Makes sense C-dad. Especially with respect to the scope. However, it does seem that the stock would be stressed more, at least somewhat. If you take a three foot length of 2" X 2" pine, stand it on it's end on concrete and hit the top with a sledge, the effect would be different than standing it on soil which has some give.

Humm.....I've read the above link. Will see how this works with my Savage, cause that is the gun that
I am using most of the time and that I want to test loads on. Chap Gleason

Maybe adjusting the weigh in the sled would make a difference. It would alow a little more gun movement and reduce recoil and problems.

The more restricted travel could induce much more extreme vibrations both to the rifle's internals and the scope's. That recoil energy has to go somewhere and stopping/reducing it at one point will cause it to be distributed elsewhere. I think the damage both to stock and scope internals is a valid concern. And I too have read quite a number of reports of scope failures while shooting from a lead sled.

Disclaimer: if the above post makes it seem that I have the slightest clue as to what I'm talking about, I apologize in advance.

UC, is that disclaimer proprietary, or can I use it? I thought it was a given with every one of my posts, but maybe I need to attach it just in case.

Excellent disclaimer! Ought to be mandatory on all posts.

I forgot my home-made rest on a trip to the range a couple of months ago. I used a Caldwell Lead Sled they had on hand that day. I wouldn't worry too much about harming the gun. There was enough give in the package and some padding such that I wasn't too concerned. I did put several small sand bags under the sled. I didn't care for the fact that my shoulder was not against the butt which changed the whole shooting experience for me. I much prefer my home-made contraption where I employ a small sand bag under the butt to level the gun on each shot. I do not recall any major change in results with the sled, either way. I hope you do, though the targets I've seen from gleason.chapman with the Savage don't offer much room for improvement with the favored bullets.

I am switch bullets from a Parker Ballistic Extreme, very accurate in my gun, to some form of Barnes. I want the sled for testing different bullets for accuracy. I usually shoot 5 shot groups to get a good sense of accuracy of a given bullet. 44g of 5744 works pretty good with 300g bullets, which is what I try to buy. Also I have a son, now 24, who has a 300 Remington Ultra Mag, and he kills his shoulder shooting that gun, so he wants the sled also for shooting that. Thanks for your wisdom in this yeoman. Chap Gleason

That's what I was talking about!


Disclaimer: if the above post makes it seem that I have the slightest clue as to what I'm talking about, I apologize in advance.

Continued use of a sled will cause problems with a scope Scopes are made for backwards recoil, look ar air rifles and crossbow scopes they are made for forward motion.
Redclub