Thought I'd spend the dough and bought a Lead Sled DFT2 about a month ago. Was getting weird behavior on my groups. Consulted 2 friends with quite a bit of range time. One friend had actually had one and experienced the weird groups moving all over the place. I don't want to hear from anybody telling me how good their Sled is. That won't help me figure out/confirm my issue. I'd like to hear from those that have had problems, and what were they. Ive been shooting 5 different rifles: a .338 win mag, a 300 win mag, a .25-06. Thanks.
Lead Sled Issues
- Thread starter Cornbread
- Start date
Sheltowee
Well-known member
Seriously not being a smart ass, but the issue is you're shooting off a lead sled. All kinds of bizarre harmonics that will eff up your groups. Shoot off soft bags front and back for optimal results.
Addicting
Well-known member
I pitched mine in the scrap pile. Hard on the gun, and groups were not what I had when I shot off a bipod and rear bag. I hunt with a bipod so why stay with something that doesn’t have the same POI and is hard on my equipment.
Addicting
Well-known member
And a suppressor is the answer to reduce the recoil if that is the issue.
seeth07
Well-known member
I scraped my sled too once I realized that it was the problem and not me or my rifles about 5 years ago. Never looked back
Recoil not the issue. I thought the LS was supposed to lock in the gun. Apparently not.
That is exactly the conclusion I'm coming to. POS. Marketing hype. Afyter I get a few more repsonses I'll post what I think is the problem, solely with the sled.
My stock on the .338 win mag (a 2003 Browning BAR Safari) actually loosened up!!! WTF. Yesterday, when I cleaned all my rifles, I also tightened up the scre holding the stock in place.
mevertsen
Well-known member
The gun needs to move
In the next week I'll be going to the range. Came to that conclusion. About 3 mos ago I sawa comment from an adversary about never shooting from a Lead Sled. I registered it the back of my mind. Thought at first just a crackpot, but didn't completely discount his comment. Now I see why. I'm going to drag out my old rifle rest and start over. I'll post what I think the problem is after I get a few more responses. Thanks for your input.
I worked today at putting sand into my bags.
So basically, when I put the gun in the LS, I put the crosshairs on te target at 100 yards. Went to hold the rifle, and the POI had changed, so I re-centered the rifle using the elevation & windage adjustments. Hold rifle, and I'm getting 6" groups, and they are moving all around. WTF. ThenI'm getting a 3-shot group where they are all touching. The group is 3.75" low, and 2.5" to the right. Change the scope and now it's shooting up & tom the left. WTF. Is the scope bad? Is this a boner rifle from Gunbroker? Did I put the scope on wrong and pinch the scope mechanism without knowing? Ive burned up an incredible amount of ammo, which is like throwing gold away. So after talking with my 2 buddies, It's the Lead Sled. Will confirm it in the next week.
perma
Well-known member
I sympathize with you. Same exact issues with my 300 WBY and my muzzy. I got it to where they’d group well on a sled, go to shoot prone 150 yards and couldn’t hit a T. rex. Sought help from the forum, re zeroed my muzzy and then I had 1” groups at 150 yards.
Sheltowee
Well-known member
Hoping someone more knowledgeable than me chimes in but I suspect physics are to blame. Locking the rifle into the lead sled channels all of what otherwise would be free recoil energy into the rifle itself. Add to that every rifle flexes and whips during firing. The goal is to make sure it does so consistently from shot to shot. I would guess the combination of directing that free energy into the weapon and resultingly higher degree of whip and flex makes repeatable shots much less likely, therefore opening groups.
On the other hand, a good rear bag has been an absolute freakin revelation.
On the other hand, a good rear bag has been an absolute freakin revelation.
popeyoung12
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2021
- Messages
- 295
It's not the ls, it's the gun or u.
p_ham
Well-known member
It's like using a brick wall to stop your vehicle vs using the brakes.
Are lead sleds good for holding your rifle securely? Sure. But they're also good for ruining scopes, cracking stocks, loosening hardware, and driving it's operator mad chasing accuracy issues.
In benchrest shooting, the unlimited class is dominated by railguns. Basically what that is, is a barreled action clamped in a fixture mounted in a track. Upon firing the gun moves rearward under recoil in the track. It's decelerated via shock absorber. If holding the gun solid and immovable were more advantageous than letting it move under recoil then that's what everybody would be doing.
