Lead Protocol: Mitigating Lead Exposure with Firearms

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This article is not medical advice. If your lead levels are elevated, talk to your doctor about treatment options. The below represents one man’s experience. 

When was the last time you had your lead levels tested? When I first started training on firearms, back in the “olden days” of 2009, any talk of caution regarding lead exposure was considered flagrantly anti-gun propaganda. We ate snacks in between mag dumping at indoor ranges without a care in the world. 

Imagine my shock when some routine blood tests in 2014 revealed that I had elevated lead levels. With the stability and level headedness that young people are known for, I immediately assumed that my ability to train and compete with firearms was over. This would prove to be as misguided as my previous blaise attitude toward lead exposure in general, and in the years since, I have increased my round count, while decreasing my lead levels. 

Lead poisoning from too much lead exposure can lead to high blood pressure, strokes, neurological issues (such as headaches, trouble thinking, and mood swings), joint pain, and birth defects in one’s children. It is especially bad for pregnant women and young children, as it can negatively impact brain development, causing lifelong cognitive problems. 

Lead levels are currently measured in micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) of lead in one’s blood. If you get a lead test, you will get a number, ranging from 0 to 100+. The American average lead level is 3 µg/dL as of the time of this writing, with 0-9 being considered to be in the normal range for adults. Studies have shown that members of law enforcement or the military, range employees, and professional shooters from around the world frequently have elevated lead levels. 

Where does the exposure for shooters come from? We know most bullets contain lead, but it’s not like (most of us) are chewing on bullets. How does lead get into our bloodstream? 

When a gun is fired, it can create lead dust in two ways. The first is through the primer. Most primers contain a certain amount of lead to help the ignition of the propellant. In my experience, the lead in the primer is a much smaller factor than the other avenue of exposure - the bullet itself. 

Full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets are not fully jacketed in copper, as the name would have us believe. Instead, the base of the bullet, which faces the powder, is exposed lead. Debris from this exposed base is converted into dust and fumes when the powder ignites and forces the round down the barrel. 

Lead from both the primer and the bullet can be inhaled from the air, and ingested from our hands if we do not take proper precautions. Repeated exposure to lead can lead to higher lead levels (and their corresponding health complications) for dedicated shooters. 

Assuming one reduces their exposure, lead levels will decline over time. But the drop is not immediate. Excess lead is stored in the body’s bones and can return to the bloodstream. Treatments exist that can accelerate the process, which your doctor may discuss with you if your levels are extremely elevated, but most of the time, time away from continued exposure is the preferred treatment. 

None of us want to take time away from the range, so even if your lead levels are elevated, following a proper lead protocol is important to make sure we can keep training and staying at the top of our game while staying healthy.  

I got my first lead test in 2014 as part of a routine series of labs after reading an article in a gun magazine about the topic. I was unable to locate the article when doing background work for this piece. The article was an older piece even at the time, and some of the information was outdated or not properly documented. But the piece also contained some excellent action steps to take to avoid lead poisoning, and I implemented these and more into my own range protocols. 

As a young (and poor) competitive shooter in 2014, I registered a lead level of 10 µg/dL after shooting roughly 3,000 rounds a year since 2012. I implemented a lead protocol following that test, and have shot between 5k and 10k rounds a year (depending on the year) since then. My lead levels have consistently declined since 2014, with a test this spring (2025) revealing a level of 1.3 µg/dL, well below the national average of 3.0. 

Using the below protocol, I increased my annual round count, while decreasing my lead levels. That’s a win in any reckoning. 

As stated in the disclaimer, I’m not a doctor, and your mileage may vary. Work with your doctor to come up with a plan if your lead levels are elevated. Here’s what I did to reduce my lead levels. 

Lead Protocol: 

• Wash your hands and face with lead removal wipes and/or lead removal soap when you are done shooting or handling firearms (especially before eating).

I always keep a pack of de-lead wipes in my car so when I’m done shooting, I can wipe off my hands and face before eating or drinking. It’s a simple precaution that goes a long way. 

• Wear range-specific clothes and shoes that get washed separately from the rest of the laundry. 

The lead residue from firing doesn’t just get on our hands and faces, but our clothes as well. I change clothes as soon as I get home from the range and wash those clothes separately, to not expose other family members to the lead residue. 

• Shower as soon as you get home.

Using the same rationale as for the clothes, I also shower immediately after returning home from the range to remove the lead residue from my hair and skin and limit second-hand exposure for my family. 

• Use rubber/latex gloves when cleaning firearms. 

Solvents are designed to dissolve carbon, lead, and other debris in the barrel into liquid form. If we don’t wear gloves during the cleaning process, this residue can be absorbed into our skin, thus increasing our exposure.

• Use cased, total metal jacket, or hollow point rounds as much as possible.

Much of the lead exposure from shooting comes from the lead at the base of a FMJ round being exposed, so it stands to reason that if we stick with rounds that have a jacked base, we can reduce our exposure. These rounds do tend to be a bit more expensive, so the benefits must be weighed against the cost. If you’re shooting a handgun outdoors and being diligent about the other elements of this protocol, you can probably get away with a few thousand FMJ rounds per  But if you are shooting a suppressed carbine, ammo selection matters a lot more. 

Personally, I shoot hollow point rounds exclusively when shooting suppressed carbines, and I shoot federal syntech rounds, which are completely jacketed with no exposed lead and lead-free primers, when doing high round count handgun competition training.

• Tune suppressed rifles to prevent excess exposure

Back pressure increases operator exposure to the debris from the firing process, so it’s important to find ways to tune your semi-auto rifle properly. This can be done by different gas blocks, gas tubes, and charging handles, or by use of a low back pressure can, like a Huxwrx suppressor. Flow through cans are not just a convenience, they can decrease your lead exposure and keep you healthy. 

• Avoid too much time in indoor ranges.

Modern indoor ranges have high end air exchangers that help make them less toxic environments, but historically, indoor ranges have been some of the fastest ways to get elevated lead levels. Dust from the firing process hangs in the air and collects on the floor and other surfaces, while the impact of the bullets against the backstop creates more lead dust. In short, it’s a high exposure environment. 

If your lead levels are currently elevated, it might be worth considering avoiding indoor ranges entirely until they are back into a normal range. If you do shoot indoors, make sure you are diligent about the rest of your protocols to control what you can control in that environment. 

• Get tested regularly. 

If your lead levels are in the normal range, it’s a good idea to get tested at least once a year to ensure that they are staying roughly flat. If they are elevated, your doctor will likely recommend quarterly tests until they fall into the normal range. Either way, keep a record of your numbers over time so you can know when you need to be more careful and if your protocols are working to keep your lead levels in check. 

Lead exposure is neither something to ignore, nor an excuse to not train and compete. With these simple precautions, you can continue to train hard and stay safe, while protecting yourself from unnecessary lead poisoning.