Caldwell Lead Sled Ballast Question

A couple of bar bell weights in the 25 pound configuration should fit in there.
Not the plastic concrete filled ones, but the cast (?) ones.
Walmart has them.
Or find one of the plastic sort and a couple shot bags will work.
City yard and find some thick pipe caps.
Sometimes the metal scrap yard has them.
I did the search and the time and $$ consumed on fuel makes the
cast ones at Wallyworld bearable.
 
I have found that not much weight is required at all to make a sled effective. You do want it to recoil and move - you dont want a brick wall as no recoil does change your rifle performace.
btw - i saw a great old and seasoned 9.3x62 mauser stock split open in the hot sun once --- no one even had to fire it. Stocks can split for any number of reasons.
 
I have, and use a sled .We built a shooting bench back in the fall.We use a five lb dumbell weight to anchor the sled.The surface of the shooting bench is plastic,to allow the legs on the sled to slide somewhat.I have put a pad, on the inside of the but holder on the sled, to give a bit of a cushion also.We have shot all types of guns and calibers with no problems.I feel the lead sled is the best money you can spend, to make shooting Fun,even with a 270, Remington 7600 with a steel but plate.This gun was rediculous to sight in before.I have had good luck,and good times shooting with the sled,set up the way we do.Good luck to you,and just shoot.
 
stubblejumper said:
Actually using a lead sled, or any type of device that prevents a heavier recoiling rifle from recoiling, is a great way to crack a stock.
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Clamping the gun down too rigidly in the rest can cause damage under recoil.

I put a coupla bags of lead shot in the tray of my rest and nail 2" wide wooden strips behind the legs to prevent movement and haven't had problems with damage to rest or rifle.

There needs to be some "give" for the rifle in the rest or some damage can occur.

I have several rests, a couple are home made, and haven't had any problems over the years.
 
stubblejumper said:
Actually using a lead sled, or any type of device that prevents a heavier recoiling rifle from recoiling, is a great way to crack a stock.
Click to expand...

Actually, driving a car into a tree, I have heard will dent it.Lets use a little bit of common scense guys.The sleds are not bolted to the table .I would hope.
 
Actually, driving a car into a tree, I have heard will dent it.Lets use a little bit of common scense guys.The sleds are not bolted to the table .I would hope.
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The rests weren't bolted to the table in the examples that I am referring to. However, the shooters did have a fair bit of weight on the rests.
 
for a 300 win mag just one 25lbs weight is more than enough. You are still going to get a big bang and movement but you will not feel much on your shoulder.

You can also put a bit more padding behind the butt of the stock. It will make it a bit more awkward to shoot if its thick but will beat up your stock less.I would try an find something stiff enough that it will not compress to much when you pull the stock in to aim but soft enough to compress under recoil.
 
I use a mtm shoulder guard which was 40 bucks at lebarons. Cheap and effective for sighting in magnums and slug guns. I just use 25 pounds of weights or bags which are at the rifle range. Saves my shoulder and money because I do not flinch anymore. Just use 25 pounds and you are good to go.
 
pbonura said:
I use a mtm shoulder guard which was 40 bucks at lebarons. Cheap and effective for sighting in magnums and slug guns. I just use 25 pounds of weights or bags which are at the rifle range. Saves my shoulder and money because I do not flinch anymore. Just use 25 pounds and you are good to go.
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Or as original post states,use a lead sled!
 
Aside from the very real possibility of damaging the rifle, the best reasons to not use a Lead Sled are:

1) the rifle does not shoot even close to the same point of impact as from any field position

The same could be said for shooting from the bench wo a sled, but not to nearly the extent as with one.

2) the accuracy of the rifle is not within any reasonable facsimile of that from a free recoiling rifle.



Suit on! :D
Ted
 
It comes from the real world.

Take your nicely sighted-in outfit from the Lead Sled, on the same day at the same range with the same loads, and shoot at a target from any field position you like; prone, sitting, rested over a pack, bipod, whatever you prefer. You will discover there is a remarkable difference in POI.

Know a few guys who have BTDT and were shocked, as was I. Give it a try when you get to the range next time, and let us know.

As far as accuracy, that is easy to demonstrate. Shoot five groups from your Sled, and five off a good set of bags.

Finally, I have never heard or read of any firearm being damaged shooting from normal bench positions or equipment. Have heard of numbers of cracked stocks, and one completely broken at the wrist when fired from a Lead Sled.

Ted
 
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I fired my Kimber Caprivi .458 Lott 17 times from my lead sled with 500gr tsx max loads. I could have never done that prone :bangHead:. I didn't use any weight in the sled and my shoulder and my rifle are just fine........ BUT it is a Kimber :D
 
There are some other side effects to the lead sled. Mine ate two scopes, and is suspect on another, before I sold the lead sled.
My Marlin 45-70 was very accurate and it seemed the heavier the loads, the better it shot. So, I thought the sled would be great to get a powerful accurate load.
But for some reason I never made as good a group with the lead sled, as I had previously made by resting on sand bags.
 
International in Surrey had the lead bags for the Caldwell sleds.

Also, there is a company in North Van that imports Caldwell products.
They are called Caldwell Industries, IIRC,
but incredibly, despite their name,
they are not related to the Caldwell company that made your sled.
 
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