Lead Sled vs bags for Heavy Recoilers?

[cdparker]

Did you ever notice that when you shoot your big boomer from a standing position that the recoil seems a lot milder than at a bench? Folks who spend a lot of time shooting these type of guns have a stand-up bench. That way, the gun shoots just as it would when you are using it in the field. You have the same mass and movement behind the gun as you would have when shooting it "for serious'. There will be no POI change to take account for. Heck, last August, I shot a big Cape Buffalo at a really close distance and I don't think that I even heard the gun fire. I know a guy who does a lot of testing and load development with BIG double rifles. He has a stand-up bench for this testing. I actually have a chunk of Sorbothane that is about 3/4" thick that I use on "Kicking" guns up to my .375 H&H and from there on I use a stand-up rest. Take a look in Graeme Wright's book "Shooting the British Double Rifle". He covers the subject of shooting rests and sleds very well.
Just a thought,
Craig

 

[onelastshot]

Best use of a Lead Sled is for a boat anchor....use front rest and bags and a Past recoil shield if necessary.

Plus 1; Past recoil arresters are one of the best products for shooting period. Purchased one in the 80's, back then it was a blue 4" by 6" pad you stuffed into your shirt. Sadly, someone "borrowed" it. Didn't realize they were still in production, checked the internet and found that Middway USA has them. Will order another this week! Plain and simple, they work. The Magnum Plus version at $26.99 should be more than adequate.

 

[rogn]

I used to have one of the Past pads also, and mine migrated with someone also. Other than that Im too cheap to buy a "sled" so I cobbled up a standing bench. Hits me about shirt pocket height. When I shoot 1 375 I use a piece of foam pad like Searcher, mine is a floor pad 3/4" about 6" by 23/4", and fairly firm. I try not to shoot more than 10 rds out of the 375 , just out of self preservation. Its stable enough to produce <1" groups @ 430 yds with a 600 yd bench gun. Thanks for the info on the Past pads.
I have a bench at 30 yds for handguns and sight ins. I found its just as easy to kneel at this bench when shooting any big boomers, like slugs in a light shotgun. This is the quick equivalent to the standing bench. Mat for the knees is needed.

 

[Chappy]

Here's my opinion on lead sleds. If you absolutely have to use a lead sled to shoot a rifle, chances are the rifle is too much gun for you.

 

[dkhunt14]

You guys that use the lead sled need to go see this video. It is on Longrange hunting.com. You go to forums and go down the page to the forum Videos of tech Stuff and Reviews. Open it and go to the thread How important is seeing the hit. I could not believe how the barrel and stocks were bending upon firing. Matt

 

[onelastshot]

You guys that use the lead sled need to go see this video. It is on Longrange hunting.com. You go to forums and go down the page to the forum Videos of tech Stuff and Reviews. Open it and go to the thread How important is seeing the hit. I could not believe how the barrel and stocks were bending upon firing. Matt

Excellent video. After watching the rifles' barrel and stock bend and flex in the sled you can't honestly believe that this isn't going to negatively affect the rifle and scope. Surprised rifle and scope manufacturers don't warn against the use of sleds or even invalidate the warranty as a result. Rifles and scopes are too much of an investment to subject them to this type of stress.

 

[hogpatrol]

You guys that use the lead sled need to go see this video. It is on Longrange hunting.com. You go to forums and go down the page to the forum Videos of tech Stuff and Reviews. Open it and go to the thread How important is seeing the hit. I could not believe how the barrel and stocks were bending upon firing. Matt

I would surmise all SPORTER barrels bend. Check out the AK-47 video. One reason why I'd never own one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D33g-BsIF1s and this is shoulder held, no sled.

Holy Smokes! The ARs do it too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEBMlfhlxYg

Scopes bend too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5pVya7eask

 

[slm9s]

I keep a really heavy wool hat in my bag for #1 staying warm on cold winter mornings, and #2 I fold it up and it goes between stock and shoulder when I have to do load workup for rifles like my 375 Weatherby. ???

 

[wboggs]

You can use only one bag of shot in the sled. The sled will still move but recoil is much less. Practice with shooting sticks in a standing position for Africa.

 

[dkhunt14]

It will not shoot the same from lead sled to shooting another way. Look when you shoot off a bench. Free recoil one and really shoulder one and they don't go to the same place. If you watch that video I would never subject my gun and stock to that kind of beating, It was done with a brake which would make recoil even less. Watch the video. I can't believe a barrel could bend that much from firing. I can't believe even though the stock was beefed up with a rod that it didn't break. Matt

 

[hogpatrol]

It will not shoot the same from lead sled to shooting another way. Look when you shoot off a bench. Free recoil one and really shoulder one and they don't go to the same place. If you watch that video I would never subject my gun and stock to that kind of beating, It was done with a brake which would make recoil even less. Watch the video. I can't believe a barrel could bend that much from firing. I can't believe even though the stock was beefed up with a rod that it didn't break. Matt

Matt, do you have a link to the LRH video. That site is cluttered beyond belief. Hog

 

[dkhunt14]

No I don't. I am not very good with computers. Maybe somebody else could link it. It was an interesting video. If somebody told me I would have been inclined to not believe it. I saw it when they slowed the tape down. matt

 

[onelastshot]

It will not shoot the same from lead sled to shooting another way. Look when you shoot off a bench. Free recoil one and really shoulder one and they don't go to the same place. If you watch that video I would never subject my gun and stock to that kind of beating, It was done with a brake which would make recoil even less. Watch the video. I can't believe a barrel could bend that much from firing. I can't believe even though the stock was beefed up with a rod that it didn't break. Matt

Matt, do you have a link to the LRH video. That site is cluttered beyond belief. Hog

This is not exactly a link but try following the following:

Go to the site then:
1) click on "forums",
2) Under the subsections "Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment, there is a section on the same page titled "Videos Of Tech Stuff And Reviews," click on it
3) WHen the new section comes up there is a forum called "How important is seeing the hit" click on it.
4) A video will appear half way down the page, click on the arrow.

Hope this helps

Michael

 

[hogpatrol]

Michael, thanks, this is the link: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f94/how-important-seeing-hit-124376/

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

I am a firm believer in bags for load development and final zeroing.

That said, I use a Lahti rest for load development for .375HH and larger. I simply cannot take that pounding. The Lahti allows me to actuate the trigger hydraulically and will still allow me to shoot MOA or better with these monsters, if I am careful. The owner of the rifle then sights the rifle in by whatever method floats their boat.

My friend has used his Lahti for load development of calibers as large as .505 Gibbs and has saved a lot of brain cells.

 

[artbosco]

Best use of a Lead Sled is for a boat anchor....use front rest and bags and a Past recoil shield if necessary.

+1