ChesterP
Well-Known Member
Another thread prompted me to have a think about us regular shooters and how often we come into compounds which are extremely hazardous for our health so I thought it might be an interesting subject to share experience and have a discussion on it. There will, of course, be opinions ranging from "don't bother worrying about it" to "hazmat suit worn every time!". However, it's not meant to be a circular argument but a forum discussion which may throw up something that we can all learn from. I'm not a chemist nor a biologist so please excuse my ignorance. I'm a humble engineer.
I visited HPS a few years ago and took and interest in Matt's new drying machine for brass. I asked him what prompted a change from the large tumblers which invariably were running most times I visited and his explanation gave me pause for thought.
Matt had recently retuned from a course on methods of batch processing/cleaning to see if there was anything he and his team could learn from and it was he who raised the issue with me and suggested I give it some thought. Of course, I don't turn over anything like the volumes he deals with on a daily basis but I do monthly batch up to several hundred rounds for case prep and reloading.
What I learned was this. Of most concern are the compounds used in primers. Primers contain, amongst others, a mix of Lead Styphnate, Barium Nitrate, Tetrazine and Antimony Sulphide. When detonated, the resultant residue contains traces of these chemicals which are known to be toxic, including cumulative toxins like lead. Over prolonged use, coming into contact with these can lead to respiratory disease and potential for poisoning of the central nervous system. More recent studies also concluded that by volume of toxicity, non lead projectile alternatives such as copper led to greater occurrence of respiratory conditions with symptoms occurring within a few days of exposure. Much of this contact happens during the firing, but in the case of case prep, shooters may have become rather unsensitised to the real dangers present when tumbling brass as the fine dust particles create a cloud of toxic fine powder in enclosed spaces which if inhaled can lead to serious long term health issues which may materialise some time later.
In Matt's case, his answer was to use ultrasonic cleaning which contains the compounds within solution, and then air drying the brass.
I modified my own regime but grew tired of U/S cleaning and drying as it was time consuming. Now, I dry tumble in a ventilated space and use gloves and an FP3 rated face mask when opening the lid of the tumbler and sieving the media into a bucket before returning to the tumbler. The media becomes more contaminated with each use so I dispose of the media after perhaps half a dozen uses because it is cheap and I want to limit my exposure. I recently had to have a CT scan of my chest and I asked that they look at my lungs as part of the scan to see of recent years has resulted in any changes from my last one some 5 years back when my chest was clear as a bell. The results came back showing that I have developed a nodule on one lung, so I am having this looked into further but it may be completely unrelated to my shooting (or it may not be).
I guess that limiting exposure time and toxicity levels is key to staying healthy so this would point to U/S or wet tumbling as perhaps the safer methods of cleaning.
My reloading stages are tumble, de-cap, full length size, trim as needed, wipe off excess lube using a kitchen towel (most use far too much lube...just a little on the fingers is plenty for several cases), prime, load powder and bullets. My workshop has the tumbler next to an open window where I leave it to chug on for perhaps 30 to 40 minutes, sometimes longer. I wear a face mask when entering, switch off and leave for a further hour before returning with nitrile gloves and the mask to deal with the media and cases.
That's about as much as I do personally, but don't know, as it's unscientific beyond knowing it's toxic stuff, whether I should be doing more to limit any effects on health. The related subject includes barrel cleaning. How many, I wonder, bother with gloves? For years, I never bothered but now, reading what's in some of these cleaning agents (again, highly toxic in many cases) and repeated exposure to detonating compounds, lead and copper (both toxic) I shall be routinely wearing gloves and becoming less blasé about the whole thing.
I visited HPS a few years ago and took and interest in Matt's new drying machine for brass. I asked him what prompted a change from the large tumblers which invariably were running most times I visited and his explanation gave me pause for thought.
Matt had recently retuned from a course on methods of batch processing/cleaning to see if there was anything he and his team could learn from and it was he who raised the issue with me and suggested I give it some thought. Of course, I don't turn over anything like the volumes he deals with on a daily basis but I do monthly batch up to several hundred rounds for case prep and reloading.
What I learned was this. Of most concern are the compounds used in primers. Primers contain, amongst others, a mix of Lead Styphnate, Barium Nitrate, Tetrazine and Antimony Sulphide. When detonated, the resultant residue contains traces of these chemicals which are known to be toxic, including cumulative toxins like lead. Over prolonged use, coming into contact with these can lead to respiratory disease and potential for poisoning of the central nervous system. More recent studies also concluded that by volume of toxicity, non lead projectile alternatives such as copper led to greater occurrence of respiratory conditions with symptoms occurring within a few days of exposure. Much of this contact happens during the firing, but in the case of case prep, shooters may have become rather unsensitised to the real dangers present when tumbling brass as the fine dust particles create a cloud of toxic fine powder in enclosed spaces which if inhaled can lead to serious long term health issues which may materialise some time later.
In Matt's case, his answer was to use ultrasonic cleaning which contains the compounds within solution, and then air drying the brass.
I modified my own regime but grew tired of U/S cleaning and drying as it was time consuming. Now, I dry tumble in a ventilated space and use gloves and an FP3 rated face mask when opening the lid of the tumbler and sieving the media into a bucket before returning to the tumbler. The media becomes more contaminated with each use so I dispose of the media after perhaps half a dozen uses because it is cheap and I want to limit my exposure. I recently had to have a CT scan of my chest and I asked that they look at my lungs as part of the scan to see of recent years has resulted in any changes from my last one some 5 years back when my chest was clear as a bell. The results came back showing that I have developed a nodule on one lung, so I am having this looked into further but it may be completely unrelated to my shooting (or it may not be).
I guess that limiting exposure time and toxicity levels is key to staying healthy so this would point to U/S or wet tumbling as perhaps the safer methods of cleaning.
My reloading stages are tumble, de-cap, full length size, trim as needed, wipe off excess lube using a kitchen towel (most use far too much lube...just a little on the fingers is plenty for several cases), prime, load powder and bullets. My workshop has the tumbler next to an open window where I leave it to chug on for perhaps 30 to 40 minutes, sometimes longer. I wear a face mask when entering, switch off and leave for a further hour before returning with nitrile gloves and the mask to deal with the media and cases.
That's about as much as I do personally, but don't know, as it's unscientific beyond knowing it's toxic stuff, whether I should be doing more to limit any effects on health. The related subject includes barrel cleaning. How many, I wonder, bother with gloves? For years, I never bothered but now, reading what's in some of these cleaning agents (again, highly toxic in many cases) and repeated exposure to detonating compounds, lead and copper (both toxic) I shall be routinely wearing gloves and becoming less blasé about the whole thing.
