Its not gone... pretty much every single person that shoots guns need to be aware of this. Of course gun people don't care about their health and they think with their 45 ug/dL lead level that youre "overreacting"...
D-Lead is a very good company for deleading that i use obsessively, when shooting
I once called them and talked to an engineer about lead for like 1.5 hours. I think it really surprised him someone was so interested and he was happy to share.
It’s definitely a concern of mine, thanks for the heads up about that company.
For those that aren’t aware, the primer in cartridges typically have lead styphnate, barium nitrate, and tetrazene, among other things. So even if your bullets have a complete copper jacket, you still get significant lead particulate exposure, especially indoors or with a suppressor with high back pressure. No idea if whatever smokeless powders are used are doped with something fun or not. Bullets with exposed lead have additional concerns, as the surface gets flash melted/vaporized in addition to particles generated from barrel friction. This all adds up.
Never clean guns/suppressors with vinegar (acetic acid), because that just creates lead acetate, a highly bioavailabile form of lead that makes elemental lead look safe by comparison, and legally and morally requires proper hazardous waste disposal.
Fortunately there are alternatives showing up now, including some with lead free primers, but damn if it isn’t expensive, and as expected copper/zinc/mild steel bullets have trouble competing with lead for performance because it comes down to mass.
The lead acetate thing is fun to research, I went down that rabbit hole once, not because I'd ever do it but I like watching other people do it. It is called "the dip" and theres tons of videos saying DONT DO THIS but then showing you how to do it, haha. It turns bright blue or purple, I can't remember... but it's very colorful. Reminds me of the good old days of emerald green which was made of arsenic in the 1920s.
The lead jacket is always torn open and the barrel smeared with vaporized lead that comes flying out of the muzzle. There is no bullet that prevents lead poisoning in the environment. I'm a reloader/target marksman that has trapped/recovered plenty of bullets in my time.
Definitely wouldn't be worse as there will only be lead dust from erosion of the pellet in the barrel instead of additionally having lead/lead-compound vapor from the heat and chemical reactions.
But it's still a concern, so hands, arms, and face should definitely be washed after loading/shooting/cleaning. Extended firing sessions should be followed by a shower and clothes change.
Fortunately, the elemental lead in cast pellets/bullets is not very bioavailable, however it's still a good idea to minimize exposure.
D-Lead is a very good company for deleading that i use obsessively, when shooting
I once called them and talked to an engineer about lead for like 1.5 hours. I think it really surprised him someone was so interested and he was happy to share.