Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Okay then, a Lead Sled Poll

I shoot mostly offhand, haven't used the sled since I settled on a load. I can still hit soda cans almost every time at 100 yards with my Jeff (used to be able to hit them at 200 offhand with my 270 before I got old and shaky lol). I practice offhand because I don't usually have a benchrest where I hunt and it hurts less. As far as sissy pads go, I think some of you aren't putting them on your shoulder!

And I think this is exactly how it needs to be done for those who are going to be hunting those rifles whether from a Sled, sand bags, or the jacket wadded up on the hood of the truck. That is, to find the load, get dialed in, get off the bench, get into field positions, and practice.
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In keeping with the OP...

I've tried to get an accurate accounting of damages caused from use of the Sled.

The findings so far over the course of 3 days now, from our small sampling of 'fire members, are as follows;

(1) Number of stocks damaged (other than wood) = None.
(2) Number of Scopes damaged (Quality Glass) = None.

You cannot eliminate wood stocks.

He can do what he wants it's HIS poll...now go play with your own pole

Mostly 7-8 lb Wingmasters with 3 inch 12 gauge slugs.......but never a hitch using my buddies Sled for more than a decade.

2 cents

[/quote]............Well I`ll disagree with your analogy

Using a slip on pad, a shooting vest or both to correct flinching and to reduce felt recoil is all well and good. But if one has to use a lead sled to better enjoy bench shooting his particular cartridge, to reduce flinching and/or to achieve better groups, then that cartridge imo isn`t for that person. [/quote]

Sorry Sir, but I beg to differ....

My Dr. Recommended I buy a Lead Sled several year ago. Had a bad accident & cracked two vertebra in my lower back, & two in my neck.

Was heading to Colorado Elk hunting a couple of months later & the Lead Sled was my ONLY option on working up new loads for my 300 RUM. With 180 Partitions instead of my usual 200gr load.

Definately saved my old ass another trip to my neurosurgeon, & saved my Elk hunt that year.
Just goes to show the Lead Sled can & does have practical applications.

And as far as using it as a tool to un-learn your flinch, are you suggesting just keep shooting until your shoulder is black & blue and your flinch will somehow disappear ???

Everyone has a flinch from time to time no matter what caliber they are shooting.
A Flinch is your body's instinctive reaction to noise & recoil. We all have it, but we must teach ourself mentally to overcome our natural reaction to noise & pain.

Anyone with a flinch could possibly benefit from using a lead sled to re-train themselves mentally. Especially younger shooters, whom don't get to spend enough time shooting & training because of their urban environment they now grow up in.

Not everyone grew up ranching & shooting every day like I did. And I still catch myself flInching occasionally no matter how many thousands of rounds I've put down range.

............Well I`ll disagree with your analogy

Using a slip on pad, a shooting vest or both to correct flinching and to reduce felt recoil is all well and good. But if one has to use a lead sled to better enjoy bench shooting his particular cartridge, to reduce flinching and/or to achieve better groups, then that cartridge imo isn`t for that person. [/quote]

Sorry Sir, but I beg to differ....

My Dr. Recommended I buy a Lead Sled several year ago. Had a bad accident & cracked two vertebra in my lower back, & two in my neck.

Was heading to Colorado Elk hunting a couple of months later & the Lead Sled was my ONLY option on working up new loads for my 300 RUM. With 180 Partitions instead of my usual 200gr load.

Definately saved my old ass another trip to my neurosurgeon, & saved my Elk hunt that year.
Just goes to show the Lead Sled can & does have practical applications.

And as far as using it as a tool to un-learn your flinch, are you suggesting just keep shooting until your shoulder is black & blue and your flinch will somehow disappear ???

Everyone has a flinch from time to time no matter what caliber they are shooting.
A Flinch is your body's instinctive reaction to noise & recoil. We all have it, but we must teach ourself mentally to overcome our natural reaction to noise & pain.

Anyone with a flinch could possibly benefit from using a lead sled to re-train themselves mentally. Especially younger shooters, whom don't get to spend enough time shooting & training because of their urban environment they now grow up in.

Not everyone grew up ranching & shooting every day like I did. And I still catch myself flInching occasionally no matter how many thousands of rounds I've put down range. [/quote].........I didn`t mention or include any medical conditions where a lead sled would certainly be more beneficial. In your case and for medical reasons, then a lead sled is needed to fire the round you wish for big game.

But for those who are in good medical condition, I will still stand by my opinions. I believe that bench flinching can be solved without using a lead sled. I`ve done it and know other who have done so as well. And we aren`t exactly shootin pea shooters.

So let's just ignore the fact that the wrist of these rifles was shattered by a Lead Sled. Only a democrat could think like that.

