Lead sled... worth the price?

I have one of the older models, without the fine adjustments, bought it on a clearance sale somewhere. It works fine, as long as you have some serious weight in the tray to anchor it down, and a bench to shoot off of. It will allow you to adjust your rifle so the sights/scope/whatever are holding steady on the bullseye when you touch it off, but the rifle won't stay like that. Recoil will make it move, but that should be a given.

There's a "cup" that the rifle butt fits into, and you can actually put that cup up against your shoulder to sight and fire, and if the rig is weighted down well it will absorb most of the recoil. Not exactly a great way to shoot, but it is a good tool to use for sighting in, which is what I think it's intended for anyway. I suppose once you're dialed in, you could use it as a steady rest for long distance shots if you wanted.

I don't use mine that often, mainly because I had a big leather toolbag full of wheel weights wedged into the tray, and the whole damn thing was terribly heavy. Now that bag has been removed, the Sled is much easier to move around and I have some different weights to use. I need to sight some rifles in, so I may just put it to use soon.

So I'd say yes, they're a good thing, but see if you can find a used one on Craigslist or one of the older versions that some store is trying to get rid of cheap. The newer ones are fancier with finer adjustments, but I don't know as that's worth the extra money.

spend your money on a quality front rest and a nice rear bag. it's easier to transport, more versatile, just all-around better.

Not worth the price to me. A friend has one and I have tried them. While it does absorb the recoil and it holds the rifle perfectly still I believe it causes you to deveolp bad habits. You are not going to use one in the field hunting and recoil will have to be dealt with there. If you haven't gotten used to the recoil at the range, you will flinch in the field. Most rifles POI will be somewhat different when shot off a field rest vs a lead sled too.

Another thing to consider. Rifle stocks were not designed to absorb 100% of a guns recoil. When shot the shooters upper body gives and moves back some. When shot in a lead sled the rifles stock absorbs all of the recoil. The sled does not allow the entire gun to move to the rear and stocks have been known to break from the strain.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=375703

I have one and it works very well for the purpose it was intended for which is to hold the rifle steady and solid to sight it in. It's not going to break your stock and managing recoil is a factor everyone has to deal with when hunting. The sled reduces the recoil some but by no means allof it. It's a good site in tool IMO.

The sled will stop the rifle moving back. It may not stop the scope if the mounts are not strong enough. If the mount stops the scope tube it may not stop the scope lenses if they are not mounted strongly enough.

For hunting rifles a butterfly bag up front and a rabbit ear bag in back is hard to beat. You can adjust the height of the front bag by stacking other sand bags. I make the other bags out of old jeans legs.

NeuseRvrRat said:

spend your money on a quality front rest and a nice rear bag. it's easier to transport, more versatile, just all-around better.

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I do both. When first zeroing a gun I use the lead sled then switch to rest/bag....

If you use levers or AR/AK get the model with the curved arm that allow of external box magazines.

I have a Lead Sled Plus that I use for zeroing heavy calibers and saving my shoulder. I do not shoot from it, just used for zeroing. And you can find them fo $99.00.

urbaneruralite said:

The sled will stop the rifle moving back. It may not stop the scope if the mounts are not strong enough. If the mount stops the scope tube it may not stop the scope lenses if they are not mounted strongly enough.

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Since the rifle has to move for the scope to move, none of that makes any sense. Scopes get damaged from free-recoiling and weak mounts and are suceptible due to poor designs. Something like a lead sled would actually be beneficial for the longevity of a scope since it keeps the rifle from accelerating nearly as much from recoil.

Potential damage to the stock while using a lead sled makes sense due the stock taking all the recoil energy. Damage to the scope, no. If the action isn't moving, either is the scope.

Now whether the recoil is enough to actually damage the stock I guess depends on the actual amount of recoil, type of stock, type of action, fit of action, bedding of action, presence and cushioning ability of a recoil pad, etc. Hard to predict but I could see some potential trouble for a heavy recoiling round with a steel butplate and a heavily weighed down lead sled. Again this is theory only, I have no personal experience with this happening.

If you have a bad shoulder, like I do, they are
very nice to have when sighting in a larger
caliber rifle.

with a good front rest and rear bag setup, the lead sled becomes pointless. with heavy-recoiling rifles, the lead sled can actually cause damage. it'd be like hitting a pothole in a car with no suspension and solid steel tires. something's gotta give.

