Lead Sled

[ExAgoradzo]

In cruising around forums, I've noticed that there are many who have no love for lead sleds. What's the deal? Why do you not like them?

Thanks,
Greg

 

[tuj]

I don't like them because they are bulky and not repeatable; lots of slop in the adjustment.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

they break stocks. they don't simulate field conditions at all. huge and heavy. i'd much rather have a front rest, rear bag, and my shoulder.

 

[Inebriated]

They work fine for me... Never had a stock break, never had problems with repeatable shots, and don't really care for it to replicate field conditions. That isn't what it's for.

 

[plodder]

Lead Sled works great for zeroing a scope & reconfirming that it is the operator & not the tool when groups start going wild.

 

[Dthunter]

the led sled tends to be a crutch style shooting system. simple as that. There is little chance that a rifle sighted in on these rests will consistently shoot in the same point of aim when shot from the shoulder. If it does,its very lucky!

if this shooting system gives some shooters the confidence to go hunting, then that is good, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. But they need to understand the limitations.

False confidence is NEVER a good thing to promote.

These rigs "can" be hard on a rifles stock, especially the big heavy magnum calibers. Its just physics plain and simple.
One or two shots may do nothing at all, but it can cause sudden failure and damage a nice firearm. its your risk, use accordingly. Standard calibers like 243 probably will never have an issue with breakage. Not enough recoil force to damage the stocks.

Shoot what you can comfortably handle. try your best to learn to shoot with the rifle butt ON the SHOULDER, where it belongs. Take/invest the time to develop a shooting form. You will learn far more and develop a real skill that is repeatable in the field. Lots more fun!

 

[Sheepdog1968]

My brother and I have been doing bench rest 200 yard matches for about eight months. He has one so he brought it to try it at one of the matches. Turns out he can shoot more accurately off sandbags. He's confirmed this a few times doing side by side comparisons. My brother often can shoot around 1 MOA.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

Plodder said what I was thinking the purpose of the lead sled is; never thought about it breaking stocks. But last year when I got a a new (to me) 270 I put it on a sled to zero the scope. Then my buddy and I shot at the 254 yard target from a bag to make sure. Unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to try it out against a deer or a pig...that will be the fun test!

Thanks,
Greg

 

[silicosys4]

Works great for me for load development, when I shoot 50+ .300 winmag rounds in a sitting.

 

[fpgt72]

I use it quite a bit....I really can't take the recoil any longer....too much metal in my body, so I shoot almost all centerfire rifles from it.

Is it a crutch....I guess....but I would rather use the crutch then not be doing it at all.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

I use it to zero and take as much of the human factor out as I can. I love them. Throw some weights on them and that booger will sit there all day... A buddy of mine (a machinist) extended the weight rails and now has 3-45lb weights on each side. It is rarely moved and under a covered building. He sprays it down with oil and wraps it during storms just incase.

 

[jmr40]

They will break stocks. It is just a matter of time.

They are useless for zeroing a rifle unless you also plan to hunt with it too. The POI will be different if you zero with a lead sled and then shoot from other positions.

They could be useful for load development where a lot of shooting is taking place. It will let you know which load is more accurate with no human error involved. But you still run the risk of breaking your stock and you will need to zero with another method to ensure correct POI while hunting.

They can solve some problems, but I feel there are better solutions. If recoil is too much, then use a lighter recoiling gun. With todays advancements in bullets and loads there is very little need for any of the hard kicking guns any more.

 

[cdb1]

I bought one and got rid of it. I just hunt and don't target shoot and the only time I shoot when not hunting is to zero. When I used the sled then went hunting the POI was different.

 

[hdbiker]

I love my Lead Sled !!!!!!!!!!!!!. I was reduced to shooting my .243 and .22's because of bad shoulders. With my Lead Sled I'm back to shooting my .270,.308,and 30-06, and slug shotguns with excellent accuracy. hdbiker

 

[CraigC]

I honestly think a lot of the negative comes from those who have never used one. I bought one when they first came out and love it. For me, it has been better than front and rear rests. It's more stable and easier to get repeatable results using the sled. It's indispensable for load development.

the led sled tends to be a crutch style shooting system. simple as that.

If you do all your shooting from t he bench, whether it's with a lead sled or traditional rest or bags, the result is the same. That's not an indictment against the sled but the shooter.

They will break stocks. It is just a matter of time.

