Lead Sled Issues

[Wind Gypsy]

Question for those using sandbags. Where does the front sandbag contact the stock? About where the front hand would grasp the stock, closer toward the foreend, or closer to the action where the recoil lug is?

Can be anywhere. In general, the further apart front and rear supports are the more stable.

 

[Bonasababy]

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.

One of the first times I saw somebody with one I was shooting next to them wondering what the heck type of cannon they were shooting as it was LOUD...turned out it was some unnecessary ultra shooting times screamer 300 caliber. And not long after he got a nice scope eye cut even with the sled, and broke something--rings or mount I think but not sure. The range was at a gunsmith's place so I got the story from the Smith later.

 

[Bonasababy]

I just had a tikka rifle throwing crazy groups. Found the action screws were very loose. On large caliber rounds from my understanding loosening can happen

Shooting from a lead sled will cause those things to happen!

 

[Bonasababy]

Can be anywhere. In general, the further apart front and rear supports are the more stable.

I was taught at the front of the stock but NOT touching the barrel. And that's for most guns. Lever guns can be a different beast entirely. I have lots of brass for when I eventually start reloading for my 356 for that reason.... Also taught to check the temp of the barrel with that gun. Really different when hot and it gets hot in a hurry.

Best answer is probably checking to make sure point of contact is pretty similar shooting without bags as with. Won't be as accurate, but if without is consistently inches higher or lower or to one side you may need to think about where bags are located and how you are using them at the shot.

 

[GlockZ]

Honestly, as a few others have posted, the lead sled doesn't allow the rifle to be itself, it really does play with the natural harmonics.

 

[Cornbread]

The bolded is not true.

Did you have the same issue with other scopes?

That statement is what Leupold told me, a couple of times, not just once.

 

[Cornbread]

I am so tickled I discovered the problem with LS. And more importantly, it didn't ruin any of my scopes. I was also amazed that I was getting great groups (less than 1") out of that .338 Browning BAR Safari. That will be a great rifle for elk. A little on the heavy side, with a strap and scope but no bouwetts in it it weighs 12.5 lbs. I actually think because it is heavy, it is easier to shoot than the Browning BAR Mark3 in .300 Win Mag. What a POS that LS is. I bought it on a whim so I take the fault. Duh. Will do a tall target test on all of them once I get them all sighted in. I also have to shoot 90 grain Winchester ammo out of the M77. That ammo, previously had a few awesome groups prior to using the Lead Sled.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

That statement is what Leupold told me, a couple of times, not just once.

Maybe they are what leupold feels is most robust of their offerings for a given base interface but they are by no means the only rings that can handle 338 WM recoil. I doubt they are any better than their mark 4 rings but those are for a picatinny interface.

 

[JoltnJoe]

I’ll be the outlier here. I love my sled, especially with my 50 caliber muzzy(no scope) with a 450 grain lead bullet. The main reason being, I can’t lean into the gun on the bench without significant pain after a shot or two. After that, the fear flinch is very real. I get the Willy-nillys just thinking about shooting that on the bench without the sled!

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I was taught at the front of the stock but NOT touching the barrel. And that's for most guns. Lever guns can be a different beast entirely. I have lots of brass for when I eventually start reloading for my 356 for that reason.... Also taught to check the temp of the barrel with that gun. Really different when hot and it gets hot in a hurry.

Best answer is probably checking to make sure point of contact is pretty similar shooting without bags as with. Won't be as accurate, but if without is consistently inches higher or lower or to one side you may need to think about where bags are located and how you are using them at the shot.

Yes, I figured not resting it on the barrel was known but good clarification.

The other assumption with my comment was that it wasn’t in a platform that is sensitive to where on the stock (fore/aft) the rifle is support from below. I don’t use rifles where this isn’t the case so I have a bit of a blind spot in regards to that.

 

[Steiny77]

Interesting how many people dislike lead sleds.
I came to the same conclusion and gave mine away a long time ago.

Biggest things I disliked was all that crap between me and the gun and how high off the bench it required the rifle to be.

These days I just bench shoot with a couple big sand bags under the fore stock and a small one under the rear. Hard to learn how to shoot accurately if depending on a device to hold the firearm. Of equal importance is the shooter needs to learn how to hold the rifle steady and squeeze off the shot. You won't have that lead sled or bags in the field.

 

[Cornbread]

Interesting how many people dislike lead sleds.
I came to the same conclusion and gave mine away a long time ago.

Biggest things I disliked was all that crap between me and the gun and how high off the bench it required the rifle to be.

These days I just bench shoot with a couple big sand bags under the fore stock and a small one under the rear. Hard to learn how to shoot accurately if depending on a device to hold the firearm. Of equal importance is the shooter needs to learn how to hold the rifle steady and squeeze off the shot. You won't have that lead sled or bags in the field.

