Lead Sled thoughts..

[holstonangler]

I am looking to buy the smaller lead sled (solo version) Has anyone tried one? I've heard they're bad on scopes, but thought I could get the smaller version and weigh it down less to just take some of the heavy recoil away when shooting the magnums

 

[Andy S.]

I use one often, just never strap the gun down, more less just use it as a rest. Mine is old, heavy and cumbersome so to speak, thus I ave been thinking about getting this one to carry around. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/838651/caldwell-steady-rest-nxt-rifle-shooting-rest

 

[JimFromTN]

I have knocked a couple of scopes off with led sleds.

 

[MUP]

I've read they are stressful on stocks. If I'm shooting my 300 Magnum rifles, say to work up a load, I usually just wear a coat or just throw the coat over my shooting shoulder.

 

[Jcalder]

I'd take a good set of sandbags over a lead sled


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[DaveB]

Get a PAST magnum recoil shield and wear it under your shirt.

Caldwell bought PAST some time ago.

I wear mine every time at the range.

I'll post up a picture of my rest when I get home.

 

[Deer Assassin]

I'd take a good set of sandbags over a lead sled


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yes

and rabbit ear rear rest

 

[Andy S.]

I have knocked a couple of scopes off with led sleds.

Interesting. I have been shooting off one for 20+ years with numerous rifles and have never had a single issue. How did you manage to do this? Seriously?

 

[JimFromTN]

I did it sighting in a slug gun as well as a 338 win mag. The 338 didn't knock the scope out of alignment
It broke the rings.
, but they were those crappy leupold rings.

 

[jetwrnch]

Some of the energy that is normally dissipated by your shoulder moving backwards is transferred to the lenses in your scope. The scope starts to recoil to the rear then stops abruptly due to the sled resisting the motion. This causes the guts of the scope to take a beating. It can break a stock because the stock tries to compress at the wrist. The energy of the recoil from the barrel/chamber is hammered into the stock because the stock can't move. The best analogy I can think of is to replace the shocks on your vehicle with steel pipe then hit a pothole. The energy that the shocks would normally absorb is transferred to everything else. In this case your body is the shock and dissipates the energy in the form of motion.

 

[Andy S.]

I did it sighting in a slug gun as well as a 338 win mag.

Makes sense with that much recoil. I do not own a gun, nor have I ever shot a gun, that kicks more than my 870 slug gun, not even close.

 

[Andy S.]

Makes sense jetwrnch, thanks for the explanation. I guess I don't shoot anything with enough recoil to matter, plus I have a brake on most of my guns.

 

[Jcalder]

Regardless if you have a brake or not the energy is gonna put your scope to the test. Not much difference than putting the gun to a tree and pulling the trigger. The weakest point in the setup will fail


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[Andy S.]

10-4. I either have some good scopes, or I've been extremely lucky for the last quarter century.

 

[KPH]

Don't care for a sled give me bags. A bag will dampen the harmonics a gun will set up.

 

[TNRifleman]

Sand bags for me. I tried a lead sled one time but never could get "on" the rifle like I would in the field. Also found that pint of impact changed when shooting from the sled versus not

 

[muddyboots]

I don't care for the sleds either.

 

[280longshot]

The initial thought of having a gun rest to take the recoil sounds good but in reality there are some cons and if you haven't experienced any consider yourself lucky...
I don't own one but know friends that do and they have experienced the same problems mentioned above. Of course you can add more weight or less so I can only assume that adding more weight will or can cause more issues depending on the recoil of your rifle.
One other problem that others haven't mentioned is your point of impact using a lead sled vs not using one( like a hunting situation). I would bet that if you used a lead sled and say shoot a group @ 300 yds and then use a sand bag, I'm pretty sure your point of impact is going to change.
I would stick to sand bags unless you just want to use the lead sled as a rest without any weight. Anything you change in your shooting form/style will change the point of impact of your bullet at long distances.

 

[nwsg76]

I guess I am the odd man here. I really like mine. Not shooting cannons out of it. But 223 to 7mm. No problems. I shoot a few rounds and I am done. Now I would understand if you were shooting 50 rounds at a time. It's really good for kids and beginners. I use a 10# bag of shot to help reduce movement. Nothing more because some recoil is needed.

 

[Headhunter]

no to lead sled. there is way to much potential to damage something, scope or gun or both. May never happen, but I am not taking that chance.