Been using mine for ten years without issue. If the buttplate is incompatible with the sled, I pinch a leather sandbag in there.

They are useless for zeroing a rifle unless you also plan to hunt with it too. The POI will be different if you zero with a lead sled and then shoot from other positions.

I've never had to change zero from the sled to the field.

If recoil is too much, then use a lighter recoiling gun.

BS. Shooting from the bench has always been a painful chore for me. I can shoot all day long with a relatively light 12ga with a plastic buttplate standing on my hind legs. Same for the 1895 .405 and its steel butt but a few shots from a .30/06 class cartridge off the bench and I'm done. The sled allows me to develop loads for centerfire rifles without bruising.

 

[jehu]

I also use a Lead Sled for sighting in and never have any trouble when hunting and I do alot of hunting. I would like to hear the science behind the statement that the POI from sighting in with the sled will be different when hunting. When I shoot from the sled I still have to hold the rifle and get behind the shot, cross hairs on the target are needed on target weather your on the sled or bags.:banghead:

 

[CraigC]

Any firearm will move differently under recoil from individual to individual or from a rest to offhand. This 'can' affect different points of impact but it is not guaranteed. I only see a measurable difference with handguns shooting with and without gloves.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

I don't own a wooden stock high power and use the lead sled to do no more than zero and shoot groups from it. Seem to work great for me, and as far as changing the point of impact, if your cheek isn't exactly in the same spot that does too.

They are good for zeroing a rifle and checking the groups it shoots. As far as breaking stocks, can't say either way, I won't own a wooden stock high power rifle.

 

[fpgt72]

Never had mine break a stock, however the only thing I shoot from it are surplus guns....oldest one is a Krag carbine. Never any problems....just how would it break a stock?

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

it makes the stock absorb the recoil instead of your shoulder. something's gotta give. a quick google search will confirm that plenty of stocks have been broken in a lead sled.

 

[Dthunter]

If your not shooting past 100 yards, it "MAY" have minimal effect on point of aim. But, on the average, it will be significant. If you think 2" off exact centre is no big deal, then you may be o.k. Your expectations are being met.

As far as the science behind the shift of point of aim in a lead sled and on the shoulder, it is best described as a variance on how the rifle moves during the initial stages of recoil. Vibrations will effect the timing or amplitude of the occillation of the muzzle and/or other firearm components. Look up "Sniper 101" on youtube. He gives some tutorials with graphical representations of these effects. There is some good information there.



If I don't pay attention to my form while shooting at 500-1000 yards, my score will suffer significantly.

If you are not a precision type shooter, you may not even notice the difference. Thats o.k. too.

If the lead sled gets you in the field, as opposed to not, grab it and give her a try! better to be enjoying the outdoors and shooting!

Just do your home work so you understand your results. If you have any issues with accuracy, you wont know what is causing it. And it will be much harder to narrow your shooting variables.

 

[CraigC]

Two inches is not acceptable and I have never noticed a shift at all. Let alone two inches.

As stated, the Lead Sled is not for learning to shoot or practice. It's for load development. Why we're even discussing shooting from field positions is beyond me.

it makes the stock absorb the recoil instead of your shoulder.

It does not. It's not bolted to the bench. The sled and the weight upon it absorbs the recoil. If you break a stock, you probably had too much weight on it.

 

[Dthunter]

If some one thinks that shooting a lead sled gives you the same degree of precision as using sand bags from the bench, they are definitely mistaken!

if a novice shooter is behind the rifle, maybe, and thats a big MAYBE! The shooters lack of experience may hamper them in fluidly using the sand bags to create a repeatable shooting form.

If its an experienced shooter using either of these methods, The SAND BAGS WILL produce the best, and most consistent results 99.99999999999% of the time!

Thats why sand bags and return to battery machine rests are used for bench rest competition.

 

[Dthunter]

Using the lead sled for load development is not the choice of skilled shooters, I can promise you that! That should tell you "EVERYTHING" right there.

But, if it gets the average, recoil sensitive shooter shooting, then good! Its better to be doing some shooting rather than none!

Just understand the limitations of the technique/procedure.

 

[Dthunter]

I am not trying to nit pick you CraigC. No offence.

The stock "ALWAYS" absorbs the recoil technically. The barrelled action is attached to it.

But by adjusting the weights on the lead sled will definitely "reduce", or stretch out the time/force curve of the absorption of the recoil.