Is a lead sled bad on guns and sights?

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I was reading up on sighting in a slug gun recently and one article indicated that a lead sled is for hunting rifles and not shotguns.  The article indicated that it damages the scope and maybe even damages the gun.  I have used a lead sled with my Mossberg 835s and had good results, but now I'm wondering about it.

[USMC0331]

I really cant say that  it is bad as I only used one twice and sold it. When you place a rifle or shotgun into your shoulder and fire the recoil naturally pushes your shoulder and it moves backwards. In lead sled this does not happen and all recoil  impulse is kept within the stock of weapon.  I would assume the weakest point of weapon will fail at some point.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[ChesterCopperpot]

A lot of mags and ultra mags produce recoil that exceeds that of 12ga loads. That to say I can't really imagine it damaging anything as the stock, mounts, scope, etc. should all be rated for much greater tolerances than what recoil is possible.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rakkin6]

I use slugs exclusively and I don use mine when I am sighting them in. The amount of energy transferred is a lot. A 2 3/4" 12 gauge slug is between 35 and 36 foot  pounds equivalent to a .338 a 3" slug is between 40 and 42 foot pounds which is equivalent to a .458 win mag. (All that info came off chuckhawks) So when you pull that trigger that has to go somewhere and since the sled isn't moving it's going back into the gun. So short answer is yes I believe it will damage the scope. I just use a front and rear shooting bag and an actual shooting shoulder pad and wear a sweater to eat some of the recoil.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[USMC0331]

A lot of mags and ultra mags produce recoil that exceeds that of 12ga loads. That to say I can't really imagine it damaging anything as the stock, mounts, scope, etc. should all be rated for much greater tolerances than what recoil is possible.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You are correct if used in your shoulder as it will give. The lead sled does not so that stored energy goes through out the weapon.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Tom007]

Great information, wow

[THattaway]

A lot of mags and ultra mags produce recoil that exceeds that of 12ga loads. That to say I can't really imagine it damaging anything as the stock, mounts, scope, etc. should all be rated for much greater tolerances than what recoil is possible.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Makes my shoulder and jaw feel funny just looking at that. 
Funny but I never feel recoil when hunting.

[Meleagris gallopavo]

Good stuff!  Maybe sight in the gun with light target loads at close range (15 yards) and break out the sand bags for the turkey loads for the 30 yard targets.  I will say that the 3.5" turkey loads are slammers for sure, especially with a pump shotgun.

[Tom007]

Being a left handed shooter, this info sheds light on why I can't sleep on my left shoulder....

[rakkin6]

Good stuff!  Maybe sight in the gun with light target loads at close range (15 yards) and break out the sand bags for the turkey loads for the 30 yard targets.  I will say that the 3.5" turkey loads are slammers for sure, especially with a pump shotgun.

When I first started turkey hunting I planned on using 3.5 shells. I shot through and said NOPE

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[Neill_Prater]

Perhaps I am wrong, I often am, but it would appear to me that any possible adverse effect on a scope or other optical devise from shooting from a Lead Sled would be no more than shooting off the shoulder, and, perhaps, would be less.

The primary shock to the scope is because of the rearward acceleration of the entire gun. I'm assuming that is reduced when fired from the lead sled?

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[mikejd]

Just dont put so much weight on the sled that it still moves a little.

[MK M GOBL]

So I don't have a lead sled but have used my bench rest with two 25# lead bags on it for 25+ years, same scope, no stock damage and never have seen any sort of "damage". I tested this at one time to see how much recoil my rest was taking off my shoulder, set up my gun to shoot without my shoulder at the butt stock ( just on the rest with the lead bags) 50lbs of lead takes up some recoil but with out my shoulder there that bench rest still does sure jump.

MK M GOBL

[Sixes]

I busted the recoil pad off a Benelli SBE2 sighting it with a lead sled. After it was fixed, I now check the zero of the FF2 with dove loads.

I've sighted in multiple high power rifles with high dollar scopes and never had an issue. (knocking on wood). Most are sighted in quickly, usually 2-4 shots and then shot off of bags.

[Greg Massey]

I never use lead sled for sighting in my shotguns.... bags and my shoulder