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Posted: 11/4/2011 5:22:43 AM EDT
Folks,

While Son #2 is in Korea, his wife is staying with us. She is also pregnant, carrying our first grandSON. Baby's due in January.

She's a good girl, a Army Brat, and likes guns. She's even a fan of the zombie genre, what more could you ask for?

I would like to familiarize her with my firearms "just in case."

Would firing high-powered weapons by a pregnant lady be bad for a unborn baby? Would this damage it's hearing?

I do have a CMMG .22 conversion I could put in my M-forgery, by the way.  It's not quite the same, but it's close.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:25:29 AM EDT
[#1]
I'm no doctor and I don't really know the effects of shooting on an unborn child, but I would definitiely err on the side of caution and stick with a .22

I think it would be an unnecessary risk to go with anything full power.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:26:27 AM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
Folks,

While Son #2 is in Korea, his wife is staying with us. She is also pregnant, carrying our first grandSON. Baby's due in January.

She's a good girl, a Army Brat, and likes guns. She's even a fan of the zombie genre, what more could you ask for?

I would like to familiarize her with my firearms "just in case."

Would firing high-powered weapons by a pregnant lady be bad for a unborn baby? Would this damage it's hearing?

I do have a CMMG .22 conversion I could put in my M-forgery, by the way.  It's not quite the same, but it's close.


Best avoid an indoor range with the lead and the noise. Outdoor should be okay but I think caution should be taken to minimize noise exposure, such as wearing heavy clothes over the belly.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:26:55 AM EDT
[#3]
go fill the bathtub and dunk your head to the bottom. Have someone make very loud noises 3 feet above your head. How well can you hear it?  Baby is suspended in fluid sourrounded by fluid/tissue.  IMHO, I don't think the sound will harm the child.



The lead in the air on the other hand? Possibly but doubtful.  The USCG won't allow pregnant women (kind of redundant, isn't it?) shoot firearms.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:27:20 AM EDT
[#4]
I believe it's ok up until the final few weeks.

Here's some decent-looking info
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:32:00 AM EDT
[#5]
I'd be much more worried about lead than sound. Stay away from indoor ranges and just to be extra careful, don't let her handle the ammunition. Some may say that's excessive, but as far as I'm concerned, excessive is the rule of the day when it comes to prenatal care.

Congrats!
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:39:35 AM EDT
[#6]
Between the lead and the sound it's considered not OK.  The baby's hearing already exists, and even "acceptable" levels of lead exposure have been proven to cause birth defects. Being outdoors will help both, but also use a suppressor if you're gonna do it.

I looked into all this shit a couple months ago when my pregnant wife took her CHL class.  She ended up just doing the written part and will shoot after we have the baby.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:41:38 AM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
Folks,

While Son #2 is in Korea, his wife is staying with us. She is also pregnant, carrying our first grandSON. Baby's due in January.

She's a good girl, a Army Brat, and likes guns. She's even a fan of the zombie genre, what more could you ask for?

I would like to familiarize her with my firearms "just in case."

Would firing high-powered weapons by a pregnant lady be bad for a unborn baby? Would this damage it's hearing?

I do have a CMMG .22 conversion I could put in my M-forgery, by the way.  It's not quite the same, but it's close.


Ask her physician?

I am sure they will tell you to wait, why take chances with your unborn Grandchild?

You could use Airsoft to get her started on the fundamentals.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:48:38 AM EDT
[#8]
Thank you for the quick responses; I was hoping to take Lacy out shooting this weekend.

No fear of lead exposure, we shoot at my mother-in-law's pasture.

I'm thinking of mainly firing the .22 conversion, with just enough 5.56mm to familiarize her with
loading, charging, clearing, etc.  I can teach her how to use the optics (flipping up endcaps, turning on, off, aiming, etc.)
anywhere, frankly.

She likes my FNP .45, too................hmmm.

EDIT after reading the linked article: On second thought, I believe I will go heavy on 'non-firing' drills and VERY
light on  any actual firing.

