Q: Caldwell Lead Sled rifle rest?

[pupchow]

A shop had recommended this:

http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/820216.html

Anyone care to comment? My bolt-action .270 Win (130 gr) seems to have nearly as much recoil as a .30-06. My shoulder's got an AC tear, so I'm looking for something to cushion the blow while shooting from a bench.

 

[jhrosier]

Remember to allow $40-$50 per bag for the lead shot!

Jack

 

[NFD9]

A shop had recommended this:

http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/820216.html

Anyone care to comment? My bolt-action .270 Win (130 gr) seems to have nearly as much recoil as a .30-06. My shoulder's got an AC tear, so I'm looking for something to cushion the blow while shooting from a bench.

I own one, and love it.
It makes for a very stable rest for sighting in, with no abuse from shooting mag loads.
IMO buy the older version, it cost less and works as well.

 

[North Shore Firearms]

I dont know where you live but I have one in my store for $119.95. Northshore firearms in Middleton, Ma. My website is www.northshorefirearms.com

 

[highlander]

A less expensive alternative might be a better recoil pad depending on the rifle.
Ruger M77 MKII pads are useless in the bigger calibers (.30 cal and up).
I have an 1885 Browning SS in 45/70 with a recoil pad and even with modest hand loads it will pound you into the ground like a tent peg. You might want to look into porting the barrel or have a muzzle brake put on. I had a Ruger SBH with a 4 5/8" barrel ported by Magnaport and it works quite well. There was a gunsmith installing a brake by Kliengunther on rifles and it would reduce the recoil by half. Don't know if Kliengunther is still in business but it can't hurt to check. Cost for the brake and installation was in the $150 range IIRC. Magnaport is in the $100 range

 

[pupchow]

This rest would be used for sighting in with factory loads (setting up for hunting). I'm not reloading (yet), so not a lot of bench time for me. I'd not thought much about the $ignificant cost of the bags of shot for ballast. That alters the cost:benefit significantly. But if this contraption really helps me to get pointed where I want to be without having to pound through more than a box of 20, my shoulder would thank me. It seems most users find this rest to both absorb a lot of recoil and help them maintain POA.

Thanks all for the feedback.

 

[Adam_MA]

Maybe you should concentrate on letting your shoulder heal properly, and work on getting it strong enough that you don't have to worry about it? Then getting a shooting pad for your shoulder to prevent this from happening again.

 

[pupchow]

Maybe you should concentrate on letting your shoulder heal properly, and work on getting it strong enough that you don't have to worry about it? Then getting a shooting pad for your shoulder to prevent this from happening again.

Two things to confound that :

• my AC joint is permanently fooked (has been for years - not firearm related)
• that .270's no slouch

I stopped by another shop, where they had both the Lead Sled and another weighted-type rest. This other one appeared to accept common weightlifting plates as well as sandbags. And this other style had straps as a means of anchoring the buttstock, which could be left off if you'd wanted to use the rest w/o it. I liked that option. I'm still undecided though. Maybe I'll try one of them there shoulder pad deals and see how that goes.

 

[BIG GUN]

Past has them in regular, medium, & magnum. I do a lot of bench shooting, and go through as much as 60 rds. of 458 Win Mag & 460 Weatherby at a sitting using the magnum one,but I am not very recoil sensitive.