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

"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"

*******************

I'm sure I qualify as a member of that group!

IIRC I only took one course in physics and that was in 1969.

However, there was a formula which in my current state of confusion may or may not apply.

Principles of energy and work
(From The Sciences, 6th ed., by Trefil and Hazen)

Introduction: Work

Scientists say that work is done whenever a force is exerted over a distance. Pick up this book and raise it a foot. Your muscles applied a force equal to the weight of the book over a distance of a foot. You did work.

This definition of work differs considerably from everyday usage. From a physicist’s point of view, if you accidentally drive into a tree and smash your fender, work has been done because a force deformed the car’s metal a measurable distance. On the other hand, a physicist would say that you haven’t done any work if you spend an hour in a futile effort to move a large boulder, no matter how tired you get. Even though you have exerted a considerable force, the distance over which you exerted it is negligible. Physicists provide an exact mathematical definition of their notion of work.

In words: Work is equal to the force that is exerted times the distance over which it is exerted.

In equation form: work (joules) = force (newtons) x distance (meters),


where a joule is the unit of work, as defined in the following paragraph.

In symbols: W = F x d

In practical terms, even a small force can do a lot of work if it is exerted over a long distance.......

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/classes/scmh/1010/Energy%20and%20Work.php

Sometimes in my old age it seems I no longer have the vocabulary/lexicon to expresss precisely the import of what I'm trying to say, so I just went to the end of the block to take a pix to help illustrate my point.



Seems the black/yellow striped sign acts like a target, as quite often this apparatus has to be repaired. However I do believe it would be preferable to hit the "target" rather than the bridge abutment.

well that's kinda the same thing with the sled.



layers can be added



and can work to protect sling stud/swivel as well as stabilize skinny fore-ends

ya!

GWB

Geedubya,

It isn't work as much as it is impulse/momentum. Those cushions behind the buttstock serve to slow the rise and reduce the peak amplitude of the force-time curve seen by the rifle stock during its collision with the lead sled.

m

I guess in my case, a prime example of dumb luck beating ability..........

ya!

GWB

Not dumb luck, just common sense. Cushions make impacts hurt less.

No wonder it works!

For me and the rifle.

Almost like win/win!



ya!

GWB

GW

Look here



See that? The sled BOWED the stock on that Merkel



Seriously now, these pix changed my mind & opinion of/for the lead sled.
I've heard all the horrow stories about the sled and decided I didn't want one.




NOW - THAT makes sense. Thanks for taking the time to ILLUSTRATE for us who can't see past the end of our nose.

Jerry

Glad this was brought up. I've had and sometimes used the lead sled since it first came out and after hearing the stories of broken stocks I've backed off of it more. I like the idea of putting padding in the butt rest and will be doing that, probably some carpet padding.