Forster Co-ax b3 press say to wear gloves when priming to maintain a positive purchase on the primer. Nitrile will cut down on static as well.

Thanks for the suggestion garyb.

[muggsy]

Reloading with gloves on is like showering while wearing a raincoat. Or, is that having sex with a condom? I always get those two confused. :)

[garyb]

Boooo...LOL

[muggsy]

Well, it's been a long time since I reloaded after sex. Give a guy a break, will ya? :)

[Salty]

I wear gloves for cleaning not just firearms but household chores. The skin on my hands has become very sensitive to chemicals and causes skin rash if I am not careful. I have handled tens of thousands of 22 rounds over the years and survived.

[garyb]

I wear gloves for cleaning not just firearms but household chores. The skin on my hands has become very sensitive to chemicals and causes skin rash if I am not careful. I have handled tens of thousands of 22 rounds over the years and survived.

Unless tested, we never really know for sure how much lead exposure we get...if we handle a lot of lead regularly, we might have a problem and not know it. We may survive, but we also may be dealing with lead exposure related illnesses and never make the connection. Again, we don't know unless we are tested. The best way is to "prevent" exposure. Wearing gloves and washing hands after working around components is good practice.

Handling 22's probably won't create an exposure issue. Even 22's have a wax coating or a copper coating...usually...not always. I wouldn't expect handling 22's to kill ya. Anyway, washing your hands after shooting is a good practice to prevent cross contaminating the exposure to your hands over to your mouth. Shoot, wash, then eat. Just say'in...haha.

[muggsy]

Fellas, when I was a kid I cut my teeth on the railing of my crib which was painted with leads based paint. The gas that we burned in our cars contained lead. I've cast lead bullets and fishing sinkers until the cows came home. We used to open lead split-shot with our front teeth. I kinda thinking that's what hardened me. I turned out alright, didn't I? I ain't goin to the range in a hazmat suit. I do wash my hands before I eat and after I pee. That's all the concessions that I plan to make.

[sas PM9]

Fellas, when I was a kid I cut my teeth on the railing of my crib which was painted with leads based paint. The gas that we burned in our cars contained lead. I've cast lead bullets and fishing sinkers until the cows came home. We used to open lead split-shot with our front teeth. I kinda thinking that's what hardened me. I turned out alright, didn't I? I ain't goin to the range in a hazmat suit. I do wash my hands before I eat and after I pee. That's all the concessions that I plan to make.


M:

That right there 'splains a lot.;)


I never worried too much about lead contamination, have never used gloves while reloading for almost forty years. I just used a little common sense like washing hands as above. I never rolled the lead bullets around on my tongue either. However I have had a few split shot in my teeth.
I don't think that it has affected me, affected me, affected me,affected me.:confused:

-steve