Sighting in rifle WITH-OUT lead sled

[winmag]

I use a modified lead sled mostly during load development. Once satisfied, I shoot it in prone (my most likely shooting position afield and w/ bipod) and make necessary adjustments as required.

+1!
I LOVE my sled for load development, but as soon as I stretch its legs, it's prone with bipods, & rear bag.
Nothing at all wrong with using a sled. As long as your consistant in your mounting, & shooting technique, & everything is repeatable, it's easy to tell what your rifle likes or doesn't while developing loads. Its simply another tool for taking away variables, & helping with consistancy. A 1/4" longer length of pull doesn't really mean squat shooting off a bench. I adjust my seat hight accordingly for comfort & consistant cheekweld. Repeatability, & consistancy is everything for accuracy.

Once I've narrowed down what my rifle likes, it's on to the prone position, & distance for fine tuning, without my sled.
Building a comfy shooting position, that is repeatable is just as important here, & I find it much easier without any rests etc. except bi-pod & bag. Not to mention its simulating real hunting positions etc.
I will say however, that practice shooting at distance while prone in the back of my pickup is much easier than picking a clear line of fire thru sagebrush, & grass, eventhough it's not simulating real hunting I find it quite comfy, & as long as the muzle brake is PAST THE END OF THE BED, it's quite a pleasant experience.gun)

 

[Win.308Stealth]

First off you should have bought yourself something like a .260 Rem, 7mm-08, or a .308. You stated that you got an idiot cut with a 7WSM, and now you go get yourself a .300WSM. You should have went down in caliber IMO. I have seen too many guys not hold their rifles tight to the shoulder (or they put it on the ball and socket) and shoot. When they fire, the rifle has room to travel before hitting the shoulder and before it hits the shoulder the scope makes contact with the shooter's forehead.

 

[Mike 338]

I guess I'm an idiot to. I've got a scab on my nose from experimenting with a loose hold. It happens about once a year from experimenting with hold & position. Maybe I should sell off everything and stick to 22' shorts.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

I am not calling anyone an "idiot", it is what I heard it called ever since I was a small kid. A scope cut was called an idiot mark or cut. The poster stated that without a Lead sled he would get hit in his glasses with a 7 WSM last year, and this year he goes with a .300 WSM. Kind of doesn't make sense. Oh, and by the way I also have scar above my right eye (you guessed it, from an old "Idiot Cut").

 

[Bigeclipse]

I am not calling anyone an "idiot", it is what I heard it called ever since I was a small kid. A scope cut was called an idiot mark or cut. The poster stated that without a Lead sled he would get hit in his glasses with a 7 WSM last year, and this year he goes with a .300 WSM. Kind of doesn't make sense. Oh, and by the way I also have scar above my right eye (you guessed it, from an old "Idiot Cut").

It wasnt the power of the gun that caused me to be wacked...ive been shooting shotguns 12/10gage all my life. That includes turkey hunting and deer hunting with scopes. It was the awkward position the crappy holder put me in and the fact that I was using bigger shooting glasses. If I wasnt wearing glasses, the scope wouldnt have even hit me. I was just saying, what positions do you all like...other than a lead sled....what is the best way to keep the reticle(cross hairs) as still as possible....I am not talking breathing control hear...simply put...I am asking what positions do you all use to sight your gun in. I will mostly be standing in a tree or sitting with a gun rest.

 

[royinidaho]

The best I've found is when both ends of the rifle are on solid footing. Bipod on the front and bag on the rear. With this set up there is no heart beat. Any time the butt is not supported SOLIDLY as in kneeling/sitting/standing my effective range is greatly reduced. This includes any kind of tripod or center pivot arrangement. The PA boys do some serious LRH with special rests set up on heavy surveyor type tripods. I haven't tried those . . . yet.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

Harris bipods and a sock filled with rice as a rear bag. And if I get stuck in the woods, I can eat the rice, even if it is dry it is still nutritional. Seems to work.

 

[Broz]

I use a bi-pod in the front and sandbags in the rear. I was never a fan of the lead sled. I rarely shoot without a bi-pod. This works for me, however, maybe not for others.

Plus 1... Just like we hunt. and 99% of the time prone.gun)
Jeff

 

[RMulhern]

Boy O Boy! No wonder we're no longer a 'nation of riflemen'! Seems like lots of folks don't know squat about marksmanship, what to select in the way of a cartridge, etc. and apparently grew up totally foreign to hunting and what/how to do!!

 

[chucknbach]

I have a lead sled, but it's only use for the last several years has been as a cleaning cradle. I never use it for shooting anymore but rather a harris bipos and rear bag.

That's what I use mine for. It made it to the range once been sitting in reloading room ever since.

I use bipod and rear bag.

 

[chucknbach]

I guess I'm an idiot to. I've got a scab on my nose from experimenting with a loose hold. It happens about once a year from experimenting with hold & position. Maybe I should sell off everything and stick to 22' shorts.

The .22 will probably scope you some how too. That's all right I've been scoped a plenty these last 2 years load developing for my kids rifles. short LOP and barrel = scope face bashing for dad. "i'm an idiot too, I've been scoped by a .243!"

 

[WildRose]

Hey all,
I just bought a new 300WSM X-bolt that I will be sighting in this weekend. My question is....what techniques do you all use to sight a scope? The biggest problem I have is I do not have a lead sled. I have one of those plastic gimmickie Caldwell Matrix's, which when I sighted in my 7mm WSM last year, I ended up with a nice scope kick to my range eye-glasses which gave me a nice little cut on my nose. I do have enough eye relief, the problem was the caldwell matrix did not allow me to really shoulder the rifle so it kicked much farther back than normal. After that, I ended up sighting it off some bags, which worked for hunting but I never shot more than 200 yards. I would like to get this one sighted in better but have no lead sled....I know...I SHOULD buy one and maybe will someday. What is your guys advice? The farthest I can shoot at the range I will be at is 200 yards.

Shoot it like you plan to shoot in the field. Either a bipod and rear bag, or all bagged up.

 

[WildRose]

Boy O Boy! No wonder we're no longer a 'nation of riflemen'! Seems like lots of folks don't know squat about marksmanship, what to select in the way of a cartridge, etc. and apparently grew up totally foreign to hunting and what/how to do!!

You know you are right about one thing... .

The vast majority of people in this country will never shoot any sort of firearm and that means their kids don't grow up shooting like we did.

Sites like this exist to help those people out who have gotten some interest in hunting and shooting somewhere along the line and insulting them when they come calling is a great way to limit further the ranks of those who will take up our cause and fight for our right to own and bear.

Might want to think about that in the future.gun)

 

[Win.308Stealth]

I will apologize if I offended anybody by calling them an "idiot". But if you read the whole thread I did NOT call anyone an idiot. Where I grew up, and anyone I knew that did any shooting, used to call the mark left around your eye that was left there by a riflescope was refered to as an "idiot cut or an idiot mark". Nothing more and nothing less, I personally never found it to be offensive in any way. Just didn't think people on this GREAT site would be offended by something like that. Again, I apologize to all.