Leadsled DFT...anybody got one?

[jameslovesjammie]

I am looking at getting a better rest. My current rest is an old cloth cylinder and rear rest is a homemade sandbag setup. I really like the sandbag in the rear, but was looking for something a little more steady.

While browsing through the MidwayUSA catalog, I came across the Caldwell Lead Slead DFT. It is similar to the Lead Sled but the front has windage and elevation adjustments similar to their Rock BR front rest. The DFT stands for Dual Frame Technology, since it has 2 tubes running down the length of the rest instead of one. This allows you to move the front forward and backward to accomodate for different length guns.

I was wondering if anyone here has used one on their big boomers. I don't get to do as much shooting as I used to, and it really showed last time I went to the range. I took 5 shots with my .270 WSM and my shoulder was red and I began flinching. Didn't even finish load development as I didn't trust the groups I was producing.

If the windage and elevation are easilly adjusted and it calms recoil as well as they claim...I think it would justify the $219 price tag. I wouldn't fork out the $100 for the regular one though, as its elevation adjustment doesn't seem that easy to me.

Sorry for the long post and looking forward to replies,
James

 

[SamSpade]

I haven't used the Caldwell's but I have a Stoney Ridge or something like that with windage and elevation adjustments. I bought it to take the recoil out of the heavy calibers when I do load developement. I am an "old"guy in my sixties and not into punishment anymore. To my surprise they really work well for accuracy and absorbing recoil. They work so good that I might even upgrade to the Caldwell DFT?

 

[SamSpade]

There is a Leadsled DFT on eBay for $185!

 

[sewwhat89]

A guy at my deer lease was talking about them last week or two. He strapped his 270 WW down to it, and fired a couple 5 shot groups at 200m. They were running in the 0.75" range from a 20+ year old Savage. He wasn't using it because of recoil, but rather to see how good the rifle would shoot without him messing anything up. He had nothing but praise for it. Sounded like it made his hunting rifle into a rail gun of sorts.

 

[jameslovesjammie]

Awesome! That is what I want to hear! Looks like I'll have to start saving up for one!

Thanks guys!
James

 

[ss7mm]

Just remember that more than likely your gun will not shoot the same in the field under field conditions as it will off of the lead sled. If you do shoot off of it and sight your gun in while using the sled, you'd be well advised to then try whatever rests or conditions you will use in the field.

If you sight in with the sled and use a bipod in the field, you'd better check zero at all ranges with the bipod. If you use a bipod, check it while shooting off of soft surfaces as well as hard surfaces. If you use a pack or some type of a soft rest in the field, you'd better check zero with the pack etc.

All I'm saying is that your gun will probably react quite differently under field conditions than it will with the sled, and the longer the range the more likely you are to notice a difference. If you're gonna pack the lead sled and weights into the field then there'd be no problem but how many would really do that???

If it was me, I'd make the gun comfortable to shoot, muzzle brake, weight, new pad, clothing etc. so that the way I zeroed it before hunting was 100% compatible with how I'd be shooting it in the field. I'm only shooting a little over 100 grains of powder on each shot, but I have my gun/s set up so I can shoot them comfortably all day and I zero and check at all ranges using the methods that are compatible with how I will be shooting in the field. I've put 50+ rounds in a day through my 7mm AM in a t-shirt with no ill effects or anything. It's a lot how the gun is designed and set up. Just my $ .02 worth but I'd do everything I could to make sure that all of the planning I'd done for a year paid off when a nice bull or buck stepped out in the open during hunting season. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I had a little gal that wouldn't weigh 100# soaking wet shoot my 7mm AM after shooting her 243 sporter and all she did was smile real big when the gong took a beating and asked if I had any more shells. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif