Rifle damage using Lead Sleds!

[duckcreekdick]

Yesterday a customer brought in a Weatherby Lazermark Mk.V in .340 Wby. The stock was split at the wrist and below around the magazine well. No splits where you normally get them by the recoil lug area. The Swarovski scope had also moved 1/2 inch forward in the Leupold rings on a one-piece base, completely shearing off the little retention half-cuts of the rear ring. The customer said he was using a Lead Sled weighted down extra heavy to cut down on the recoil. Not quite as bad as putting the buttstock up against a tree and firing the rifle but pretty close. Even after explaining things, I still think the owner believes it is a defective stock problem, rather than one of his own doing.

 

[JD338]

operator error for sure!
I have never used a lead sled and never will with my rifles.

JD338

 

[gerry]

I have never used a lead sled and never will with my rifles.

JD338

Me too, especially a fancy stock on a gun like a Weatherby, they might be pretty but are not as strong and a straight grained stock. With today's great bullets from a bunch of different manufacturers great performance can be had from smaller rounds which you don't need a lead sled for.

 

[OU812]

There are no free lunches and the recoil has to go some where and it sounds like it did.

 

[Kodiak]

I have never used a lead sled and never will with my rifles.

JD338

YUP !!!!!!!!!!!
Well said,

 

[DrMike]

Don't use a lead sled for my own rifles. The only time I've used one is when shooting a number of large cartridges during the same day.

 

[onesonek]

Never had much use for one myself, but agree. That recoil has to go some where.

 

[runtohunt]

I have one. I haven't used it much lately, but when I was working on loads for the 30-378 it sure came in handy. I have never loaded the sled with more than 50 lbs though.

 

[cloverleaf]

I dont have the pictures any more, but you may rememeber that my "Zero Max" rest took a couple pieces out of the pistol grip of my stock. I use a couple bungee cords and five pounds of weight and two recoil pads (or my heavy hunting coat) to shoot my slug gun. Still not enough..... I am definitely more careful about how my rifles are positioned in the rest.

 

[bullet]

I have preached till I am blue in the face at our club when guys use the lead sled doing any shooting with their rifles. I have told them of the damage it can and does due. Have had two of my buddies finally acknowledge the lead sled damages rifles after they both did major damage to their rifles. As was said earlier, there are no free lunches. You don't like the recoil of your rifle get a brake put on it or buy a caliber you can handle.

Further more, it is not the initial recoil in the rearward motion that does the damage, it is the return of the recoil to the front that will not only change your bedding over time but destroy a scope after a while much less the stock of some rifles. Even if you have no visible signs of damage, your rifles bedding has been affected along with the stock and scope. Just keep using the sled and it will become visible. I do not buy a used gun if the gun was used in a lead sled. I ask what support they use when shooting at the range and if they say lead sled I don't buy the rifle.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have always felt that if you can't handle it, don't buy it in the first place or put a brake on it! Some brakes like the Vais are not even very loud.

 

[nvbroncrider]

No sleds here if I need one it means I have more rifle than I can handle and it needs to find a new home.

 

[HomerOz]

G'Day Fella's,

DCD, you might want to explain to the rifles owner, that you think it has something to do with Physics!
For each and every Action, there is an equal and opposite Reaction!!!

In this case, in more ways than one!

Hope that helps

Doh!
Homer

 

[bullet]

G'Day Fella's,

DCD, you might want to explain to the rifles owner, that you think it has something to do with Physics!
For each and every Action, there is an equal and opposite Reaction!!!

In this case, in more ways than one!

Hope that helps

Doh!
Homer

Now that is truly funny! YES! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: A thing called Physics :mrgreen:

 

[cloverleaf]

I have always felt that if you can't handle it, don't buy it in the first place or put a brake on it! Some brakes like the Vais are not even very loud.

Yes- but I can understand why some one would use a rest or sled to mitigate some of the recoil. This is whats legal for deer where I hunt.


Its no 338 but if you let off 10 rounds you will know it.... and yes its ported. I understand the point though. You cant take a gun like this and lock it down and not expect somthing to break. Somthing has to absorb the "reaction". Thats why I shoot the 250 savage for fun!

 

[RememberBaker]

Glad I read this thread, I was thinking I wanted one. Now I know better. Thank you!

 

[usmc 89]

Nevermind.

 

[OU812]

I have always felt that if you can't handle it, don't buy it in the first place or put a brake on it! Some brakes like the Vais are not even very loud.

Yes- but I can understand why some one would use a rest or sled to mitigate some of the recoil. This is whats legal for deer where I hunt.


Its no 338 but if you let off 10 rounds you will know it.... and yes its ported. I understand the point though. You cant take a gun like this and lock it down and not expect somthing to break. Somthing has to absorb the "reaction". Thats why I shoot the 250 savage for fun!

Might just be me but that slug gun sure looks like it could use a recoil pad.

 

[cloverleaf]

Good call....I should have added that this one wears a limbsaver slip on AND either my heavy hunting coat or another Linsaver shoulder pad. I hunt with a very heavy fleece jacket over a thick wool sweater, and another outer hunting jacket. Thus the very thin pad you see to get the LOP correct with all my November hunting gear on. CL

 

[Oldtrader3]

CL, I would say on that shotgun!