How harmful are lead pellets?

[SciGuy]

The metallic lead of lead pellets and bullets is actually very safe.  This differs from the organic lead seen in lead paint and leaded gasoline.  Organic lead is highly toxic and responsible for the developmental problems seen when kids would eat the lead paint.  The organic lead is very easily absorbed into the body while metallic lead (pellets and bullets) is not. 

Lead shot is dangerous to waterfowl because the birds eat the lead shot like they eat small stones.  This lead shot then stays in their gizzard for a very long time and is slowly dissolved through the combined mechanical action of the gizzard combined with the digestive acids.  As long as you haven't grown a gizzard, even accidentally swallowing a lead pellet will not expose you to enough lead to be of any concern.  Now, if you are eating a tin of pellets a week, you have other issues that need dealt with.

For folks that shoot powderburners indoors a lot, lead exposure can be a problem but it is not from the bullet.  This lead exposure is actually from the lead salts in primers and powder.  Further, reloaders are then exposed to these lead salts when they handle the unwashed used cartridges.

Just be smart and lead pellets are fine.

[MarkFive]

Lead is especially dangerous for young minds. Children and pregnant women need to avoid lead, it causes several mental malformations and deficiencies in children.

As an adult lead poisoning is the main concern, but that takes alot of lead. Just keep your kids/grandkids safe.


Mark5

[Pete]

Pretty low risk...
unless you intend to eat them or stand in front of a loaded AG..

[path]

Ive been a plumber in Chicago area for 25 years + we still use cast iron pipe with lead joints some weeks burn more than 1000 lbs. ive heated my lunches on the furnace warmed myself ect. there was a good program with John Stossal called the fleecing of america about 10 years ago on tv about lead and its misunderstanding dont know if i spelt his name correctly he was on 20/20 or that type of show thanks Pat.

[farrlarr]

Very good information provided by SciGuy, particularly on differentiation between organic lead and metallic lead.  Bottom line is that metallic lead is not going to leach into ground water and poison the world, nor is handling pellets or bullets going to cause problems (unless "handling" involves getting shot with them!).

[PhantomF4E]

As previously stated  metallic lead is quite stable .  Ask those old WW2 , Korea, and Vietnam vets  who have a load of lead in their keesters  and are dying from old age about that  !!!  It is the lead oxides  that you want to stay away from.. Don’t go eating it very often , and wash your hands  and you will be fine !!  If you have any old pellets with the white stuff on it  don’t be sniffing that stuff.  You can clean them off and re lube them though .  Don’t use your wife’s colander for the pellets  … She will be more dangerous than the lead if you do .

[Nathan]

Here's a interesting article.

Nathan

[TOM aka critter99]

Most hazardous when it moving 850 FPS or so.

Not a big deal use common sense don't splatter pellets on a metal plate inside the house, do not cook in your pellet washing bowl, keep em outta ya mouth, you will die of old age before your lead hobby pellets

[Mark@]

They're much better with oil and a little garlic.  Wait...what was the question again?

[Crosshairs]

For many years i loaded my own bullets and I'm talking 30 years or more as long as clean your hands and don't put your hands in your mouth or breath in the lead dust you wont have a problem. I have been a member to a local gun club for 40 years and many of us reload not one person has had a problem related to lead poison.
                                              Mike

[Mark@]

The bottom line: Use common sense and the kids will live long enough to wear diapers again.