I was amazed at how many responded to my thread. I had a sense when I posted it after contacting two friends that were experienced shooters. I did my tall-target test today with that .338 win mag and got a 9/16" group with the elevation cranked up 15 MOA. I also checked the 10 & 5 MOA, and except for the flyers the scope ( a Zeiss Conquest4 4-16x42) was spot on. I was about 1/2" to the left, so I know how to adjust for that. I was very happy with the results and have decided that the BAR will be my go to elk rifle. Plenty of power to take down a big fat bull elk. The weight of the rifle makes the recoil better than the Mark3 BAR I have in .300 Win Mag. The Mark 3 would be easier to carry. The .338 BAR weighs 12.5 lbs. It will be like toting General Grant's cannons up the mountain. I really now have confidence in it and the recoil isn't bad. NO MUZZLE BRAKE THANK GOD, or i'd be developing a flinch. That's all I need. I will bring along plugs in the field.

Groups on the other rifles have had no problems whatsoever. Still trying to find which factory ammo is best. The M77 in .25-06 likes the Winchester 117gr XP Deer Hunter ammo. Getting 1" groups with that.

Agreed about not having the Lead Sled in the field. I did buy Hatch Bipods, both the regular and tall versions. Haven't used those yet till I know which ammo the rifles like. Once I have that hammered doen, and all the Tall-target tests done, I'll be at the range practicing for the field.

 

[RG300]

I tried to use a lead sled, my groups were all over the place....
I took my rifle out of it & i shoot much better without the sled.

 

[Cornbread]

Latest update. Completed the tall target test for the Browning BAR in .338 win mag. Test went perfectly. Groups were at 5,10, & 15 MOA and dead on. Got a group as small as 9/16". The rifle seems to like Hornady Outfitter ammo with the 225gr CX bullet. I ordered 25 boxes of it immediately. They will get delivered tomorrow. I think I found my elk rifle, although the scope rifle combo weighs 12.5 lbs. I have a lot of confidence in it.

 

[livingt_o_hunt]

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.

i like stick an old shirt around the butplate if the gun. seems to steady everything a little more. i haven’t had issues with mine

 

[std7mag]

Agreed about not having the Lead Sled in the field. I did buy Hatch Bipods, both the regular and tall versions. Haven't used those yet till I know which ammo the rifles like. Once I have that hammered doen, and all the Tall-target tests done, I'll be at the range practicing for the field.

I'll pass along a trick I found for hunting and taking a shot at somewhat longer distances.

I have a small folding seat from Dunham's, that I strap to my backpack. Doesn't add much weight, but makes it more comfortable for an impromptu sit.

If I spot something far off, I set up the seat, and put my backpack across it.
Plop my butt on the ground and I have a portable shooting bench.

 

[Cornbread]

I'll pass along a trick I found for hunting and taking a shot at somewhat longer distances.

I have a small folding seat from Dunham's, that I strap to my backpack. Doesn't add much weight, but makes it more comfortable for an impromptu sit.

If I spot something far off, I set up the seat, and put my backpack across it.
Plop my butt on the ground and I have a portable shooting bench.

Thanks for the suggestion. I used to have a turkey hunting seat like that. I have the Hatch Outdoors bipods, normal & Tall. I also have a shooting bag I carry that is ultra light. It's filled with styrofoam beads not sand. I should be set. The Hatch bipods ain't cheap, family-business made in Idaho, but they adjust pretty darn well and worth the money. They are reasonably light, extendable and very steady. Look them up.

I also carry two 1" thick closed-cell foam pads about 12'x15" to get me off the ground and yet very very light to carry. I'm, coming from sea level in Florida (think no elevation, 92 degrees & 80% humidity), so my focus will be to stay warm and carry light. I'll carry a Feathered Friends heavy down jacket and pants, a poncho for rain and wind break, my 12.5-lb rifle, binos, extra socks, food & vitamin water, and the shooting bag & bipod. I also bought two different pairs of Schnee boots, the Extreme if it really gets cold and the outfitter for normal cold. God, those boots are the best Ive ever had abnd so comfortable. Same with the Stone Glacier pack. Friggen awesome products.

Altitude really affects my ability, even though Ive practiced hauling a 40-lb pack the last 6 mos, I'm 70 yrs old. I'm down 15lbs in weight and hope to get another 5lbs off by the time I leave here in late Sept. My target is 200lbs at 6'2".

This is going to be a guided hunt, because at altitude, I, with the help of my 64yr old buddy from Great Falls, just can't manage getting a huge animal out of the woods. Looking forward to his hunt. The outfitter owns 12,000 acres, and leases another 48,000 acres. I'm quite familar with the area as I went up for 2.5 mos in 2022. Got an elk, a nice 5x4 satellite bull Oct 2022, solely on my own. The extra time helped me acclimate to the altitude a tad, and I got to know the area. Lots of nice people in the area.

 

[buckbull]

A nice rest posted in the classifieds.

The Rock Caldwell bench rest.

Used 5 times maybe.new $160 let this one go for $75…. I can meet up around front range area within reason. No shipping it’s too heavy. It has one small ding in the paint on one leg it came with when I bought it new at cabelas. A part just rode on that spot in the box and wore the paint.Thanks...

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