Be aware that lead can accumulate in your body and that is NOT good for you. However, if you cast lead bullets, load lead bullets and and shoot lead bullets, then there are precautions you must take:
1. You have to be aware that microscopic lead dust literally flakes off of pieces of lead. So when you handle lead ingots, parts or bullets, some of that lead dust will get on your hands. Hence, you do not want to inhale or injest that lead dust. So the rule of life is: Whenever you come in contact with lead in any form WASH YOUR HANDS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. After coming into contact with lead, do not smoke, drink or eat until AFTER you have washed your hands!
2. Whenever you cast bullets, cast only in a WELL VENTILATED ROOM. You also want to do the same when you load your lead bullets into cartridges. When you finish, then immediately wash your hands.
3. Ideally, you want to cast your Minie Balls out of pure, soft lead with one proviso: A small amount of tin in your pot of lead will produce bullets that are not only more bright and shiny but fill out the mould much, much better. Some Skirmishers get their tin by buying a roll of 50/50 solder at the local hardware store.
4. Unlike iron and steel that have a tendency to "work harden," lead has an almost unique tendency to WORK SOFTEN. In other words, you might purchase lead sheet at a scrap yard and when you check it, it is very soft. Then you cast it up into Minie Balls and they shoot poorly because their skirts are too hard! What happened?
Well, originally the lead ingots were fairly hard lead until it was ran through rollers to convert the ingots into sheets of lead. So, "working" the lead made it much softer. Fortunately, most lead sheet was made from ingots of soft lead to begin with, so usually lead sheets when melted, can be cast and make soft Minie Balls.
My point? Handling lead scrap, ingots, casting and shooting lead bullets pose not hazard to your health, IF you take some simple precautions and WASH YOUR HANDS everytime you handle lead.
Note that the "Market Price" of lead usually hovers around $1.00 per pound but when you run into lead scrap at a scrap yard, you can usually purchase lead scrap for 35 to 65 Cents per pound-depending on your negotiating skills.
1. You have to be aware that microscopic lead dust literally flakes off of pieces of lead. So when you handle lead ingots, parts or bullets, some of that lead dust will get on your hands. Hence, you do not want to inhale or injest that lead dust. So the rule of life is: Whenever you come in contact with lead in any form WASH YOUR HANDS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. After coming into contact with lead, do not smoke, drink or eat until AFTER you have washed your hands!
2. Whenever you cast bullets, cast only in a WELL VENTILATED ROOM. You also want to do the same when you load your lead bullets into cartridges. When you finish, then immediately wash your hands.
3. Ideally, you want to cast your Minie Balls out of pure, soft lead with one proviso: A small amount of tin in your pot of lead will produce bullets that are not only more bright and shiny but fill out the mould much, much better. Some Skirmishers get their tin by buying a roll of 50/50 solder at the local hardware store.
4. Unlike iron and steel that have a tendency to "work harden," lead has an almost unique tendency to WORK SOFTEN. In other words, you might purchase lead sheet at a scrap yard and when you check it, it is very soft. Then you cast it up into Minie Balls and they shoot poorly because their skirts are too hard! What happened?
Well, originally the lead ingots were fairly hard lead until it was ran through rollers to convert the ingots into sheets of lead. So, "working" the lead made it much softer. Fortunately, most lead sheet was made from ingots of soft lead to begin with, so usually lead sheets when melted, can be cast and make soft Minie Balls.
My point? Handling lead scrap, ingots, casting and shooting lead bullets pose not hazard to your health, IF you take some simple precautions and WASH YOUR HANDS everytime you handle lead.
Note that the "Market Price" of lead usually hovers around $1.00 per pound but when you run into lead scrap at a scrap yard, you can usually purchase lead scrap for 35 to 65 Cents per pound-depending on your negotiating skills.
Bringing the