TargetTalk

I live in cold area and only have outdoor ranges available near me. Since I am shooting AP only at this time I was wondering what type of things I should be concerned about while shooting in my basement.
I have seen the "indoor shooting" topic somewhere and did the search but too many irrelevent results pop up.
I know that the disposal of lead is the biggest concern and some ventilation is needed.
Where do you send the spent pellets for safe disposal and then do I really need a lot of ventilation in my basement?

Thanks in advance.

Put the pellets in the trash. Lead is an elemental metal found all over nature. It is inert unless attacked by something very basic or acidic. Lead is only harmful if ingested.

The only reason lead is toxic to waterfowl (other than killing them by direct hit) is because they scoop up spent shot when the feed in the marshes. If ducks ate some other way, we'd still be shooting lead at them.

As for ventilation, it is unecessary when shooting air guns. Firearms shooting bullets with exposed lead at the base vaporize some of that lead, which then becomes airborne. That's when you need ventilation.

But isn't it dangerous if the lead gets into the water system underground? Isn't that why there is proper disposal method for lead and other toxic items?

Anonymous wrote:But isn't it dangerous if the lead gets into the water system underground? Isn't that why there is proper disposal method for lead and other toxic items?

Go study some chemistry, then we'll discuss further. I don't waste time refuting Green Party alarmist environmental BS.

This is worth looking at...
http://www.pistolnz.org.nz/ctipart01.asp

With all due respect to Professor Rossy's theory on the effects of lead - I suggest having your blood lead levels checked after you have been shooting in your new environment for a while to make sure your levels remain within normal limits.

While handling lead pellets alone is probably not going to cause you a problem, add to that shooting in the same room where lead is flying and splattering around at high speed and it may become problematic. The risk depends on the kind of trap, available ventilation and other variables. The more you shoot, the higher the risk.

I take my spent pellets to the range where the lead is sold or recycled by guys who do their own casting.

The blood test costs less than a sleeve of match pellets - it's alot cheaper to be safe than it is to be sorry.

Good luck with your new range.


F. Paul in Denver

SolidGun wrote:I live in cold area and only have outdoor ranges available near me. Since I am shooting AP only at this time I was wondering what type of things I should be concerned about while shooting in my basement.
I have seen the "indoor shooting" topic somewhere and did the search but too many irrelevent results pop up.
I know that the disposal of lead is the biggest concern and some ventilation is needed.
Where do you send the spent pellets for safe disposal and then do I really need a lot of ventilation in my basement?

Thanks in advance.

Another option for lead disposal would be to give it to black powder shooters or bullet casters who will turn it into projectiles. Most metropolitan areas have one or two metal recyclers who might even buy it from you. Lead disposal is not a problem.

There is no lead priming compounds to worry about when shooting air guns. There is a very remote possibility that impact of the pellet against a metal back stop might produce minute quantities of lead dust. This is unlikely to affect someone that doesn't have other lead issues and can be easily removed by one of the wonderful HEPA filtered vacuums that are now available.

Lead is mobile in the environment under certain conditions that are not usually encountered, and are a concern mainly to ranges that have to deal with tons of the stuff. Normal hygiene works well for most shooters. Few of the tens of thousands of electronic assembly workers that work with the metal every day at work have lead problems. There is a lot of anecdotal information and useless, uncalibrated, ad-hoc experiments like the one linked to above. There is little reliable information concerning the generation of lead by low velocity projectiles that could be retained in the body in a form that would be hazardous. Prudence would dictate that you should get tested for lead levels before and during operation of your pistol range. Some people seem to be particularly good at collecting and retaining lead. Why isn't understood and it is not very politically correct to look into it. Lead is evil.

Larry

funtoz wrote:There is a lot of anecdotal information and useless, uncalibrated, ad-hoc experiments like the one linked to above. There is little reliable information concerning the generation of lead by low velocity projectiles that could be retained in the body in a form that would be hazardous. Prudence would dictate that you should get tested for lead levels before and during operation of your pistol range. Some people seem to be particularly good at collecting and retaining lead. Why isn't understood and it is not very politically correct to look into it. Lead is evil.

Larry

Thank you. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Nothing wrong with monitoring one's blood lead levels. It is a smart precautionary move. What I have a problem with is all the alarmist BS that accompanies the word "lead". Such BS is generated either by the uninformed, or by those with a political axe to grind.

Lead isn't a problem. Lead styphanate in primers can be - it vaporizes when fired, so you need adequate ventilation. So shoot your AP. Recycle the pellets.

http://www.nationalmatch.us/forums/inde ... post&id=44
Some facts in this opinion and misinformation-laden topic.