Drew, Fired, and Filled a Body With Lead

Lead poisoning is a real and very significant risk for those of you shoot regularly. I have never seen this discussed on here, but it is vitally important for your safety and the safety of your loved ones.First and foremost: There is no safe level of exposure to lead. If lead can be detected in your blood at all, you are seriously risking your health.Even at very low concentrations (2 μg/dL) your risk for stroke, heart attack, and heart disease SKYROCKET. Lead poisoning is also linked to erectile dysfunction, so if you like having a hard pee pee every once and a while keep reading.If you REGULARLY SHOOT AT INDOOR RANGES, SHOOT CAST OR UN-JACKETED BULLETS or ARE CURRENTLY PREGNANT you are at HIGH RISK.Go to your goddamned doctor and get a blood test for lead. Its cheap and very likely covered by your insurance. Do not put this off, lead can take decades to remove from your body, and you'll be feeling symptoms the whole time.Don't want to listen to me? Fine, take it from Ayoob.“I would rather forage for food at a toxic waste dump than shoot regularly at an indoor firing range.”—Massad AyoobI know this is going to make a lot of you roll your eyes, but if you do just one thing, listen to Ayoob and stay out of indoor shooting ranges. Even if it looks clean, you will not be able to see the lead. Even State/Federal ranges with 6 figure air filtration systems have trouble staying within lead exposure standards. If the professionals are having that much trouble, do you really think Joe's Pawn and Gun is staying on top of things? If you're still skeptical, walk into your favorite indoor range and ask when they last tested for air and surface lead contamination. You'll be lucky if they even bother.The problem here is usually lead dust. It builds up on the shooting lanes, floors, vending machines, and bathrooms. In one visit can walk out with 100 range sessions worth of lead on your clothing and hands and not even know it. EVEN IF IT DOESN'T F*CK YOU UP, little Jimmy hugging your pant leg at home gets a face full of lead and has to stay back a grade because of your stupid ass.Lead enters your body via:Absorption: touching ears, eyes, nose, nail beds, gums without washing your handsInhalation: vaporized lead inhaled during shooting, airborne lead dust in indoor rangesIngestion: eating or drinking after shooting (or cleaning) guns without washing your handsDon't be stupid. Please for the love of god don't touch your goddamned face, wash your hands, and shoot outdoors whenever possible.Bonus brownie points:Use lead free primersUse lead free bullets or TMJ (total metal jacket) bullets (FMJ has a lead base that vaporizes when fired)Speer makes cheap range ammo under their "Lawman" brand which fulfills these requirements for 21 cents/round 9mm. Freedom munitions also sells a TMJ round in many of their re-manufactured offerings for around 20 cents/round 9mm. You can protect yourself from exposure while still shooting cheaply. via /r/CCW http://ift.tt/1ZmC3Qj