I have been reading up on which case cleaner to get, and I'm concerned about lead dust. Someone on Midway wrote that they prefer the RCBS Sidewinder since the lid goes on tightly, so no dust can escape. Also, you can use liquid media to clean.

I've also seen people post advice about adding some dryer sheets to the vibrating bowl type cleaners to trap dust particles.

What is the consensus on lead dust problems with case cleaners?

IMO, A bit too much ado about little or nothing. If you're really worried about the lead issue, run your tumbler in a well ventilated area and wear a respirator while working with it or around it.

I should clarify a bit. Little ones in the house, with their bikes and other stuff in the garage. So I want to minimize the dust issue as much as possible, for greater WAF.

Just buy factory ammo till the little one's are growed up. You should have enough brass stockpiled by then to last forever

Cut the guy a little slack. He has a legitimate question.

The amount of lead remaining in/on the case from the primer and jacketed bullets is very, very small. When you empty/sift the media keep the kids away and they won't inhale any. Vacuum up the media you spill and the exposure will be minimized.

Use copper bullets on game killed for the table and you really have nothing to worry about.

Just don't use a tumbler.

Use other methods to clean your cases. Spare the cost of the tumbler, cleaning media and additives. Don't have to worry about and kind of dust in the air, dust in your action, dust in your barrel, listen to that thing vibrate or wait on it.

Why are you tumbling your bullets?

Same kids/garage scenario at my house so I run mine outside, oftentimes. I also keep the media damp with water - it cuts way down on the dust and it cleans the cases much, much better.

Mark

I don't seem to have the dust problem....maybe because I use quite a bit of activator in the walnut shells.

But my question.....How do we know this dust is lead?.....

quote:

my question.....How do we know this dust is lead?.....

We don't. And most of it isn't. The concern is valid but there is no real substance to any hazard of such tiny quanities in tumbling dust. Just don't clean your fingers by licking them while reloading and all will be fine.

There is very little "lead" in modern primers and most of that gets blown out the muzzle. What's left in the cases us pretty tivial and very little of that gets into the air in our loading area.

Most such dust we see is from the pulversing of the media itself AND the excess of polish that so many of us over add.

vapodog Good question!
It seems our society is being run more and more by safety natzis, and nannies. Just the mention of a potentially harmful substance brings out cries to ban, avoid at all costs, control, tax, etc. etc. the offending substance. This is done with no proof of actual harm by that type of exposure.
Major decisions affecting large populations are being made based upon emotions rather than science, logic, fact and rational analysis.
Sorry for the rant. Kind of off topic but this has been a pet peeve of mine for some years. And your questioning of the lead "problem" made me feel good that there are others out there who question the nannies and the safety natzis.


muck

FWIW I think folks should avoid breathing any dust as there can be no gains from it.....the flip side is that most dust is inert and harmless and we shouldn't be afraid to venture outdoors because of some dust here and there! The air in peoples homes contain dust!!!!

When someone claims the dust to be hazardous then one must listen.....but, as has been said.....so much of it pure .

If you use FMJs or at least gas checked bullets, the lead should not be a problem. The time when your lead hazard, if any, is the most likely to occur is when you are separating the brass from the media after cleaning.