Anybody have any web links or information re potential health risks due to air quality at indoor gun ranges?  Thanks, -websensei

I don't know of anything definitive, but anecdotal evidence suggests that air quality isn't *always* bad in an indoor range:

Apparently the range officers at the range at NRA headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia, are tested regularly for things like lead levels in the blood, and they generally have lower levels than most of the people in Northern Virginia who commute on the highway to DC every day.

Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

-BP

OSHA put the kibosh on indoor ranges 18 or so years ago.  I remember this well as most of the highschool ranges were shut down.  Ours wasn't....we had exhaust fans downrange that kept the lead to a minimum.

Most commercial ranges have more than adequate ventilation.  Its easy down in the south but in the winter season, it must be a bear to keep these ranges comfortable.

www.co.ba.md.us/police/academy/html/lead_poisoning.htm

www.lrc.arizona.edu/courses/webpath2/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNOTHR.HTM

www.dhs.cahwnet.gov/ohb/OLPPP/pntblnk1.htm

www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/lead/shoot.htm

www.pla-net.net/~precart/lead.html

Good question. When I win the Powerball I plan on building a indoor range on my estate thats attached to my gun room/work shop/vault. I will make it about 5 lanes wide and able to accomidate up to 30 cal non magnums. It will all have a lock from the inside, and a delux crapper! Hell, I just may live there after the wife leaves me for not paying any attention to her. A mans gotta have a dream.

Our indoor range has good air handlers (if the morons would leave them running) Some old coot will always walk over and turn them off because he's cold, then starts shooting a few boxes of lead bullet reloads out of his .45!

I took a group to the range for lunch and one of my buds shot a little too low.  At the 25 yard line there was a small fire that popped up.  I ran out and told the range master and he said don't worry too much.  If it doesn't go out in 15 minutes come back and get us.  I guess when they sweep the floor there is enough unburnt powder resisdue to be a little hazzardous.  It was pretty cool though.

Quoted: If it doesn't go out in 15 minutes come back and get us.  I guess when they sweep the floor there is enough unburnt powder resisdue to be a little hazzardous.  It was pretty cool though.

 No, it's not cool. They are not cleaning that range. I've seen a flash fire in an indoor range before. It's not a pretty sight and you wouldn't want to be caught in there when it happened.

My view is this. How long does a person actually spend in an indoor range at one time? One or two hours once a week, maybe twice? You would have to spend hours at a time for the lead to be any concern.
However, if you go in your local indoor range and you are already choking to death as soon as you set foot in the range, you may want to tell the owner to clean the range up and find another place to shoot.
I do sometimes see a few people wearing those white surgical masks when they shoot indoors. That may be an option if air quality is your concern.
Or practice your shooting skills using that gas mask you bought after the WTC attacks during the anthrax scare.

ArmaLiter