I don't want a young lady in my care to be defenseless when Grandma and I are at work, but I DAMN sure don't
want young Jackson coming out with a hearing problem, either.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:49:30 AM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
go fill the bathtub and dunk your head to the bottom. Have someone make very loud noises 3 feet above your head. How well can you hear it?  Baby is suspended in fluid sourrounded by fluid/tissue.  IMHO, I don't think the sound will harm the child.

The lead in the air on the other hand? Possibly but doubtful.  The USCG won't allow pregnant women (kind of redundant, isn't it?) shoot firearms.


We just went over this in Team.

Sound attenuation in utero is about 10 dB.

The threshold for hearing damage for impulse sounds is 140 dB, per OSHA.  Note - that's for adults, but the figure works well enough.

A 16" .22LR rifle is 130 dB with subsonic ammo and is thus "hearing safe" on its own.  Supersonic ammo or a short barrel (i.e. pistol) pushes it to over the 140 dB threshold, so you should have earpro (or a can).  Almost anything centerfire will be at least 160 dB.  12ga. shotguns are at least 165 dB.  Subtract 10 dB from those figures (yes, I know direct subtraction isn't how attenuation works) and you get an approximate value of what the baby hears.


A baby's hearing is fully formed by the third trimester, and their ear canals have opened.  The hearing bones are formed much earlier than that, but the ears remain closed to prevent damage until about the 5-6 month mark.  It is NOT safe to shoot a centerfire rifle without a suppressor after the first trimester of pregnancy.

For that matter, it's not safe to shoot a 12ga. shotgun or a centerfire rifle with only one set of ~15dB attenuation foam plugs.  A <20 dB attenuation suppressor is insufficient as well.  You need two sets of earpro, one set of really good earpro, or a >30dB attenuation suppressor (or foam plugs and a cheap can) for a centerfire rifle to be hearing safe for anyone.


OP, if she wants to shoot, use the conversion kit in an AR and use the Aguila 60 grain SSS ammo.  It'll sabilize in the 1:7 barrel, it's cheap, and it's hearing safe without earpro.  Do NOT use anything centerfire.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:54:20 AM EDT
[#10]
Great post TrojanMan.  Thanks for the details. urite.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:56:25 AM EDT
[#11]
ETA: Wow, great post TrojanMan...Good info, thanks.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:56:43 AM EDT
[#12]
No to shooting.

Both lead and noise.

Emory
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:59:14 AM EDT
[#13]
Awesome way to expose a developing fetus to lead and possibly usher in pre-term labor.

All the times my wife has been pregnant, I couldn't imagine her out shooting. That is the last thing on a pregnant woman's mind.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 5:59:46 AM EDT
[#14]
Guns are a cesspool of bad chemicals to which I wouldn't want to expose a fetus unless the mother was in danger of death or grave bodily harm.  Oil, solvents, lead, fouling, priming compound, smoke, etc.  

I'd either wait or buy an airsoft replica so she can learn the controls.

January isn't far off - she can wait.  God forbid something happens to the baby and he is born with some type of defect, you'll never forgive yourself.

Congratulations on the upcoming addition.  


ETA - She should probably wait until she is done breastfeeding.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 6:07:13 AM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
No to shooting.

Both lead and noise.

Emory


Lead is not a danger at an outdoor shooting range with soft targets and an earth backstop.  

Since the universal implementation of lead free primers, the only danger is atomization of lead particles when shooting steel targets or a steel backstop (such as on an indoor range).  There is also a minor exposure due to unjacketed or traditionally jacketed (exposed base) bullets at high velocities and high chamber pressures, which will melt and expel some lead off the base of the bullet.  Same for unjacketed bullets in revolvers, some small amounts will escape out past the forcing cone.  As any reloader will tell you, though, high pressure loads with unjacketed bullets tend to be inaccurate and there's not really a reason to shoot them except for strict historical accuracy - and even older cartridges often used gas checks on bullets for exactly that reason.  Plus it leads up your barrel like crazy.

