Lead sleds

[Wolfdog91]

So ,guy on another forum I'm on is having problems with a gun he bought, apparently customer Service told him shooting it off his lead sled might be part of the problem. Said he don't get how it could be a problem. Mention led alot of guys in the precision game hate lead sleds and apparently they can cause some issues but I want an expert on the subject just what Ive seen peoel way more advanced then me say.
Think somone could explain why lead sleds and similar could cause problems?
( btw most of these guys are just the your average hunter types , not trying to make fun of anyone or anything just the audience)

 

[TTE]

Depending on the recoil ..... IMO, it could have an effect on the bedding

 

[prone.life]

Scope Problems Due to Lead Sleds?

Recently I have been asked to troubleshoot hunting rifles with accuracy issues and in the case of these rifles the scopes had gone awry. All were good quality scopes. ie Zeiss, Swavorski, Blackhound, Weaver and all had one thing in common, the owners had been sighting the rifles in with the aid...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[xswanted]

Recoil.

A gun needs to be able to move freely after the shot, the degree to which it moves varies, but, the "follow through" of the natural movement of the rifle after the shot is part of shooting a gun accurately....consistenly.


A Lead Sled doesn't allow it to do this.

 

[6Creed73]

Lead sleds are terrible and can mess up a scope if nothing else. A good front rest with a rear rabbit ear bag is far better.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Lead sleds are terrible and can mess up a scope if nothing else. A good front rest with a rear rabbit ear bag is far better.

But why exactly

 

[6Creed73]

But why exactly

As noted above by another member, a sled does not allow the rifle to move freely. Forcing it to be stationary is jarring on a scope. It can also be stressful for the rifle. By not allowing the gun to recoil properly, that energy has to be absorbed elsewhere.

 

[TaperPin]

With 50 lbs of lead it is almost stationary and the only give is in the thin cushion and recoil pad - the rifle begins recoiling normally for the first fraction of an inch and then its like slamming into a wall and the entire gun bounces back a fraction of an inch like a basketball. It’s more the weird forces of the bounce back than anything else. Scopes that function fine with a normal rest can sometimes develop internal issues on a lead sled.

Having said that, if they didn’t call it a lead sled, added a little carpet pad for extra cushion and shot it without any additional weight on the sled so it could move a little with recoil I’d use it if that’s all that was available. Don’t tell my friends - I’d have to wear a unibomber hoodie or something to conceal my identity.

On a concrete bench top things don’t slide easily - if they are going to keep using the sled, and I would if that’s all I had in the short term, a few scraps of plastic, like cut out of a 5 gallon bucket, strips of sheet metal or pieces of vinyl plank flooring, under the feet will allow it to move much easier and the recoil forces will have much less bounce going back into the scope.

If they want to throw something else together to make the customer service desk happy, cut the legs off a pair of jeans, use nylon ties or string to close the ends in and fill it as full as needed with sand or kitty litter like a tootsie roll. Stand a tall one upright and it’s wide enough to be stable. A much shorter one will mash around the stock and is easy to adjust squishing it with a hand. As a teenager who loved shooting I could either buy an awful lot of bullets and powder, or the only cast iron stand available locally - those kitty litter filled jeans worked fine for years - I even sewed up a fancy one and purposefully sat next to the old guys who had the rest I wish I had.

 

[Larry Koch]

I've seen it when used split a wood stock. There is alot of energy released from the recoil of the bullet. The bigger the bullet and faster the velocity. The more likely it will have a negitive impact on your rifle. There is no give.

 

[TaperPin]

So ,guy on another forum I'm on is having problems with a gun he bought, apparently customer Service told him shooting it off his lead sled might be part of the problem. Said he don't get how it could be a problem. Mention led alot of guys in the precision game hate lead sleds and apparently they can cause some issues but I want an expert on the subject just what Ive seen peoel way more advanced then me say.
Think somone could explain why lead sleds and similar could cause problems?
( btw most of these guys are just the your average hunter types , not trying to make fun of anyone or anything just the audience)

Also, if recoil is the main reason for the lead sled, using a bag of lead shot or sand as a sissy pad is a time tested shoulder saver that doesn’t cause problems - I always bring something like that to the range.

