Benefit of shooting rest - lead sled, etc

[SailorDan]

Are these things worth while? or are they a use once and collect dust? They seem a little involved to take to the range, but so is a chronograph.

I'm leaning towards getting one, but don't need more gun stuff sitting in the corner, hence my question.

***I'm starting to reload. Is this something I will use regularly to dial-in a new load to a specific rifle? I suspect it will be helpful, but wanted input from those that might use them.***

Outside of reloading I suspect they are limited to zeroing a rifle/optic combo and then of little use.

Appreciate your input.

[SoCal326]

For general shooting, hunting and PRS type shooting I'd get the Game Changer bag and a couple of rear rest bags. PRS guys are going out to 1,000 yards and Ive never seen one at a match.

This is assuming you're experienced enough to build a stable position with bags and fire off some stable controlled shots. The bags are way more versatile than the sled is.

F CLASS and bench rest shooters might have a different answer but those guys are trying to hit smaller target more consistently than PRS shooters trying to hit 2 MOA targets.

[smoothy8500]

Lead Sled....No. Even benchrest and F-class don't use one. It will get used "once in a while" and collect dust. For load development, scope zero, etc, even rolled-up towels/sand-sock/backpack can be used effectively.

The Game Changer and some rear bags are a good purchase and will get used if you want to go that route.

[tabascoz28]

That's what they are for, zeroing and load development, the only way it can be better is if was clamped down. If I had bought one when I was first starting to collect guns...

[theLBC]

i'd only use it to take shooter skill out of the equation for load development.
if you aren't capable of .5 moa, hard to judge your loads.

[Spyder]

Good for high recoil stuff, when working up loads or zeroing. I usually only use mine when working on the big stuff.

[theLBC]

personally, i prefer the precision underground 3D ELR bag for the rear.
i do like the pint sized sticky gc for all around use.

[slamfire1]

I have not gotten into bag rests in the field, and don't want to. Carrying a bag that weighs 5 to 10 lbs with all my current gear, and walk into a shooting location, is not something I want to do. Of course no one walks anymore, they just drive an ATV to their shooting spot, so that is probably why there is this proliferation of heavy rifles and heavy accessories.

At the range, I don't know why bags are better than front rests. This Freeland stand, I beat it up so much, over the decades, that I sand blasted and re painted the thing. The original bag wore through, so found a modern replacement at the same time.



My chorongraph is in front of the bench, and I consider that a hugely important source of data, though my Chrony takes forever to assemble and align.

The advantage of the rest is that once you mechanically set the elevation, recoil does not change it. Rear bags move around, and they have to be reset.

I have seen lead sleds, wondered about them, I like the idea you can fire big boomers off them, and have reduced recoil by loading up the lead sled with weights. But, don't know how well they work, or if they work as well as the concept.

The picture is at CMP Talladega and I brought my Freeland stand for my personnel use. On the benches there are In Range Sight blocks,



which actually work very well as a rest. They must weight 20 pounds, they are not lightweights.

Rests are great for establishing preliminary zeros, but if you ever shoot enough rounds enough off the bench, you will find that unsupported shooting rifle zero's are different than when you rest your rifle on a 600 lb concrete bench, with 40 to 50 pounds of bags and rests. Rock busters and spray and prayers won't see it at 50 yards, 100 yards,maybe see something at 200. But the further you go out, the change in rifle dynamics becomes apparent. Which more or less blows the idea of taking 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000 yard shots with only bench zero's.

I have spend decades perfecting a sitting, prone sling position, and have seen this. I spent decades working on my offhand, a position no one seems to use anymore. Shooting literature promotes a utopic shooting range: shooters prone, with some bag, or rest, and an infinite field in front of them, and nothing between them and the target. Reminds me of Marlboro Man ads and Marlboro Country, with the horses , and vast western open landscapes.

https://youtu.be/6Be52jR9v_c

A lot of people stayed nicotine addicts and from cigarettes, because of ads like that. There must be something appealing to the infinite landscape image, because it sure is used a lot in advertising.

The brambles and brush in my area, you are lucky to see 50 yards in the woods, and you have to be above that, because you are not shooting through it on the ground.

[fal_762x51]

I use an adjustable rest for 300 plus target shooting and sighting in new loads.

[Calif Hunter]

I use a rest and rear bags at the range usually. I sometimes use a bull bag or Caldwell bag with rear bags.

I use the bags mostly, though, for prairie dog and ground squirrel shooting off the hood or rear of my truck. (It is legal in AZ to do so as long as both feet are on the ground.) I also use them off a table there simply to cut down on the maount of gear I have to bring.

we have a fun match at my club called the "Sandbaggers.) It is a rimfire benchrest shoot but you have to use bags. For our ARA matches, almost everyone uses rests. A couple of guys are competitive using bags, though.

[QED]

A proper front rest (with protektor front bag) + bunny ear rear bag + labradar chrono is the shiznitz for load development. Protektor is a relatively inexpensive manufacturer of leather or cordura bench rest bags. Or you can go hog wild and get a top-of-the-line joystick rest with super premium bags for well over $1k. The labradar is the easiest chrono to set up and is absolutely worth the price.

[ocabj]

If you frequently shoot off a bench at the range, then it is worthwhile to invest in a good front rest.

[Preston-CLB]

I used bags front and rear. Now, I use a Harris bi-pod and a rear bag. The added weight of the 'pod' helps tamp recoil, it seems. Savage M10, .223.
-P

[SailorDan]

Thank you for all of the comments, confirmed some of my thoughts. Big rest is probably a nice tool for removing the "shooter variable" for load development, but probably won't see much use later on. Go with a smaller, more mobile rest for competition and regular use.

[Rod Nokin]

I found a bag I really like. It's tall and heavy.
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