I hear people snap onto lead testing every time you bring up indoor range issues but let me assure you lead takes second place to the particles in the air kicked up my rubber chip backstops and pathetic ventilation systems. There are only a few ranges in the ATL area with properly maintained HEPA filtering systems in good working order. Ones that recycle all of the air and pollution downrange. A good test for this is your high lumen EDC light during a match in the lower light areas of the bay. That can reveal the particles in the air.
I helped run an indoor match for 6-7 years in my early 50s at an older range with roof exhausts fans. It was horrible and had a rubber chip berm. I quit the match because I developed asthma and breathing attacks in the nights after training people or running IDPA GADPA matches. It's taken me years to recover well enough to get off the powder inhaler medicines and breath strongly or run a treadmill for an hour. I revisited John's Creek to shoot a match last night and shazam I can't breath this morning at 5am and forced to get up early and break out the inhaler medicine. The emergency inhalers just aggravate your lungs, you need the prescribed steroid powders which are expensive.
So next time you think about lead levels and such I would rethink what's actually going to kill you first. Breathing issues are like drowning without water and we have several dozen ranges around ATL that will put you in the grave 10-20 years early. Join an outdoor club. Your lungs will thank you and won't be shot by newbees. If you see rubber chips run like hell. You might be in your 20-30s and have no issues but you need to think about it.
Good Luck
I helped run an indoor match for 6-7 years in my early 50s at an older range with roof exhausts fans. It was horrible and had a rubber chip berm. I quit the match because I developed asthma and breathing attacks in the nights after training people or running IDPA GADPA matches. It's taken me years to recover well enough to get off the powder inhaler medicines and breath strongly or run a treadmill for an hour. I revisited John's Creek to shoot a match last night and shazam I can't breath this morning at 5am and forced to get up early and break out the inhaler medicine. The emergency inhalers just aggravate your lungs, you need the prescribed steroid powders which are expensive.
So next time you think about lead levels and such I would rethink what's actually going to kill you first. Breathing issues are like drowning without water and we have several dozen ranges around ATL that will put you in the grave 10-20 years early. Join an outdoor club. Your lungs will thank you and won't be shot by newbees. If you see rubber chips run like hell. You might be in your 20-30s and have no issues but you need to think about it.
Good Luck
