View Full Version : Caldwell Shooting Sled
A friend of mine asked me about the Caldwell Shooting Sled. Will it work with an AR?
Mine does not work with 30 round magpul mags (gen 2) as the base is too large to fit through the bottom rails. However, I think it might work though with 20 round or 30 round usgi aluminum mags that are more narrow at the floorplate.
I'll check it tomorrow afternoon, if you don't get a more solid answer before then.
Standard Lead Sled and DFT will not work with an AR. The Solo will.
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fedupflyer
08-16-17, 09:36
I would not recommend the Caldwell Lead Sled, unless you just get it dirt cheap.
After owning one, I wished I had bought a quality machine rest instead.
I would not recommend the Caldwell Lead Sled, unless you just get it dirt cheap.
After owning one, I wished I had bought a quality machine rest instead.
What sort of problems did you have with it? What is the cost of a machine rest in comparison?
How can these be anywhere close to the old 2"+ cap plus metal lathes with good rails on a multi-ton bases with good rails and positive stops (starts) for the old remachined tail stocks that can be made to clamp the said item as solid or less as you prefer? In reality with rests that are not used to test actual uses are possible potentials only, but for a use that can determine potentials overall that are not the same as field use for that said product. The representation is not accurate.
How can these be anywhere close to the old 2"+ cap plus metal lathes with good rails on a multi-ton bases with good rails and positive stops (starts) for the old remachined tail stocks that can be made to clamp the said item as solid or less as you prefer? In reality with rests that are not used to test actual uses are possible potentials only, but for a use that can determine potentials overall that are not the same as field use for that said product. The representation is not accurate.
I am going to take some motrin and try to read this again later.
Andy
I got a solo on a local auction site for 10 bucks. Works amazing. I c-clamp it at times to help brace it. I use shot bags otherwise in the tray. 30 rounders fit, 20s are better though still.
I've never had issues with mine.
How can these be anywhere close to the old 2"+ cap plus metal lathes with good rails on a multi-ton bases with good rails and positive stops (starts) for the old remachined tail stocks that can be made to clamp the said item as solid or less as you prefer? In reality with rests that are not used to test actual uses are possible potentials only, but for a use that can determine potentials overall that are not the same as field use for that said product. The representation is not accurate.
You're going to have to translate this into information I can use. I don't know much about machine rests as I usually use sandbags
You may be able to attain a higher level of accuracy and/or precision with exotic or less than methods for positioning the base firearm. That does not automatically transfer to a real world field ability for that said item. If there is a base component(s) issue, including the user, that makes results less than desirable, then you need into look at those. Sure, I sometimes use non field equipment to help hold and/or aim, but that situation is not the norm, just some testing only. The situations that some do that with are not light or even portable reasonably at all. If this pursuit is required, I would highly recommend using a good front and rear rest (not cheap) with a FF rail and butt stock that rides the bags well enough for the purpose. A sled concept that is portable doesn't have the base mass to support the function.
We could look further into this, but why? If the goal is to make acceptable impact(s) onto an intended target in actual use in the field without some crazy rests, then we need to look into what builds up to that.
Tom, with all due respect, you're speaking Greek to me. My bench rest experiences are limited to using sandbags and I don't know what I don't know. A friend asked me about using the Caldwell Sled DFT to shoot his AR from at the bench. If the Sled doesn't work, it doesn't work, but I don't know why. If a machine rest is better, it's better but I still don't know why. I know prone, sitting, find kneeling too unstable to be worth the trouble, off hand and throw a backpack on a rock. I don't speak very good technical bench rest. Hell, I've never even shot a rifle off of a bipod
Fair enough, If you would like to continue this conversation further, let me know.
Yes. I'm always open to learning something new and I don't want to pass on bad advice to my friend
Tom, you said "*I would highly recommend using a good front and rear rest (not cheap) with a FF rail and butt stock that rides the bags well enough for the purpose."
Could you point us to one or more decent (but portable) front and rear rests?
I always thought the lead sled was used more for recoil mitigation than precision shooting, for what it's worth.
Thank you
Andy
This is probably a good time to look at what the user requirements actually are and what techniques can be used for suitable equipment for that requirement. You can easily over spend or under spend, some different techniques can be a great aid, for some other issues take more priority than others, like ease to rebuild position, etc..
One thing to keep in mind though is that precision rests are not likely to be there for field use. If the possible requirement excludes those, then we need to insure that there is a capability to make hits count for the use.
bamashooter
08-18-17, 19:14
A friend of mine asked me about the Caldwell Shooting Sled. Will it work with an AR?
Hey OP. My Solo works just fine with my ARs (.223/5.56). With or without weight. I find it to be well made, simple, effective.
Had the same problem when using my lead sled. I borrowed a 10 round mag for sighting in purposes and it worked fine.
Tom, with all due respect, you're speaking Greek to me. My bench rest experiences are limited to using sandbags and I don't know what I don't know. A friend asked me about using the Caldwell Sled DFT to shoot his AR from at the bench. If the Sled doesn't work, it doesn't work, but I don't know why. If a machine rest is better, it's better but I still don't know why. I know prone, sitting, find kneeling too unstable to be worth the trouble, off hand and throw a backpack on a rock. I don't speak very good technical bench rest. Hell, I've never even shot a rifle off of a bipod
Using a lead sled often changes zero or doesn't give an accurate representation of what group size the gun is capable of. Using a rest that is an unyielding surface negatively affects zero.
