Hey all, I have been wanting to get a rest for a while now, the usual method of a few towels rolled up at the front, or even a plastic rest with sandbag and then me holding onto the rear of the stock just doesn't cut it. It make repeatability difficult and therefore harder to judge the rifles accuracy.

I know that most of the guys on this forum (all AR, not big bores specifically) can shoot submoa, but I can't without a nice rest setup, at least not on the bigger rifles. I have some sight work left with my 375 and thought I would order a rest. So which one is it?

Thanks fellas.

Red

The bubbas that have used it like the Caldwell lead sled for big kickers from the bench. It isn't so rigid that you risk a stock crack but incrementally heavier to maintain sufficient recoil reduction.

Ditto Caldwell lead sled!!!

I like sand bags packed tight with real sand. 2 in front, 1 in the rear.

I use sandbags for .375H&H on down. I use a Benchmark for my .470 Capstick load development.

George

I use a plastic Caldwell Steady Rest, low cost and works pretty well.

I use a cast aluminum front rest--I forget which make it is, but it's bright orange and ugly as hell--and a sandbag, rabbit-eared rear.

The front can be cranked way up, to get my back straight, so that I can give with the kick, and with big boomers I always put a cheater pad between the buttstock and my shoulder.

Works like a charm. I have thought about buying a lead sled from time to time, but with the set up described above, I have never really felt the need for it.

I have a small plastic front rest, but it just doesn't stay put well under recoil. I thought about the lead sled, but wonder what teh rear of it is made from, can't tell from the picture and I would still want the rifle against my shoulder. If it is a pad of some sort that would be all right.

Sandbags alone make height adjustment difficult. I have thought about the Bud's Bags or whatever they are called, but worry again about height adjustment.

Red

I bought a Ransom Rifle Master for my .50 BMG several years ago.When ever I go to the range with a rifle it goes along.

I picked up a Lead Sled just last week and think it's the greatest thing I've ever used. The basic unit weighs 16 lbs., but you can load it with up to 4 25 lb. bags of shot. It gets a big "2 thumbs up" from me.

I bought a Caldwell Lead Sled based on the comments seen in this forum. I instantly got better groups with my .416 Rigby, probably mostly from the excellent stability of the setup rather than the lessened recoil. On the other hand, taking out the variable of unconscious flinching can only help.

Just plain 'ole sandbags and a PAST pad for the big stuff.

Wouldn't the Lead Sled be an issue with doubles?...I mean as far as shooting to the same POA? I built a stand up rest out of 2" schedule 40 pvc....pretty solid and works OK...but you still get that nice little jolt when those 500 grainers head downrange.

Gary B.

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
I bought a Caldwell Lead Sled based on the comments seen in this forum. I instantly got better groups with my .416 Rigby, probably mostly from the excellent stability of the setup rather than the lessened recoil. On the other hand, taking out the variable of unconscious flinching can only help.

I NEED one of those badly!!! That may be my next purchase. I've have a Bald Eagle "Slingshot" rest in cast iron (optional) and it's difficult sometimes keeping the Rigby's "still" at a launch.

I made two sand bags and have a 4x4 about 10" long. I put one sand bag on the 4x4 and the other at the base of the stock. This will set a rifle right on target that you can walk away from if you bed the rifle into the sand bags.

Wichita tripod and Protektor front and rear bags.

Wichita tripod and Protektor front and rear bags. That's exactly what I use for everything except my 416 Rem Mag.

For it I use a Bud's bag or Bull's bag, whatever the real name is. It's 10" tall when completely filled with sand and weighs a ton. My Win 70 cradles down in the center groove nicely. If I need more height adjustment, I slide 2x6's or 2x8's underneath. There's always some floating around the range benches. It's the 25-30 pounds of weight that keeps everything in place. No need to constantly readjust the bag after each shot. And so it promotes consistancy, shot after shot.

One more vote for the Lead Sled. I do wish that it were more adjustable windage wise, though.

-Steve

I use a 4x6x12 flat w/ 2 shot bags full of those little plastic beads you get from hobbie shops & 1 bag for the rear. I'm thinking an adjustable front tripod type w/a sand bag would be more repeatable.

I've have a Bald Eagle "Slingshot" rest in cast iron (optional) and it's difficult sometimes keeping the Rigby's "still" at a launch. [/QUOTE]


Yes, that's what makes ther choice difficult...

A system that holds the rifle for the rifleman can be used to evaluate the loads only, very well.

On the other hand, the system you already have is probably one of the very best when it comes to evaluating the "shooting system" (which includes the rifle and the ammo, and the hands of the rifleman who is actually going to use it).

One may remember that a rifle with a big enough bore and recoil to make shooting difficult enough to need a "lead sled", is a rifle which may be used for very serious game (trophy size, or danger) on a hunt which is likely NOT cheap either. While actually on those hunts, a lead sled is usually an absurdity.

So, the question may boil down to "What do you want to accomplish with the rest?"

If you want to evaluate "loads" and nothing else...go with a lead sled or something similar. If you want to evaluate & improve the "shooting system", the less rest you use, the better you will simulate what that rifle will do with that ammo and that shooter in the field.

Thanks gents, I'm putting the lead sled on my birthday list for next month.

Alberta, you are correct, proper prep. for the field means shooting the rifle from various positions trying to simulate what you will experience in the field. I want the rest for when I am sighting a rifle in and testing loads, times when the shooter error (we won't get into how much error I introduce into the situation ) needs to be eliminated.

Red

Dago, I would also suggest taking a look at 'Dog Gone Good' shooting bags. I have a set myself and have given several sets to friends as gifts. I had them filled with the 'pop bottle' regrind, they are a fair bit lighter than when filled with sand, but if you follow their tips and put some of that rubber shelf liner they bags really grip the bench and the rifle and take a lot of the pop out.

I also shoot with a rig that is a Sinclair rest up front, with their 'universal' front bag, and a rabbit ear rear bag, and as someone suggested, I set it up so that I can sit very upright and roll with the recoil, and it really isn't very bad.

Good Luck--Don

Double rifles are pigeon toed for a reason. The bullet in still in the barrel while the rifle is recoiling. Adding weight, be it sandbags, Lead Sled, etc. will have some effect on recoil dynamics. The above also applies to large caliber single barrel rifles. The closer one can duplicate field shooting conditions, the better.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by nopride2:
Double rifles are pigeon toed for a reason. The bullet in still in the barrel while the rifle is recoiling. Adding weight, be it sandbags, Lead Sled, etc. will have some effect on recoil dynamics. The above also applies to large caliber single barrel rifles. The closer one can duplicate field shooting conditions, the better.

Dave

Exactly. Dago Red, of course, already knows that,...he is a well-experienced rifleman as his posts have long shown, but some others may not be.

It's also true that even single shots or magazine rifles rotate to the side from which they are shot...that is when a right-hander shoots one, it will rotate to the right as well as up, while the bullet is travelling down the bore. The opposite will occur when fired by a left hander. In either case that can be offset to some degree by the cast-off or cast-on of the stock.

Anyway, any kind of rest which restricts that movement artificially will require a slightly different "zero" to shoot dead center than will be needed for dead center shots from field positions.

As a result, I prefer to fire for zero from the position most likely to require dead-on accuracy in its intended actual use. For DG, that would be offhand at maybe 50 yards. Closer than that the deviation will likely not be very noticeable regardless of position or rest.

If I was shooting varmints in the field from a portable rest, then I'd sight in at the range using the bench(es), with the same rest.