NeuseRvrRat said:

with a good front rest and rear bag setup, the lead sled becomes pointless. with heavy-recoiling rifles, the lead sled can actually cause damage. it'd be like hitting a pothole in a car with no suspension and solid steel tires. something's gotta give.

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+1 on that note. Get a good front rest like a Wichita and a decent bunny bag for the rear.

Ron

The range I frequent has two that they let anyone use (free) I have used them on occasion when doing a zero on a particular weapon. They work and are pretty good for fine detail zeroing but unless I was having to zero something every week I would not put up with the weight and hassle of transporting the thing around to a range. If living in the country with my own range then I might have one but maybe not even then.

P.S. the ones I have used have a recoil pad that the rifle compresses so as far as damaging a stock....I don't think so.

I have a lead sled, its a pretty useful tool to have when working up heavy handloads. I have never heard of a rifle being "damaged" in a lead sled, mine seem to hold up just fine.

with a good front rest and rear bag setup, the lead sled becomes pointless.

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Nonsense from somebody who has never used one. I wouldn't be without a LeadSled. I use it all the time and it is indispensable for load development in larger centerfire rifles. I have zero issues whatsoever shooting rifles off my hind legs but some are painful to shoot from the bench. In particular, a late model Winchester 1895 .405 with a steel buttplate. The Sled makes load development a breeze. Fact, I shoot better for longer periods with the Sled than you ever will without one.

You are not going to use one in the field hunting and recoil will have to be dealt with there.

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You're not going to use a rest and bags in the field either. Shooting from the bench has no value for anything but developing loads and zeroing. So this point is completely moot.

When shot in a lead sled the rifles stock absorbs all of the recoil.

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it'd be like hitting a pothole in a car with no suspension and solid steel tires.

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More nonsense, the Sled absorbs the recoil. It's allowed to move and it's supposed to move. It's not rigidly mounted to a concrete bench. It is simply doing what your body would normally do. That's what it's for.

We use one at Deer Camp, when all the hunters are checking zero, or zero'ing new gear. It is great for that volume of use.

Don't damage stocks? I'm here to tell ya they do and will. Using it, I cracked the stock ( very attractive wood) on my 270 and knocked the scope outta zero on my 7mm-08. I took it back to Scheels. I told them the story and was told "you're not the first one". I got a store credit that I used for a Caldwell 3 point "rock" and a butt rest. Do what ya want.

Originally Posted by CraigC
"it is indispensable for load development in larger centerfire rifles."

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I'm not sure I'd call it "indispensable", but it's a HUGE help.
I may be getting wimpy as I get older, but it's hard for me to remain consistent when shooting ladders with 50 or 60, 300 grain .338 rounds. The Lead Sled is much easier on my shoulder than a sissy bag and gives me more reliable accuracy, for more rounds.

I don't normally use it for sighting in because it's a pig to tote around and I don't usually fire enough rounds to make recoil problematic.

I have never heard of a rifle being "damaged" in a lead sled, mine seem to hold up just fine.

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I've never used one nor know anyone who has, but I've heard many times (including from posters in this thread) of shooters having wooden stocks broken due to rifles being fired from a Lead Sled. The theory for this happening that I've heard most has to do with the weight of the sled preventing the rifle from "giving" under recoil and all of the recoil force being absorbed by the rifle, causing the wrist of the stock to break. My question is, if the Lead Sled is not bolted to a bench, wouldn't the sled itself move under recoil, thus absorbing some of the shock generated from recoil?

So would you pay the $124 for a Lead Sled?

Oh, and does it actually reduce recoil by 95%??

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No.
I can shoot quite well off sandbags.

Yes, after you add four 25 pound bags of lead shot @ $46.00 a bag.
Without the added weight of the lead shot, the Lead-Sled is all Sled and no Lead.

rc

I got mine on sale for $90. I find it ok to transport, it is a bit of a pain with long mags. All in all I don't regret having bought it. At home I can clamp it in a bench vice while I'm doing mods or cleaning on a rifle.

Rock

I use the rock and like it.
You will need something to put under your stock to help level it.

Phil

i have heard of using 2 -25lb weights that go on barbells instead of lead on the sled. i use some salvaged lead shot from old shotgun shells that got wet in a flood. i like the led sled for load development and shooting hard recoiling rifles. i have't broken anything using the lead sled.

any kind of lead would work --doesn't have to be new $46/25lbs shot. could be 2 sacks of wheel weights or what have you!!

Bull