Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Caldwell Lead Sled

Lead Sleds pound the snott out of stocks.
A rifle sighted in on a Lead Sled isn't a rifle sighted in in your hands.

But, lead sleds allow you to do load development and to get a scope on the paper without developing a flinch from the poor positions you have to assume at a bench.

Each tool in its proper place in the overall scheme of your shooting experience.

As for breaking stocks - fix the stock - be glad you found out it was weak before it happened in the field. That said my 416 CZ has not given me any problems in over 200 rounds now, including at least 75 from the lead sled. No signs of cracks either.

I very much like the CZ 550s in big bores, but they are notorious for cracking stocks just below the bolt handle on the right side. I happened to me with my 2000 vintage hog-back and did the same on a buddy's later production rifle. The warranty repair station in Kansas told me that an owner should have the action glassed before shooting the out of box guns. I must admit that I lost some respect for CZ with that attitud; why the [email]hll[/email] don't they do that at the factory??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Even at that, I defend and recommend CZs. Every one I've owned or shot was exceedingly accurate.

Factory CZ + Lead Sled = POISON (IMO)

When my nose starts to bleed while working up loads or sighting in, I re-think my stance on Lead Sleds a bit... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> It IS nice to keep one's teeth where they belong. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I bought a lead sled last year and one for a friend of mine recently. To me, it is up there in the area of sliced bread. A+ all the way. Takes recoil off my 300wm by about 90%. It will always go to the range w/ me. No doubt about it. If someone has a shoulder problem, they can now go back to the range w/o risking further injury.

Thanks,
RAS

That's what I found sighting in slug guns with the a Lead Sled. Same Weapon with same ammo showed much smaller group size as well as different Point of Impact. Okay to rough in a scope, but thats all I will use it for now. Great Idea, but still has bugs to be worked out. IMHO

I get close with a lead sled with 50 pounds of shot. I then remove the shot for final zero. Recoil is still tolerable, since the sled alone weighs 17 pounds.

Can you expound more about this gizmo please?

I do pretty much so the same thing. What I've noticed after several bench sessions with the .375 H&H (biggest I own) is that the smaller mags don't bother me at all anymore. Guess it all depends on what you get used to.

I just bought a lead sled, I shot off of it today.I am disappointed in the wabble in the rear leg/adjustment. Once adjusted up, it becomes unstable and movement ever so slight can mean up to 3" at 100 yrds. Anyone else have this problem?

That is what I use it for and it works well. Also to test accuracy potential of rifle and load.

I have shot over 100 rounds across the sled with my 375 RUM, and a wood stock and a Bushnell scope and all still work fine. The RUM will do consistant 3/4" one hundred yard groups in the sled with the right load. I only use 50 lbs of weight and recoil is reduced to insignificant levels. I have the deluxe model lead sled with the micro adjustable front end and double beams.

The RUM recoil does not bother me shooting freehand but I would not think of shooting it off of the bench without the sled. I do not use muzzlebreaks due the noise, length and weight in the field.

After the testing is done, the real shooting is free hand, sitting etc, as you would do in the field.

I highly reccomend this product for what I use it for.

I am the friend RAS spoke of. He and I went to the range a few weeks ago and I could not believe how much difference it made with my .375 H&H Magnum and I only had one bag of shot weighting it down. It was not uncomfortable at all to shoulder. Thanks...Bill.

I looked at the Lead Sled but went with the Shooters Ridge instead because I liked the adjustments better. Now they have a Zero Recoil model that looks even better.

I've got one,use it for sighting in muzzle loaders.It saves you from recoil............

I've had a Lead Sled for 4 years now,as far as I'm concerned it's 1 of the best products ever made.I would highly recommend it also.

I had planned to drag out the lead sled to use on my 416Rem to test a few handloads, but changed my mind. I'm glad I did. I may pull it back out if I work up loads for a Lott again, but I doubt it. I think I am far better off never using that thing again. I no longer see any value in it and find it harmful on technique and brutal on equipment. It's too easy to use it as a crutch.

For an adult, ones size or muscle strength has little to do with managing recoil. Technique and trigger time plays the bigger role. I intend to use my 416 for many things to include elk which may require me to shoot off my pack in a position much like shooting from a bench. So I decided to just use good solid technique and work up my loads shooting free recoil off a sandbag. Keep in mind that I was only shooting full house loads from a 416 and not some kind of T-Rex. In the end, I got in some quality trigger time that helped me tighten up my position and I worked up some good loads shooting the X out of a target w/ some MOA groups. I feel this will do more for my field marksmanship in the long run than using the led sled as a crutch.

GVA

Gary: I'm interested in your comments regarding the sled. I'm pretty recoil tolerant and have no problems shooting full power 416 Rigby loads from the bench with my RSM. However, I think I can probably go a bit higher, but not much. Accordingly and on the recommendation of a friend of mine who is a big bore enthusiast, I bought the sled for my yet to be delivered Dakota 450. I won't have the rifle for a while, but I guess I can try it out with the 416. Can you expand further on your complaints? Thanks, jorge

In bought one for load development for the rifles I load for forr other people.
I can't shoot annything over 308win with smokeless unless it is in a heavy target rifle.
I found that the front legs are too short for our longer ranges - not a big deal, a 2X4 under them worked but I am building some longer ones.
I also found the unless the rifles were held in a death grip, the groups were shotgun patterns due to inconsistancey of the bags in relationship to the shooter.
One has to be very careful or you will not get decent groups with it.

Other than that, it's a great tool for heavy recoiling rifles.
Cat

ok so what do you guys think about this:

The Hyskore Precision Gas Dampened Recoil Reducing Rifle Shooting Rest

A short description can be found here:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=838848

It would appear the gas shock takes up the recoil instead of letting all the energy transfer directly into the stock as in
the case of the Lead Sled.

I value all thoughts on this.

TIA,
Jett
ps found a cool video on this contraption:
http://www.hyskore.com/movies/30003demo.html

disregard that last post, turns out its not so good after I read what other reviewers had to say about it.

Cat there's a fella here in town that makes an exceptional shootiing rest. I had the table next to him at our gunshow here in Montrose. Check it out. The fit and finsh are fantastic for the price.

http://carrollstargets.com/rest.htm