Lead Contamination at Shooting Ranges

[HawkinsHollow]

This is a question for those of you that have shooting ranges on your property.

Do you worry about lead contamination?

Have you done anything to mitigate movement of lead into surrounding areas?

Would you be more concerned if this was an area that stay pretty wet and swampy over much of the year?

I am thinking about creating a couple 50-200 yard shooting lanes on my property so a couple buddies and I can shoot a couple hundred rounds every month or so. I am not talking about thousands of rounds every month or anything like that. Who has money to shoot that much?

Should I be concerned? What could I do to mitigate the spread of lead?

Thanks in advance for your insight!

 

[ponytug]

This is a question for those of you that have shooting ranges on your property.

Do you worry about lead contamination?

Have you done anything to mitigate movement of lead into surrounding areas?

Would you be more concerned if this was an area that stay pretty wet and swampy over much of the year?

I am thinking about creating a couple 50-200 yard shooting lanes on my property so a couple buddies and I can shoot a couple hundred rounds every month or so. I am not talking about thousands of rounds every month or anything like that. Who has money to shoot that much?

Should I be concerned? What could I do to mitigate the spread of lead?

Thanks in advance for your insight!

First, can I thank you for asking and thinking this one through?

Can I suggest using only lead free ammo? Otherwise, I think that you are opening a can of worms, especially if you invite others over.
I know that lead free ammo is subject to strongly held beliefs. Nevertheless, if you are firing lead based ammo, you are contaminating the property. FWIW:

Best Lead-Free Ammo for Hunting & Shooting [Guide]

Do you use lead-free ammo on hunts and at the range? Maybe you should. Read up on the benefits and see our list of the best lead-free ammo.

www.pewpewtactical.com

The remediation at a nearby range was to remove the top six or so feet of soil and dispose of it as hazardous waste (megabucks). Granted that was long term use, by lots of people, but you get the idea.

The problem is that the lead fragments upon impact creating fine lead dust that under goes oxidation and dispersal. Unlike many other hazardous wastes, lead is forever.

Tennessee real state laws specifically require the disclosure of lead contamination.

All the best,

Peter

 

[5030]

Our sportsman's club 'mines' the lead every couple years and sells it.

 

[groundcover]

Ours limes heavily, supposedly that changes the ph and the lead isn't supposed to leach out as readily.

 

[Doorman63]

I’ve got a 200yd range with a berm.
Mostly 556 and 6.5 Grendel

Our pistol plates get spread around the property based on the sun.

Not really thought about the lead

 

[paulsharvey]

How much are you planning on shooting? Some guys might shoot 500 rnds per year; some guys legit shoot 100,000/ year. I wouldnt even begin to worry about it until your looking at literally 100s of pounds of lead fragments. Solid lead isn't dangerous; it doesn't really migrate in solid metal form; and it would take hundreds of years to for anything to break down and leak into the aquifer. I would probably avoid eating the back stop.

Best way I've heard it explained; treat lead like human poop. Wash your hands after touching; don't eat/smoke/chew/scratch you eyes till you've washed.

If your worried; put down plastic; then 6" of sand in front of back stop; put plastic under back stop; if your shooting steel; figure splatter 10 or 15 ft left/right/front. (I would stand 10 or 15 ft from a steel plate will shooting; but figure probably 80% of the fragments fall within 3-5 ft; copper-steel jackets will go further)

The amount your talking about is nothing compared to a junk yard of old car batteries or anything; and it's not an issue. Their problems stem from fluid leakage; do the lead isn't in solid form anymore.

 

[sea2summit]

First, can I thank you for asking and thinking this one through?

Can I suggest using only lead free ammo? Otherwise, I think that you are opening a can of worms, especially if you invite others over.
I know that lead free ammo is subject to strongly held beliefs. Nevertheless, if you are firing lead based ammo, you are contaminating the property. FWIW:

Best Lead-Free Ammo for Hunting & Shooting [Guide]

Do you use lead-free ammo on hunts and at the range? Maybe you should. Read up on the benefits and see our list of the best lead-free ammo.

www.pewpewtactical.com

The remediation at a nearby range was to remove the top six or so feet of soil and dispose of it as hazardous waste (megabucks). Granted that was long term use, by lots of people, but you get the idea.

The problem is that the lead fragments upon impact creating fine lead dust that under goes oxidation and dispersal. Unlike many other hazardous wastes, lead is forever.

Tennessee real state laws specifically require the disclosure of lead contamination.

All the best,

Peter

Wonder which one is worse for our country and the environment?

 

[Streetcar]

I cleaned up shooting range that was used by club in 40s and fifties. To make it worse national guard used areas to practice equipment operations. 10 acre site 1.4 million dollars . Heavily fertilized soil and hauled it to landfill to use as cap. We excavated down six to eight feet to remove lead. Area is park now

 

[Bearsixty7]

I agree with this,

I wouldnt even begin to worry about it until your looking at literally 100s of pounds of lead fragments. Solid lead isn't dangerous; it doesn't really migrate in solid metal form; and it would take hundreds of years to for anything to break down and leak into the aquifer. I would probably avoid eating the back stop.

I have shot CAS and Skeet league for decades and reloaded both lead bullets and lead shotgun shells for just as long. A few years ago during a physical I asked the Doctor to also request a lead test in my blood work just so I knew. It came back well in limits with absolutely no concern.

 

[Tinhack]

People should be more concerned about Fentanyl. Enough can be transferred by simply touching a contaminated object to kill you. Also, enough comes across the southern border in one month to kill every man, women and child in the US. Where are you going to dump all that dirt? You're worried about a few lead bullets?