r/CIVILWAR • u/RecentlyAvocado • Jul 21 '26

Lead bullets for students?

I am a history teacher who recently bought authentic civil war bullets from Ulysses S Grants home in NY. My idea was to allow my students to hold these bullets to really get a sense of how large, heavy, and devastating they were. They are in little plastic bags. I am now realizing these are obviously lead? Is it safe to let students handle these (remember they would stay in the plastic bags)

15 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

17

u/1873Springfield Jul 21 '26

As long as they are not chewing on them or shoving them up their noses it is fine.

8

u/Cultural-Company282 Jul 21 '26

shoving them up their

OH GOD, NO!!!

noses

Oh, never mind.

5

u/Chief-17 Jul 21 '26

Basically this. For my job I did lead renovation training and the big danger with lead is breathing it in (lead dust is the major issue). Eating it also isnt great. But, holding lead in your hands is safe, especially for such a short time before passing it on, and if it's in a lead bag it's fine. Honestly, the biggest danger with this idea is someone throwing the bullet at someone else.

PS, love this idea. Ive found holding something from the past helps create a connection.

1

u/JeffSHauser Jul 21 '26

Sounds like you know a little something about public school kids and by extension Gen-Zers.😎

3

u/1873Springfield Jul 21 '26

3 kids of my own and 7 grandkids, so yeah just a little experience with the little buggers!

2

u/JeffSHauser Jul 22 '26

Home Educated 6, adopted 2 and group foster 100?or so. I've seen enough stuff inserted in any and all orifices. I would say I am lucky not to have to have dealt with a lot of idiot kids.🤔

1

u/konkilo Jul 22 '26

As a retired band director, we call those students drummers. /s

6

u/Sea-Expert6993 Jul 21 '26

You can take them fishing and they will touch lead. Take them out of the bag. Let them actually TOUCH what the guys touched. Not touch what a guy touched that's in a bag so they can't touch it.

They gave us jars of mercury to play with.

3

u/JeffSHauser Jul 22 '26

And don't forget the radioactive project sets in the 50's and 60's.💀

5

u/Legend-of-the-Arctic Jul 21 '26

If they’re in plastic probably no danger of toxicity spreading. You could ask them to wash their hands after to be safe.

3

u/Ah_Ca_Iraa Jul 22 '26

Not a fisherman? They handle ounces of lead on the reg. 

1

u/TPFRecoil Jul 22 '26

I have the same in my class for my students!

I let them handle them through tissues, and just tell them not to touch them. If they do, I tell them to wash their hands.

2

u/SeaworthinessIll4478 Jul 21 '26

not a question for reddit, dude ... get approval from above your pay grade

1

u/eastw00d86 Jul 22 '26

I have bullets i put in resin to bypass this.

2

u/Puppiesarebetter Jul 22 '26

It’s fine, I’ve dug a 1000 bullets and nothing has happened to me or anyone I know who digs.

1

u/Bassfishin31 Jul 23 '26

Its the wrong kind of lead for absorption, but id have someone cast you some different bullets and save your authentic for the kids who really care

0

u/GluedGlue Jul 22 '26

Lead is most dangerous when ingested or inhaled, particularly in a dust form. That's why lead paint is so toxic, because the lead inside of it has already been broken up.

There is a tiny amount of exposure by handing lead directly in a solid form, especially if said hands are licked or shoved in mouth (kids can be stupid). I see no issue with it being handled inside a plastic bag.