Fun fact, the wolf reintroduction efforts in many places across the US have been going very well! I’m only posting this because you mentioned wolves and I think it’s like one of the very few positive environmental stories I know of. We still need to hunt (mostly deer) to keep population from exceeding the habitat carrying capacity in many places. But it’s super neat that there’s people out there working to restore some of the collective harm on the environment that we’ve caused.

I don’t reload so that takes that extra aspect out.

Is… is there an irl infinite ammo cheat no one ever told me about?

It also builds off several other studies that have accumulated over the last 2 decades. It even says that in the conclusion of the study re-linked here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749379726003168?dgcid=author

CONCLUSIONS

Extant literature has demonstrated that even low levels of lead contribute to significant impairments across the life course.1 Associations between firearm use and blood lead concentrations have been well documented among adults.4 For children, evidence is accumulating that firearm-related lead exposure may be a serious public health problem, as even low-level exposures result in higher levels of externalizing and depressive symptoms and an increased risk of criminality and violent injury.3,32,

Here’s a separate NIH survey study that concludes you should avoid eating, drinking, or smoking while shooting, and washing and changing clothes after. As well as other precautions that are more out of your control most of time: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5379568/

Prevention includes clothing changed after shooting, behavioural modifications such as banning of smoking and eating at firing ranges, improved ventilation systems and oversight of indoor ranges, and development of airflow systems at outdoor ranges. Eliminating lead dust risk at firing ranges requires primary prevention and using lead-free primers and lead-free bullets.

You’re much nicer, and a lot less asshole-ish, than I am at walking through this topic. May I learn from you the next time I feel the need to call it out. Anyway here’s a cool illustration of how getting a PhD works that succinctly frames this concept in my opinion:

https://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/

I have multiple pieces of paper that say I’m smart too. Some of those pieces of paper are even college ruled! I also have been on the internet since you had to make funny phone sounds to log on. I don’t think I’ve ever been like (in my best nasally Ben Shapiro voice), “Everyone is stupid and a 5th grader. Also I’m smart so I don’t want to deal with stupid people cause you’re all stupid.” I don’t think it’s helpful, it’s thought terminating, and is often said by people that are super wrong and they say it so they won’t be challenged.

I’m just a guy here challenging those douches and you gotta come in here and try to white knight for them. I seriously don’t get it unless…

besides they didn’t say you were stupid, they said they are free to make you feel stupid. you clearly are dealing with some feelings of inadequacy and felt threatened by that statement.

Totally got me pegged on that huh? Not projecting in the slightest are we? Maybe I just think douchebags should be called out so they stop being douchey? But maybe you’re right and it was a personal challenge to PhD guy and you had to come along and ruin it. I guess we’ll never know now will we?

Hey buddy! I have that link and many more further down. Here’s a review by the NIH though that might help truncate some of the legwork:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5379568/

Feel free to bring in other sources though. I couldn’t find any studies that show the negative but that’s a little more tricky and not something most people are trying to study. Also there are like hundreds of other studies out there than seem to show a pretty strong correlation that are a quick search away!

You are being incredibly selective in your reading and it’s showing in your highlights. You deliberately didn’t highlight the word “licensure” for instance in one of your quotes. You are literally following the climate denier playbook here and selectively choosing words in the non-conclusion parts of studies and glossing over the data parts. I don’t know what to tell you other than have a nice day, cause I, nor the absolute mountain of evidence to the contrary of your belief, is going to convince you otherwise.

Just note to anyone else that stumbles upon this thread, there are literally hundreds of studies that have shown that firearm use and lead levels have a direct correlation. Here’s an example of a review of some of those studies done by the NIH in regards to specifically firing ranges:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5379568/

Results

Thirty-six articles were reviewed that included BLLs from shooters at firing ranges. In 31 studies BLLs > 10 μg/dL were reported in some shooters, 18 studies reported BLLs > 20 μg/dL, 17 studies > 30 μg/d, and 15 studies BLLs > 40 μg/dL. The literature indicates that BLLs in shooters are associated with Pb aerosol discharge from guns and air Pb at firing ranges, number of bullets discharged, and the caliber of weapon fired.

