hazardous materials airborn particles from cleaning primer pockets?

[WillyTP]

And-- if ya drink too much, or smoke, or are overweight, text and drive, don't wear your seatbelt, eat a crappy diet, have teenagers or a spendaholic wife -- well, compared to any of these things a little primer dust doesn't even rate. jd

I fit 5 of the above categories, maybe I should just eat primers

 

[MoneyWaster]

My available expert tells me that the explosive weight of a primer ranges between 26 to 40 milligrams and that the elemental stuff in some primers is lead (styphnate) (35%), barium (nitrate) (33%), antimony sulphate (15%), aluminum powder (8%) and other minor amounts of primary and high explosives. Lead in any form is toxic, and barium nitrate being soluble is toxic and when combined with aluminum makes for a flashy explosion. I have heard that ground glass is added to primers. The antimony is a skin irritant. I never did very well in my undergraduate chemistry classes.

So don't lick your fingers or eat peanuts or pop corn while decapping brass or loading ammo. I like to wear nitrile gloves because I can toss the gloves in the trash when the loading is completed and traces of my activities are removed when the trash is hauled away instead of lingering on my body.

The biggest concern for anyone should be keeping this material away from infants and toddlers as it is much more toxic to their central nervous system than it is to an adult's.

 

[snert]

dang, so much for starting them young...

 

[jds holler]

I'm 61 years old, and have been in the working world for nearly 50 years. (yeah, a lot of us started working pretty young)

Back in the early days of my money making, it's amazing to think of the cleaners, paints, chemicals, and methods of getting the job done that have since been controlled, modified, or out-right banned.

I don't think the term HAZMAT had been invented, and protective clothing was rain-gear. Goggles, respirators, or even dust masks were almost never seen, and skin absorption of chemicals was never even considered. Work place safety was mainly concerned with not getting squashed, amputated, burned alive, or maybe electrocuted. I can remember how ridiculous we thought the whole aspestos thing was.

After the generation of guys about my age finally catch our case of cancer and die, it wouldn't surprise me if the next one actually starts living to a hundred years and up. Except the ones who die from obesity and inactivity. (and maybe boredom)

I look back at the years of unhealthy stuff my body has endured, and something like bullet casting and primer dust seems pretty inconsequential by comparison. I'm not saying that a little concern is unwarranted, but lets keep it in perspective. And anyone who smokes cigarettes oughta realize that there probably isn't anything else you could do that would be more harmful to your your overall health. jd

 

[pirate ammo]

as I've said before,,living on earth causes cancer and will kill you,,68 now and with some of the things I've done and worked with I should have been planted a long time ago,,

 

[Comrade Terry]

with some of the things I've done and worked with I should have been planted a long time ago,,

I sometimes marvel that I'm still alive after 70+ years of living like most of us did.

 

[pirate ammo]

I sometimes marvel that I'm still alive after 70+ years of living like most of us did.

you got to go down kicking and screaming,I was born and raised in northwest Florida,,if it hasn't killed me by now,I damn sure not changing a thing,,

 

[MGYSGT]

I've been reloading for 35yrs and I am gust phine. Nathing rong wit me at all.