Anyone use the Lead Sled solo or the Deadshot fieldpod?

[NEO Hunter]

The shooting rest I have won't work with AR's. Has anyone used the Lead Sled Solo or the Deadshot Field Pod. I know the Deadshot is designed to be used for more field use vs sighting in but I wondered if it was stable enough for sighting in and then I can use it in the field as well. With the cost of ammo right now I don't want to shoot more than needed to zero, so I figured a good rest is worth the investment. Any other suggestions are appreciated as well. Thanks

[AKDoug]

Zeroing is simple and it doesn't require an investment in a rest of any sort. I use a 200 yard zero which happens to also zero at 50 yards. This zero ends up being about 1 1/2" low at 25 yards.

I remove my upper from the lower and place it in sand bags, on two rolled up coats, even a cardboard box with notches cut in it. I place a bullseye target at 25 yards and sight down the barrel. I center the view down the barrel on the target, I then adjust my scope or red dot to the center of the bull. I reassemble the rifle, and using the magazine as a mono-pod, I will shot one round. I will then look where it hit and make adjustments to get it set at 1 1/2" low at 25 yards. I don't dick around with firing any more rounds if it was within a couple inches. I simply use the clicks to adjust. Just remember that it's 16 clicks to move an inch at 25 yards if you have 1/4" adjustments at 100 yards, or 8 clicks per inch for a 1/2" adjustment scope. If you are new to this, fire a second round to confirm you went the right way.

I move the target frame out to 50. Once again I use my magazine to rest off and fire a shot. Sometimes I'm right on the money at this point. If not I adjust and fire one round at a time to get centered at 50 yards. Done.

The AR-15 is a fighting rifle. It should be sighted in how you shoot. Since I shoot prone from 100 to 300 yards, I use prone to sight in. From 100 on in I will shoot kneeling or standing and my prone zero works fine for that.

When I hunt with an AR it is off a bi-pod or a ruck prone. I sight those rifles in that way.

Where a Lead Sled shines is in load development. I'll use one to shoot groups, but I rarely do so because I see little difference between that and a sandbagged rifle.

[Chorizo]

I use a lead sled solo for sight-in. The key is to have a very stable base to put it on. At the range I use they have individual benches made of concrete and it is ideal for the lead sled.

I sight-in using the lead sled, then verify/tune using the position I use most in the field.

AKDoug makes a purist's point and it has some merit, but only for practice of position and fine tuning, not for initial sight in or load development/comparison. The Lead Sled is simply a mechanical form of the sandbag.

[marlboro]

I use the Lead Sled Solo for all my sight in work. It works great with the AR platform. I setup using 20rd magazines and a 25 lbs bag of lead shot. The price isn't too bad either.