Where do get cheapest, safe, lead shot bags for Caldwell Leadsled?

Probably just about any trap or skeet, or sporting clays range in your area will probably sell 25 pound bags of shot for reloading.

I'd start there.

rc

And if you have a choice, get the reclaimed as it will be cheaper. Otherwise, find a shotgun reloader who might have saved (like I did) those nice canvas bags the shot came in. I have used spent 209 primers to give me a nice bench bag without the weight; or you can use sand inside a ziploc inside the canvas for a heavier bag.

As OneOunceLoad suggested, sand might be a cheaper and better alternative anyway.

http://www.bing.com/search?PC=WCUG&FORM=WCUGDF&q=bagged+lead+shot&conversationid=

It's available.

I use a single 25 lb barbell weight in mine.

I've used rifles up to .375 H&H with no problems

Cost you $3.85US for a 50 pound bag of sand in Home Depot. 25 pound bag of shot starts at $51.99.

What about coin bags?

"safe" lead shot? As opposed to the "unsafe" lead shot out there? I always figured the relative safety depended on whether the shot column was headed in your direction or not!!!!

A leg off an old pair of jeans, cut to length, can be hand sewed shut after filling with your choice of weight, even old wheel weights work well, pea gravel ect. works well too...

DM

Get the shot, sand won't do the job. It's simply not dense enough.

I will get busted for this but if you want something real dense then maybe the press or unemployed political advisors would work. There should be plenty available soon....

Frankly, for a 30-06, the weight of the sled alone should be enough. Try it first, and try not to over think it.

If you have to obsess over it, look up the formula for free recoil. Calculate it for the rifle alone using the rifle weight. Then recalculate it with the weight of the sled added to the weight of the rifle. Several pounds goes a long, long way (or is that weigh...)(pun intended).

Doesn't have to be shot bags, anything heavy that'll fit on the tray will work. The barbell weight is a great idea! I use a couple of railroad track steel tie plates on mine. I used to use a tool bag full of wheel weights too.

You can pour molten lead in a bucket of h2o and make your own shot,just melt some WW's on a camp stove/fire in an old cook pot and pour then put it in a bag.Don't forget your safety gear!!!

CC

Heavy sand from Sinclair International is $19 for 15 pounds. Probably too expensive for your needs.


"I will get busted for this but if you want something real dense then maybe the press or unemployed political advisors would work. "

My first thought was fruitcake. They'll be on sale after Christmas and they stack nicely.

I shoot off Caldwell's all the time, and I just use a small sand bag, it works great too. my sand bag is a short portion of an old denim pant leg, then bailing wire to seal the bag, the bailing wire is internal on one end, external on the opposite.

I use a 10 or 12 lb. sand bag for rifles up to 300 WM, and tell ya what, I don't get hammered at all, very comfortable. I've also used a 25lb. bag of lead shot, and the difference was very little, and of no consequence.

GS

Gathering dust

I've got a new one in the box gathering dust in my basement. I bought two, but only use one. A fair price plus the cost of shipping and it's yours. Not sure how to do it myself, but private message me.

DM~ said:

A leg off an old pair of jeans, cut to length, can be hand sewed shut after filling with your choice of weight, even old wheel weights work well, pea gravel ect. works well too...

DM

Click to expand...

This ^^^

Hey SchekRN

Check your in box for a Private Message

I'm in md and have NON-lead wheel weights if you simply want weight for a sled.

They are the remains from when I sorted the lead ones from a batch and are pretty much worthless, but are heavy of course.

You can pour molten lead in a bucket of h2o and make your own shot,just melt some WW's on a camp stove/fire in an old cook pot and pour then put it in a bag.Don't forget your safety gear!!!

Click to expand...

Maybe I'm a wimp, but that seems like an incredibly bad idea to me and I've probably dropped a couple thouand pounds worth of freshly cast bullets into icewater to heat treat them.

Why would the "shot" produced be any more effective than simply putting the wheelweights into a heavy duty canvas or denim bag and laying it on the sled?

Sometimes the best safety gear is "no".

One thing to consider is potential damage to the rifle stock in a heavy recoiling rifle if the sled is made too heavy. I've read of at least one stock splitting at the wrist when shot on a 100 pound weighted sled.
When sighting the heavier loaded slug guns I use the sled and one 25 pound bag.
You can often buy reclaimed shot for about half the price of new.

Hey Papa, I've also trashed a few scopes in over weighted sleds. When the rifle can't recoil at all or very, very little, it puts extreme stress on the stock and glass.

This effect also causes problems with scope rings slipping, thus requiring lapping or filling the rings to get clean and full contact with the tube, else you'll crush the tube trying to eliminate slip. This right here has been the number one issue I've had to cope with over the years when shooting off sleds.

Sleds are nice when trying to dial in a rifle or load, but beyond that, I just shoot off of bags, or an unweighted sled. Too much stress on the stock and glass to be subjecting them to that kind of extreme inertia on a regular basis, IMO.

GS

Ditto, GS. I actually hate the sled for the uncomfortable position you have to take to use it. Dial it in, put it away. Back to the bags.
If I was going to shoot something that I couldn't shoot without the sled (for more than a few shots) I wouldn't be shooting it.
Of course, I've had to dial it back after back surgery. Even went to a 20 ga slug gun from the 12. Used to kind of enjoy taking a beating. Now the pain continues far to long.