Elemental lead is not dangerous.  It is inert and cannot enter the bloodstream.  It is ionized lead in lead-containing compounds that is the danger.  Ingesting lead can create some small amounts of lead acetate when it mixes with gastric acid in the stomach, which is why you're not allowed to eat or drink on ranges.  Some ranges even go so far as to ban Chapstick and gum, though I think that might be going a little too far.

Don't be afraid of lead.  Just take some simple precautions when you're in an environment that could lead to exposure.  An open pasture with a .22LR is not one of those situations.


ETA:  And gun oil isn't going to hurt anybody either.  Even 3-in-1 or CLP is just lubricant with about 20% detergent in it - it can't hurt you by skin contact or particulate inhalation.  Solvents (i.e. Sweet's 7.62 or other copper solvents), of course, DO pose a danger but they're generally used sparingly and should be removed from the gun after cleaning.  A shooter who doesn't clean the gun should never come into contact with solvents anyhow.

I know the natural male response is to be overprotective of women who are with child.  It's a completely healthy attitude.  But there's no sense in overstating risks.
Small ammounts of caffeine or alcohol are fine (say, 50mg caffeine and 1/4 floz ethanol per day), even though many women avoid both completely.
Shooting is OK as long as you choose a low-report weapon and don't shoot indoors or at steel targets at close range.

There's a line to be drawn between prudent safety measures and full-blown paranoia.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 6:16:22 AM EDT
[#16]
Avoid all lead, oils, and cleaning solvents.  Do not let her touch, clean, or really IMHO fire a "wet" rifle (oil mist) or one without FMJ.  .22's are some of the dirtiest rounds out there-and I'd also consider a face mask and gloces, unless you are outdoors.  I've used gloves and the disposable face masks found in home depot, keep all exposed parts covered, wash/shower in cool water when done, etc.

YMMV
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 6:32:03 AM EDT
[#17]
My wife is pregnant with our first children now (Twins) and she goes nowhere near my ammo fort, and no shooting for awhile ... Too much risk of lead exposure for tiny developing bodies. Not worth the risk IMHO. Plenty of time for shooting later.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 6:44:19 AM EDT
[#18]
My wife is due in May and she still shoots, both docs said that it was okay.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 6:51:51 AM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
Thank you for the quick responses; I was hoping to take Lacy out shooting this weekend.

No fear of lead exposure, we shoot at my mother-in-law's pasture.

I'm thinking of mainly firing the .22 conversion, with just enough 5.56mm to familiarize her with
loading, charging, clearing, etc.  I can teach her how to use the optics (flipping up endcaps, turning on, off, aiming, etc.)
anywhere, frankly.

She likes my FNP .45, too................hmmm.

EDIT after reading the linked article: On second thought, I believe I will go heavy on 'non-firing' drills and VERY
light on  any actual firing.

I don't want a young lady in my care to be defenseless when Grandma and I are at work, but I DAMN sure don't
want young Jackson coming out with a hearing problem, either.


Sounds like conservative but wise thinking!  

Link Posted: 11/4/2011 6:53:01 AM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
My wife is due in May and she still shoots, both docs said that it was okay.


Your docs probably don't know near as much about this as the internet does. Seriously.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 6:58:26 AM EDT
[#21]
We asked our gyno about this exact issue. She said nothing to worry about, just limit any lead exposure to the skin and respiratory system. Meaning don't do anything ridiculously stupid, which is pretty much the mantra for everything during pregnancy. Alcohol, caffeine ect.
Link Posted: 11/4/2011 7:06:34 AM EDT
[#22]
When my wife got pregs for the first time, she loved to go shoot sporting clays.  We were advised by her doctor to steer clear of any firearm activities until after our son was born and she was done breast feeding.  Recoil is one issue, but also the host of chemicals associated with firearms.  Best to err on the side of caution.

Congrats on the grandchild!
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