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Guns 101

How to de-lead after the range

Lesson notes

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Shooting exposes you to lead, a heavy metal, especially indoors. Do not touch your face or mouth before you clean up.

Hands and clothes

Wash your hands with de-lead soap and real friction, and use de-lead wipes between strings. Do not come home and sit on the couch or play with the dog in your range clothes; strip, wash range clothes separately, then shower with de-lead soap: hair, body, beard.

Shoes and hats

Use the sticky de-lead mat before you leave, keep dedicated range shoes, and leave them at the door. A hat protects your scalp; wash it too.

Ventilation

Indoor ranges need proper ventilation, or the lead has nowhere to go. Ask about it. A poorly ventilated range took Jarrod's blood-lead from 13 to 26.

Know your numbers

Under 10 is desirable. In the teens, start watching it. In the 20s, take it seriously. At 26 Jarrod had headaches, dizziness, and poor sleep, took supplements, and got back below 20. 30 is serious; 40 means go to the hospital. High lead also hits reproductive health.

If you shoot a lot, get your lead tested. Good hygiene after every range trip is the whole game.

Knowledge check

Question 1

Why bother de-leading after the range?

Question 2

What should you do with range clothes and shoes?

Question 3

Which blood-lead level means go to the hospital immediately?

Question 4

What makes indoor lead exposure worse?

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