Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Lead Sled/Shooting Rests Opinions

I like the Caldwell Full Length rest. Very flexible and effective.

Very appreciative of all the responses. For clarification of my desired use it will be for simply recreational shooting of center fire rifles from 223 Remington up to 300 win Mag. That includes 243 Win, 270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06, and 7mmWSM.
I have given up hunting but enjoy reloading and just want to tinker at the reloading bench and range. To be honest I haven’t shot my CF rifles in so long I don’t know what to expect on my recoil tolerance so I guess that lead me to a lead sled. Right now all I have would be a rolled up sweatshirt. 😊

when i use the sled i use no weight but i prefer shooting bags the front rest on sled is too sloppy

Well I decided on the Lead Sled. I put it together and bore sighted a couple rifles that are wearing new scopes but not taken to the range yet. Worked great for bore sighting and when the weather cools some I’ll try it at the range. Thanks for all the input gentleman.

I have a sled. I have used it with 2 bags of shot, 1 bag of shot and no weight. Never cracked a stock or broken a scope. It may be hard on equipment. I understand the argument.

I agree. Anything like this set up is going to be far better than a lead sled. That, or shoot off a pack like you probably would in the field if a long shot presented itself... JMHO..

the Lead Sled and sim, create more problems and solve none

don't do it

Guy on the bench next to me was shooting a 300 Weatherby off a lead sled and had the wrist snap on his '70's era Weatherby Mark V. He knew of no issue with the stock prior to this.

I have one, I don't use it. It was a gift to me. I have used it a few times when it was new, I hear stories about hurting rifles and such so I stopped using it. If you have one and like it, have at it.
Take care.

I have used a lead sled. I didn't have any issues. Worked great for me. My go to set up is a caldwell rock front rest and a caldwell rear bags.
I recently bought a caldwell deadshot front bag. I bought the front bag as I thought maybe that would be easier to lug around than the rock solid rest. Haven't used the front bag yet but suspect it with work pretty good.

How many of you would put the butt of your rifle against a tree and shoot it? Same thing apples to a lead sled. If the stock is forced to absorb all of the energy of recoil bad things happen

This.

To me, the lead sled is a solution in search of a problem. Has intuitive appeal to shooters who do not fully understand the dynamic forces in play when a rifle is fired.

Opinions vary!


From last Wednesday IIRC



Setting Zero @ 100 yds with SuperHogster Thermal on 6.5 Grendel



Checking out the regulation on a Merkel 141 in 30-06 Springfield.





Getting ready to check out my first Low Wall, I had 15 minutes before end of shooting light.



yup!



think it's gonna work.

I'd say conservatively I have shot in excess of 50 different rifles from 17 Cal to 45 Cal over the lead sled while developing loads, and have yet to have damage to a rifle.

Perhaps its because i place a piece of foam insulation between the butt of the rifle and the back of the sled. Quien Sabe

as always, YMMV

ya!

GWB


PS: I recently acquired two rifles in 475 Turnbull. Will be doing load development soon. Will check back with results.

geedubya - Thanks for the extensively illustrate responses. Are you saying that reports of people breaking stocks due to a Lead Sled are inaccurate?

I've seen more than one stock cracked at the wrist via Lead Sled at my range.

Aboslutley not!

That is not my style.

If you notice, I both prefaced and ended my last post with the caveat's "opinions vary" and "Your Mileage May Vary" (YMMV).

I've always been an iconoclast. (Sacred cows make the best hamburger), but try not to be an azz'hat in the process.


What I have consistently tried to do during the course of this thread is provide empirical evidence of extensive use of a lead sled, which when employed, has not harmed any of the multitude of rifles for which I have developed loads.

I won't bore you with pix but I have done load development and or shot the following off of a sled.

458 Lott, 458 Winchester, 450 Marlin, 45-70 (4), 375 H&H (4) 376 Steyr, 9.3 x 74R, 9.3 x 62(3), 350 Rem Mag, 35 Whelen(2), 358 Winchester(2), 338 Lapua, 338-378 KT, 338 Ultra Mag, 338 Win Mag, 338-06AI, 338-06(2), 338 Federal(2), 325 WSM(3), ,303 Savage, 300 Ultra Mag(2), 300 Weatherby Mag, 300 Win Mag(3), 300 WSM(3) 300 H&H(2), 30-06(6) , 308 Win, 7 STW, 280AI...........

One more example.

Here is a push-feed Winchester Model 70, chambered for the 270 Winchester. I bought in the early 90's.



It has a custom Shilen Barrel, and a sweet trigger. I got it after some wrangling for $350 IIRC.

The reason I got it that cheap was that it had a hair-line crack in the wrist.



BTW, It shoots better than I can........



After load development on lead sled, first shot out of a cold barrel followed by a second shot, before taking it to hunt.

BTW, it remains intact (the picture of the crack in the wrist of the stock was taken about 10 minutes ago).

Anywho, perhaps you get my drift.

BTW,

I mentioned a 475 Turnbull earlier.......





I've loaded up +/- 35 rounds, 20 being jacketed bullets and 15 being cast lead, in six different combos that I'm going to shoot over a chrono to attempt to develop a load that combines the best accuracy/velocity quotient.



I'm willing to bet that if I shoot all 35 of those rounds, I'll be glad I did it using a lead sled.

Will get back with an "un-flinching" report when accomplished.

ya!

GWB

Good info GW, Thanks!

The sled is nice when you have a half dozen or more to sight in, can’t imagine not having one.

I think you are onto something there GWB.
After I read this post, I remembered that when I first got my sled around 2006, I padded both sides because of a sloppy fit of the stocks, but I also padded the bottom and back with the thought of reducing felt recoil.
I'd say it probably served a two fold purpose for me without realizing it, as I have never had a problem damaging a stock while shooting with it.
Garry

I’m gonna do that to mine