lead sled or sandbags?

[sbhooper]

I was stunned at the POI changes when I used a Lead Sled. My rifle groups would do very weird things and open up a lot so I only do sand bags for sighting in or developing loads now.

Maybe some sort of harmonics thing?

There should be no difference. Make sure that you hold it the same way that you would on bags. Do not lay the barrel on the front rest. It is not any different than any other rest, you just have to make sure that you do not change your hold when you use it. Ask me how I know!

 

[sbhooper]

A couple groups. Well three. 5 shot groups. Shot off a rest and rear bag. .300 RUM pushing a 200 grain Accubond 3200 fps. Rifle weighs about 8 pounds all up with sling and 4 rounds in it. No brake so it has a little snort to it. These are zero checks before season. No sled required. Kills elk dead. mtmuley

Maybe you could shoot some better groups, if you used a lead sled!

 

[Sowhntr]

We do most of our shooting from the bench. Lead sled works best for me.

 

[mtmuley]

Maybe you could shoot some better groups, if you used a lead sled!

sb, that may happen one day. Never say never. It's tough to shoot hard kickers accurately from a solid rest. As age creeps up..... leadsled or brake. Haha. mtmuley

 

[Biggs300]

I now use a Caldwell Stinger for sighting in my rifles and for tuning my handholds. After this process, I go back to my tried-and-true Caldwell Tack Driver front sand bag and Shooter's Ridge rear rest from the bench. I've been using this combination for years and they just work well for me. I've found that the new Caldwell Stinger was so easy to set elevation for working up new loads. I have only tried a Lead Sled a couple of times for sighting in a rifle but found that I lost all "feel" of my rifle.

 

[MKotur325]

I tend to run something like a lead sled when I'm working on load development, bore sighting and breaking in guns. After that. Final zero is as close to field conditions as I can make it. In my case, bipod up front and the "sandbag" (sand replaced with lightweight acrylic pellets) that I carry in my hunting pack. Only weighs a couple ounces and makes a heck of a difference. I'd check off the closest option you have to your field positions.

 

[jeffraines]

Lead sled for sighting in and load work up. If I'm practicing the lead sled stays at home. Once you get a load and get zeroed for it remove the sled and verify. Then go hunt!

 

[Walkathon]

I have both and haven't noticed any difference in point of impact as long as I'm supporting the stock in the same place. When I use the lead sled I only use one sand bag so the sled moves a little after firing. I get about the same groups out of either system. Never had any issues with the lead sled damaging gun or scopes. That being said- I like to use the bags because for me it more closely resembles how I line up on my gun while actually hunting. I did buy one of those Caldwell recoil shields that you strap on your shoulder and haven't had a chance to try it with the bags. Anyone use one?

 

[Amstaff]

I picked up a Lead Sled DFT 2 last year... It has been the absolute best thing I've used to sight in a rifle and test loads. Period. There are fine adjustments front/rear/up/down. To me, the whole idea is not about mitigating recoil, it's simply to have the most perfect, stable rest available and remove the human element. In the past I've used a bunch of sand bags and shooting bags, and they've all been great and effective (especially at 100 yards). The sled is better. It's particularly effective when double checking a 200 yard zero. Sand/Shooting bags will work at that distance too, but the sled rest is definitely easier. With all that said, I only have used it for sighting in and load development. When I am practicing hunting shooting situations I do what many others do: I shoot sitting and standing (often using a tree as support), which are typical shooing positions for me in the PA woods.

 

[mtmuley]

I like the human element. Gives me "piece" of mind. mtmuley

 

[Steiny]

So I tried a lead sled Friday for first time. For me .... that thing sucks !
It sits too high off the bench, makes the rifle longer, so I can't get my eye close enough to scope, elbows properly positioned on the bench, or cheek on the stock. Set that thing aside after two shots and went back to bags and a front rest. I think a lead sled would be fine for a real big, tall guy, but for me at 5'-9" it doesn't work.

 

[Archie]

When I hunt I use a bipod extended to sitting/kneeling height, or sometimes offhand with whatever rest is handy. I was trained to practice the way I'll be applying it. I'm not a benchrest shooter, so I don't really need a benchrest and don't need to practice off a benchrest. I'm a hunter, so if I need to zero a setup at the range I might use a sandbag and bipod off a bench at first - but just to tune in if there is a lot of work to do. Afterwards, all my practice and grouping is done off the bipod - sitting on the ground or in a similar position - not involving a bench, bag or a mechanical rest. As long as you can find an anchored and repeatable position that's comfortable for you, it's all good and you'll be better off applying it when it counts.

Recoil mitigation seems to be the main reason I see most guys at the range using led sleds. I was taught that if I need recoil mitigation to practice then I'm probably over-gunned. If it's my only choice (like, say, if I'm hunting a tyrannosaur in Mozambique and need a supermagnum BFR) then I'll work on getting comfortable with it, or make the rifle heavier, etc. However, I don't hunt in Mozambique so I prefer to just shoot what I'm comfortable, confident and capable with, and do it the way I'll be using it.

Just my 2 cents. Your mileage may vary.

Cheers
Rich