Furthermore the conclusion is not a “may be” no matter how much anyone wishes it to be so:

Shooting at firing ranges results in the discharge of Pb dust, elevated BLLs, and exposures that are associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes. Women and children are among recreational shooters at special risk and they do not receive the same health protections as occupational users of firing ranges. Nearly all BLL measurements compiled in the reviewed studies exceed the current reference level of 5 μg/dL recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH). Thus firing ranges, regardless of type and user classification, currently constitute a significant and unmanaged public health problem. Prevention includes clothing changed after shooting, behavioural modifications such as banning of smoking and eating at firing ranges, improved ventilation systems and oversight of indoor ranges, and development of airflow systems at outdoor ranges. Eliminating lead dust risk at firing ranges requires primary prevention and using lead-free primers and lead-free bullets.

What? Your reading comprehension is really, like extremely, bad. You might want to get that checked out. That or you’re super desperate to confirm your biases. You should consider reading them again and trying to remove this weird obsession with thinking multiple scientist, across several universities, are conspiring to make gun owners look dumb by trying to make sure they aren’t exposed to lead. Either way, given your response here I think I’m done with this conversation.

Dude you don’t have to white knight for the douchey PhD guy. Saying shit like that, even if you are really super duper smart, is incredibly arrogant. People that say shit like, “I’m super smart and you’re super dumb and I have a piece of paper to prove how super smart I am.” Are gigantic douche bags. It ranks up there with, “I have a huge IQ.” In levels of douche-dom. In fact, the more I think about it the more I think this is some shit that Trump would say. Just outrageously, fart smellingly, douchey.

So no I’m not gonna imagine the scenario where you somehow think I’m a 5th grader and you and PhD guy are the only super smart people on the entire internet. Not only is it a douchey thing to say, but also would make me a douche, and I really don’t wanna be a douche.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749379726003168?dgcid=author

Okay here’s the study. In the conclusion it says:

Extant literature has demonstrated that even low levels of lead contribute to significant impairments across the life course.1 Associations between firearm use and blood lead concentrations have been well documented among adults.4 For children, evidence is accumulating that firearm-related lead exposure may be a serious public health problem, as even low-level exposures result in higher levels of externalizing and depressive symptoms and an increased risk of criminality and violent injury.3,32,

Here’s a couple of those studies cited:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022347624000787

These data provide state-level evidence that firearms may be an important source of child lead exposure. More research is needed to substantiate this relationship and identify modifiable pathways of exposure at the individual level.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935121009361

Children in the highest quartile communities were 2.16 times more likely to have elevated BLLs when compared to their peers in the lower quartiles. A one standard deviation change in firearm licensure percentage was found to reflect a 0.96% increase in elevated pediatric blood lead levels. Regression analyses demonstrated that the inclusion of firearm licensure significantly improved the prediction of pediatric BLL.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001393512300511X

Firearms licensure is significantly associated with pediatric lead levels.

Gun-adjacent occupations are significantly associated with pediatric lead levels.

Firearm licensure is extremely relevant when considering elevated child blood lead levels.

So like maybe there is something and we should keep looking? These sorts of survey studies are also helpful to identify populations that may be affected in longitudinal studies. Perhaps you should just wash your hads and practice a little more safety/isolation with your shooting garb. I dunno it seems like a pretty easy and straightforward way to mitigate a potential risk of lead exposure, that at least several research scientist have identified as a risk, to you and your family.

…and am happy to make you feel stupid if that’s your jam…

You obviously didn’t get a PhD in not being a douche I guess.

Via ramp or stair. Either will do.

Posted 1:40 PM, Jul 22, 2026

It’s right below the by line before the article starts.

Pretty much agree with you on the rest of your points though. The “we found a planet we can live on!” articles that get recycled on slow news days are always lazy poorly written garbage. This one is particularly lazy and bad.