Additionally, it doesn't allow the gun to recoil softly and correctly, especially with magnum, heavy magnum, and dangerous game rifles. It puts too much stress on the bedding interfaces between a gun stock and receiver. It stresses the wrist of the stock too much.
You need to zero the gun in its field configuration on a sandbag.
Lead sleds are for morons and pussies that can't handle recoil.
The dog gone good bag are nice for zeroing.
Dude, seriously, "morons and pussies". Ok everyone is entitled to not just their opinion but to do things their own way, as long as it doesn't cause a safety issue for others. As such please enjoy zeroing your rifle while laying among rocks, downed tree limbs, cut crop field or whatever works for you. There are legitimate uses for bench rests, zeroing rifles is one, there are others. Again zero your rifles anyway that you like, no need to call anyone else names because they choose a different method. For example if the task was to dig a ditch I might elect to use an excavator, you might feel that a stick on the ground is the only proper tool for ditch digging.. I wouldn't call you a name just because you wanted to use a different tool or method to get the same task done. Just saying. Best of luck to all.
Dude, seriously, "morons and pussies". Ok everyone is entitled to not just their opinion but to do things their own way, as long as it doesn't cause a safety issue for others. As such please enjoy zeroing your rifle while laying among rocks, downed tree limbs, cut crop field or whatever works for you. There are legitimate uses for bench rests, zeroing rifles is one, there are others. Again zero your rifles anyway that you like, no need to call anyone else names because they choose a different method. For example if the task was to dig a ditch I might elect to use an excavator, you might feel that a stick on the ground is the only proper tool for ditch digging.. I wouldn't call you a name just because you wanted to use a different tool or method to get the same task done. Just saying. Best of luck to all.
As a professional gunman, I can attest that you are wrong.
It does cause a safety issue. It causes people who go on African hunts to not know how to handle their rifle when an elephant or buffalo is charging because they have used a lead sled.
You must know how to handle your magnum rifle in territory with dangerous game.
I have hunted all over North America and Africa.
The lead sled is just a way to seperate hobbiest gun owners from their money.
It does not give an accurate zero. You can read other gun forums with other people having difficultly with these things.
You can read other gun forums with other people having difficultly with these things.
I would like to see some of these examples, honest. While, I don't doubt that the lead sled can cause issues, I am having a bit of trouble understanding how it would affect zero. Because, outside of the shooter now having issues because they are failing to manage the recoil, which is a valid point, or flinching because of recoil, or using piss poor optics/mounts(.338LM with a BSA optic for example) I am not seeing how it would affect the zero tremendously if at all, and the examples I am giving are not issues with the rest but the shooter/rifle/equipment. I would like to hear the entire arguments that are occurring on other forums since, while I don't frequent many other forums these days, I've never actually heard of the issue with rests causing zeroing issues outside of the resting the barrel on the rest and the shots not being true to the zero due to this, which is a user issue, not the rest's fault.
What you are describing are practice and technique problems, not what tool to use to zero a rifle problem. The OP never advocated using the rest to zero the rifle and scope, pack up and not shoot again until the grizzly is charging.That would be stupid. It is implied that you always need to practice with and be proficient with the weapon long before the hunt.
What you are describing are practice and technique problems, not what tool to use to zero a rifle problem. The OP never advocated using the rest to zero the rifle and scope, pack up and not shoot again until the grizzly is charging.That would be stupid. It is implied that you always need to practice with and be proficient with the weapon long before the hunt.
What type of technique is using a lead sled? Laziness?
Every time you pull the trigger on a firearm needs to be a training session for real world use. That means taking recoil to the shoulder. You also need to zero the firearm in field configurations. Lead sled makes people lazy and breads stupidity. It is a waste of money. It takes up space.
I am not going to argue this anymore with anybody.
I agree that you should zero your rifle as similar to actual field conditions as possible. Shoot 5 10 round groups off a bipod with consistent loading of the bipod, then 5 more groups without loading it. The groups will shift in my experience.
I personally witnessed a pre 64 model 70 super grade chambered in 30-06 break the stock at the recoil lug while being shot in a lead sled. The stock had to absorb all of the recoil. The guy couldn't understand why his rifle quit grouping. I suggested he take the action out of the stock. The bolts were warped and stock destroyed.
I agree that you should zero your rifle as similar to actual field conditions as possible. Shoot 5 10 round groups off a bipod with consistent loading of the bipod, then 5 more groups without loading it. The groups will shift in my experience.That is absolutely true. The Lead Sled (or whatever name it goes by) is the dumbest thing I can think of to use for sighting a rifle that will be shot any other way in "real life". The sled could be useful in working up a maximum accuracy load for a particular barrel (as long as the sled only contacts the stock the way the ads show) but the impact point will change when the style of holding the rifle changes.
...
Every time you pull the trigger on a firearm needs to be a training session for real world use.
Hilarious!
The other stuff I'm finding quite informative as I never er used a sled before.
This all goes to my point of practicing to proficiency. I only drag the sled out once a year to make sure that the scope on my rifle are still zeroed where I want. After that I shoot off bags, tripod rest or offhand until brings are dialed in to where I like.
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