Captain*kirk
Member
My son bought one of these and claims it's the best thing since sliced bread. Any opinions to the contrary?
Caldwell Lead Sled
- Thread starter Captain*kirk
- Start date
A friend loaned me his once. Said it was handier than pocket on a tee shirt. Worked fine but kinda bulky compared to what I use. A person with a big boomer would appreciate the added recoil protection. Does he shoot high recoiling rifles? 45 70 and 30 06 is as big as I've collected.
CoalCrackerAl
Member
I have one. Used it one time. I find them to be to cumbersome.
And fiddly. Had to fiddle with it after each shot. But they sell a lot of them I suppose.
Rests are a personal thing like style of underwear.
Captain*kirk
Member
Yes. And I shoot hot 7mm mag handloads along with .45-70. 20 rounds of each and I start cringing with each shot. He put 60 rds of hot '06 through his and said he didn't feel a thing.
Lefty38-55
Member
They're awesome for learnng that WHERE it hits from the lead sled is no where near where it hits, or how it groups, whilst shootin' offhand ...
Harmonics baby ... learn how to find the node - shoot the node.
Harmonics baby ... learn how to find the node - shoot the node.
Captain*kirk
Member
Do tell
Chuck R.
Member
I've got one a friend gave me, and honestly I can't stand the thing. The one time I tried it I spent more time fiddling around to get the crosshairs back on target than it was worth.
Personally I don't understand how anything that basically reduces recoil by adding weight will not:
1. Be harder on stocks and optics
2. Maintain the same POI as a rifle that's allowed to recoil as it normally would when shooting
So, I basically used my gifted one once, went back to bipod or a benchrest and use the Lead Sled as a rifle rack in my gun room. I'd get rid of it, but there's no telling when the guy will stop over and ask about it and I'd rather not hurt his feelings.
Personally I don't understand how anything that basically reduces recoil by adding weight will not:
1. Be harder on stocks and optics
2. Maintain the same POI as a rifle that's allowed to recoil as it normally would when shooting
So, I basically used my gifted one once, went back to bipod or a benchrest and use the Lead Sled as a rifle rack in my gun room. I'd get rid of it, but there's no telling when the guy will stop over and ask about it and I'd rather not hurt his feelings.
Let us know how you do !!
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 15,086
Hot garbage which elicits bad marksmanship and has potential to damage rifles. Graciously return the "gift."
Hugger-4641
Member
I find it very useful for bore sighting when I install a new scope or sighting in a friends gun. It's also useful for cleaning some guns. As for fine grouping, I find I'm much better with a bipod and rear bag or bags front and back. The framework and rear rest on the sled do not allow a proper cheek weld or natural shoulder position for me.
conan32120
Member
Got one, found it to cumbersome to tote to the range but love it for cleaning my rifles
Captain*kirk
Member
I don't have one. My son does and likes it. I was considering buying one but lots of negatives here...which is why I asked.
Soonerpesek
Member
Is your son not near you to let you try it…?
It would seem that would be the best review…
troy fairweather
Member
There very hard on a gun,
Lefty38-55
Member
@Captain*kirk - See here, for barrel tuning and finding the nodes:
Barrel tuning question
I am mostly ignorant on this topic and would like to learn more. I'm guessing tuning a barrel is a way to control barrel vibrations. As a reloader I achieve this with my reloads, but temperature is my enemy. So tuning the barrel to a load seems to make sense, what is the best way to achieve this?
www.thehighroad.org
Hugger-4641
Member
Lead sled has no affect on barrel harmonics for a free floated rifle unless you are putting the barrel in the front rest instead of the forearm.
I also do not use any weight on the sled when I do use one. If the sled can't move some with the recoil then it could damage a wood stock.
I also do not use any weight on the sled when I do use one. If the sled can't move some with the recoil then it could damage a wood stock.
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 15,086
This.
It sure sounds good to say pseudoscientific buzzwords on Internet forums, and it’s low hanging fruit to use “harmonics” which a near zero percentage of shooters ACTUALLY understand - even remotely, at the lowest basal level, understand - so it sounds great online… but it’s pretty simple to see through the veil if you understand anything about harmonics, physical systems, dampening, and marksmanship. A Lead Sled changes how a shooter interfaces with the rifle and it changes how much force the stock has to endure during recoil, but it does NOT change anything about barrel tuning harmonics unless the user foolishly runs a strap over the top of the barrel to secure it to the sled.
This is akin to the legend that rifles all have different zeroes for different shooters. This never actually happens for skilled marksmen, who can all trade rifles and have the same POI/zero, and only seems to appear for folks who can’t actually shoot very well - so the truth there is that two (or ten) shooters with poor skills will send bullets in two (or ten) different directions. But the rifle doesn’t actually change where it’s sending bullets relative to its bore line.
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irishlad
Contributing Member
Yup, I only use mine when working up 280 Rem. loads.
I skipped it entirely finding a load and sighting in my .458 Win Mag.
It took meat off my elbow on the concrete bench fine tuning the zero as it was.
Hugger-4641
Member
Carpet scraps are great for that.I skipped it entirely finding a load and sighting in my .458 Win Mag.
It took meat off my elbow on the concrete bench fine tuning the zero as it was.
9x56MS
Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2021
- Messages
- 895
You obviously are not shooting enough.
I shoot plenty. Obviously, I'm a wimp.
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