I'm not saying that lead sleds aren't hard on stocks and scopes, they are. We don't use a sled for the 375 Weatherby except for sight in, because we don't need it, same goes for my older son's LH M70 in 416 Rem. I started out shooting the 500 Jeff "like a man", no sissy pad, no sled, no slip on recoil pad for initial sight in and load development. I quit at 18 rounds (all I had loaded). When my buddy and went to lunch, I suggested somewhere that had beer, because I could already feel the swelling. Here's a lovely pic to go with your breakfast or lunch, and don't tell me I was holding the rifle wrong, I've been shooting rifles for 40 years. It got significantly worse over the next three days. The bruise you see was the morning after, the blood migrated up and over eventually the bruise covered the entire right side of my chest and my right arm below the elbow. That's why I bought a lead sled Swampy. Feel free to come visit and put 20 downrange with my 500 Jeff from a bench wearing a T-shirt like I did with no sissy pads or slip on recoil pad and tell me how tough you are. I shoot the 500 Jeff that way offhand now, but not from a bench (just a T-shirt or a light jacket) because I practice like I hunt. It's my favorite rifle to shoot offhand, which I do everytime I go to the range, but I won't shoot it from a bench without the sled.

You see Swampy, when you are trying to conduct a scientific experiment using comparisons, you MUST keep all the variables the same.

THAT is elementary, and no matter how ignorant of this fact you might want to appear, you know it is true.

Not only can I eliminate wood stocks, for the sake of real science, I must eliminate them.


I know that I have explained the reasoning behind this to you (and others) before, but I am happy to do it again.

Here goes; "Wood stocks break, split, and crack when fired from the shoulder - Synthetic stocks do not break, split, or crack when fired from the shoulder."

You cannot use a variable that is known to fail outside of the test medium as a viable variable within the test medium, if wooden stocks did not break, split, and crack when fired out of the sled, we could then include them.

See, so simple that even (you) a Swampman can get it

Sorry Sir, but I beg to differ....

My Dr. Recommended I buy a Lead Sled several year ago. Had a bad accident & cracked two vertebra in my lower back, & two in my neck.

Was heading to Colorado Elk hunting a couple of months later & the Lead Sled was my ONLY option on working up new loads for my 300 RUM. With 180 Partitions instead of my usual 200gr load.

Definately saved my old ass another trip to my neurosurgeon, & saved my Elk hunt that year.
Just goes to show the Lead Sled can & does have practical applications.

And as far as using it as a tool to un-learn your flinch, are you suggesting just keep shooting until your shoulder is black & blue and your flinch will somehow disappear ???

Everyone has a flinch from time to time no matter what caliber they are shooting.
A Flinch is your body's instinctive reaction to noise & recoil. We all have it, but we must teach ourself mentally to overcome our natural reaction to noise & pain.

Anyone with a flinch could possibly benefit from using a lead sled to re-train themselves mentally. Especially younger shooters, whom don't get to spend enough time shooting & training because of their urban environment they now grow up in.

Not everyone grew up ranching & shooting every day like I did. And I still catch myself flInching occasionally no matter how many thousands of rounds I've put down range. [/quote].........I didn`t mention or include any medical conditions where a lead sled would certainly be more beneficial. In your case and for medical reasons, then a lead sled is needed to fire the round you wish for big game.

But for those who are in good medical condition, I will still stand by my opinions. I believe that bench flinching can be solved without using a lead sled. I`ve done it and know other who have done so as well. And we aren`t exactly shootin pea shooters. [/quote]

Okay, we can agree to disagree. I know it can be done, I'm just saying it might not be the best option for everyone. Flinching can be solved without a lead sled. I'm merely saying it could be used as a viable option.
And I value the opinions of most others here on 24CF, as I do yours. I read the Forum daily, & if I can't learn something new every week from other members, I'm doing something wrong.

Put many rounds through 378, 338-378, 338 Lapua IM, on my lead sled and no problems. If your breaking stocks and scopes it's probably due to having too much weights on the system.If it's good enough for the Marines shooting 50's in Muzzy land it's all the proof I need.

The damage I've seen was done without weights. It's just too much stress on the wrist of the stock. A rifle has to move freely. Plus what's the point if you aren't even touching the rifle. You may as well rig up something to pull the trigger too. Maybe you could sit in the truck and pull the trigger with your laptop.

You have seen these I hope....

http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/past/

You can't eliminate broken wood stocks....

Simple google search turned up a McMillian and a Remington Mountain Rifle (not wood) that were broken on Lead Sleds. Hey they are your guns......I wouldn't risk one of mine.

WTF do you care? The man asked us to answer a question based on personal experience according to his particulars flawed or not


I did a google search and ten people saw the Boogie man last night too...

Just trying the help those who might consider using one not to ruin their rifles. Their use should void any warranty.

The rifle does move freely and is against your shoulder. Obviously you've never used or seen one. Set up your long range heavy hitter from 100 yds -- all the way to 1000 yds with 250-300 grain bullets, should take you most of the day and probably 80-100 rounds then come back and tell us how your flinch was at the end of the day and how sore your shoulder was. They aren't meant to be used all the time Sherlock, they're meant to set up a new rig, new scope, new bullets, different loads,for rifles that kick hard and shoot long ranges. Of course if you shoot a 30-30 you don't need one.

The Lead Sled will end civilization.

That's funny right there, Thanks JM

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I've got no dog in the fight concerning the Sled.

I'm simply trying to get to the facts as best as I can based upon experiences had here by those who have/do use one.


So far, based on the experiences shared here at the Campfire, Quality Scopes and Synthetic Stocks simply are NOT being damaged due to the use of the Sled.