 

[TaperPin]

Amazon has a cast iron rest with cheap bags for less than the cost of a steak dinner.

 

[Cecil S.]

I may not be correct but I seem to remember reading "Lead Sleds" introduce a type of bounce to recoil. Bags allow for straight recoil and better results.

 

[Big Mc]

So ,guy on another forum I'm on is having problems with a gun he bought, apparently customer Service told him shooting it off his lead sled might be part of the problem. Said he don't get how it could be a problem. Mention led alot of guys in the precision game hate lead sleds and apparently they can cause some issues but I want an expert on the subject just what Ive seen peoel way more advanced then me say.
Think somone could explain why lead sleds and similar could cause problems?
( btw most of these guys are just the your average hunter types , not trying to make fun of anyone or anything just the audience)

Simple physics. Action and reaction. Tommy Mc

 

[LHSmith]

Look at how the most accurate competition rifle -the rail gun operates- it slides rearward with recoil. There is a reason for this besides unnecessary jarring of the optics and barrel/ action/ stock interface.
Fact is that the bullet is still in the barrel in the early stages of recoil-so the firearm is rising from what was your POA. When you sight-in you are compensating for this difference. Even the slightest change in off-hand hold -hard vs. soft, type of rest used, placement of sandbag supports,etc. will give different POI. This is why most often POI will vary from person to person using the same equipment assuming the same skill level.

 

[Big_Daddy]

I've seen it when used split a wood stock. There is alot of energy released from the recoil of the bullet. The bigger the bullet and faster the velocity. The more likely it will have a negitive impact on your rifle. There is no give.

So have I Larry.
I NEVER use one for multiple reasons.

 

[K22]

A prominent rifle smith in my area who makes custom rifles for some well-known hunters claims that they can destroy a scope due to the energy being transferred to the scope especially when they are loaded with heavy bags of shot. They also place excessive stress on the mounts, bedding and stock due to energy transfer. This guy is an expert. He has literally built hundreds top quality hunting rifles and tested them. I believe him*.

I personally believe the Lead Sled is the worst gadget every created in the shooting sports. I've seen them at the range for many years. The aforementioned problem notwithstanding, any sight in with these is worthless since the rifle will shoot significantly different from a normal hunting shooting position. I have coached many hunters preparing for expensive big game hunts out West and Alaska have proven this time after time. I don't wish to debate something I have witnessed numerous times*.

If you want a very stable rest for load testing and / or initial scope sight in, nothing is better in my experience than those "bull bags" like the Caldwell Tack Driver Shooting Rest Bag with an "owl ear" rear rest. While this system will get you close enough, especially for big game, I personally believe that final sight in for a hunting rifle should be conducted in the manner in which you are going to use in the field.

Incidentally, Tack Driver bag is the system the aforementioned rifle smith uses to qualify his rifles before release to a customer.

* As recent as last week, I witnessed a guy destroy a scope mounted on a slug shotgun using a Lead Sled.

 

[butchlambert]

If you can't take the recoil sighting in, you need to purchase a rifle with recoil that you can handle.

 

[jackieschmidt]

If you can't take the recoil sighting in, you need to purchase a rifle with recoil that you can handle.

^^^^^^^^

 

[bluealtered]

I have bought and tried lead sleds twice in the last 40+ years. After maybe three rounds with them each time I gave them to the first person at the range who said I need to get one of those. Never again, If I can't get it right by using our basic rules of shooting then the issue is with me and it's time to recap how I shoot,...again.

 

[Larry Koch]

^^^^^^^^

That's why we have rimfire. There was a time when that was to much for me, after 3 surgeries in 12 months. PCP air rifle for a little while, good for around the yard critters too.