Lead Sled no good for slug guns!

[marku]

After fighting my slug gun for good accuracy Savage 220f, and throwing a massive amount of money into it, like a bedded Mcmillan stock, lighter trigger, Fluted bolt, lapped barrel and recut crown. I found my problem was I was shooting it with a Lead Sled.

Shooting 3" Federal Trophy tipped with the sled was 2" average. Shooting it with a regular rest my erratic flyers went away and my smallest group was .84 at 50yds 5 shots!

So ditch the sleds with slug guns!

[03mossy]

Hmmm I wonder why that would be?

[03mossy]

Hmmm I wonder why that would be?

[marku]

Well I thought that too. But Lightfield even has a warning and explaining it. Anything under 2000fps recoil actually occurs while the sabot and bullet are in the bore. You need something to absorb the recoil from the shotgun, like your shoulder and try to be as consistant as possible. If you set it in the lead sled or any other device like it when the shotgun recoil back and hits that hard wall it naturally cause your muzzle to jump.. Explaining all the 2 shots almost touching and then a flyer 3" away.

Today I had zero flyers, and one heck of a group! So its definatly working

[lunchbox]

My wife and I both shot our 220F's with the led sled and had no problems as long as we let the barrel cool down. I don't use any weights in mine when shooting with it I just use it to steady me.

[deadeer]

I shoot my hard kickers in a lead sled with no problems. I bet the barrel temp has more to do with the 2 and 1 groups you are talking about. Same with the smokeless mz's shooting sabots. Try shooting one shot a day (if possible or feasible) at the same target or 1/2 to 1 hr between shots sometime. You may be surprised. First shot on cold barrel is all that matters for hunting.

[marku]

I think the issue is the stock recoil pad on the 220F is like a marshmallow. So I think that helps absorb some of that rear recoil it was talking about.

My pad on my Mcmillan stock is a Pacmeyer (spelling) its harder which doesn't help when shooting out of a lead sled. I shot it again last night. With 4 quick shots it put them directly over the bullseye all inside the 1" box on the target.

That was another reason why I thought it was a gun issue was the fact my fathers gun shot decent out of the sled too but mine didn't.

I sighted his in last night with Federal new trophy copper slugs and it shot lights out with them as well. Had more kick than the 2.75" Accutips, but my opinion on the Accutips, is they are JUNK. They shoot well but as performance is concerened 4 deer where shot with them, 2 where lost the other 2 where found without passing thru and no blood was evident. one deer was a bang flop at 80yds, in the lungs no pass thru, the other was shot at 100, again no pass thru and ended up gridding the area and finally found her. Lost all confidence in the 20ga Accutip offering.

[artjr338wm]

Marku, as I own a Browning A-Bolt slug gun and a Marlin 512 that has been glass bedded, trigger job, and the muzzle crowned, I have shot 100s and 100s of slugs who's numbers have been made up of 90%+ of the slugs available to us, including those now out of production like my all time bar none favorite the Federal Barnes Tipped Expander.

I also have shot some, for a slug gun superb jaw dropping groups at 100 yards. But try as I might I could never repeat those jaw droppers with any regularity. I also use a recoil absorbing rest of my own making. Will (groan, pass the 800mg Advil's) give shooting them WO the 25lbs of lead shot on my rest and see what happens. My A-Bolt and Federal Barnes Tipped Expander's from a now depleted lot No#, gave me my only sub-moa groups I ever shot out of a slug gun, but that was done using my DIY rest with a 25lb bag of #7.5 shot on it and they still kicked respectfully.

[7mmfreak]

I shoot my 210F (also very extensively worked over) with regular benchrest equipment and it shoots well with both Lighfield Hybrid EXP and full bore 738gr solid handloads (these are the Lightfield although the Accutip shoots as well but costs more):




I hate the lead sled.

[vtecgsr95]

I also shot mine in a lead sled with poor results. Guess I need to go back and try again without it!

[artjr338wm]

I realize this is a bit off topic, but all this might be a mute point if HP rifles end up being allowed for your hunting areas. I sure hope so. Been planning on buying a
rifle in one of the 3 WSM, would be awesome if I actually could use it for hunting every year in my home state VS once evey so many years elk hunting out
west.

[Deleted]

One thing I've noticed about the Lead Sleds...if you're shooting on a rough surface the rear leg digs in to the plywood, or whatever you're shooting on, and causes the lead sled to dig in in the rear and jump up.
So I screwed a piece of 1/4" plastic sheeting on top of a 2' x 4' shelving so the Lead Sled can slide straight back on the poly sheeting when the gun recoils
No more crazy groups!

That was Richard's idea.

[jims]

I have never had any troubles with my Lead Sled and I have used it for at least 5 years I think.

[savagegrunt]

I've had good luck with the Caldwell Heavy Bag with socks filled with rice for the rear rest. To have accuracy the buttstock must be snug against your shoulder consistently IMHO. I've had 1/2" groups at 200yds with my Howa 223 and this set up.