Bone to pick with new rifle owners - 100 yards out of the box

[Turkeytider]

In Europe it is primarily the rich and well connected that have the firearms and access to hunt in the first place so the test purposely isn't designed to be tough.

Here in the US there are plenty of politicians actively looking for ways to reduce the number of hunters. Requiring such a test would absolutely be used as a way to achieve that goal. It may start out easy enough but just like gun laws every bad hunter story would be used as an excuse to increase the difficulty "to weed out the bad hunters" until very few can actually pass the qualifications.

Lots of ways to push forward general gun control ( and eventual elimination through slow attrition of private gun ownership ). This would be yet another way. You really don`t have to " ban " anything. Just make procuring and owning a firearm such a colossal PITA and expensive that over time more and more people ( well, at least law abiding people ) just say, " Screw it. It ain`t worth the hassle. "

 

[LongestShot]

Turpentine21, very valid comment on the lead sled. I inherited one but it is seldom used. I only use it if starting brand new on load development or getting close with a new scope if I am using a heavy recoil rifle. It's only to get close. I don't fine tune reloading or zero a scope with it. I have found I get better results when it's me, a solid/adjustable front rest, and a rear bag.

I've also heard that lead sleds can ruin wood stocks. Lead sleds don't flex like your shoulder does, causing the stock to do all the flexing, resulting in cracks or worse.

 

[birddog 68]

I've also heard that lead sleds can ruin wood stocks. Lead sleds don't flex like your shoulder does, causing the stock to do all the flexing, resulting in cracks or worse.

I've heard that they are rough on scopes for the reason you mentioned.

 

[Stammster2]

Actually I haven't heard, I know they are fine because I use a lead sled a lot. I only have wood stock guns.

The key is to weight them so that they still slide. I usually use about 6-8 lbs of lead with 243 class and around 10-12lbs with 30-06 class hunting rifles. Reduced recoil about 70%.

 

[itchytriggerfinger]

I've also heard that lead sleds can ruin wood stocks. Lead sleds don't flex like your shoulder does, causing the stock to do all the flexing, resulting in cracks or worse.

I've seen stocks cracked and recoil lugs bent. They will definitely do damage on a heavy recoiling rifle if it's not able to slide.

 

[Turpentine21]

I've seen enough point of aim point of impact changes when one goes from lead sled to shoulder that i simply don't use them. Plus, if a rifle recoils bad enough that I don't want to shoot it from my shoulder I don't want it.
Then again I don't put to much stock in a bore site either. I'd much rather pull the bolt and look down the barrel to get close.

 

[6xshooter]

It all comes from all the B.S. you can read and watch about shooting at long distance. Even people who have been shooting all their lives think it's the rage to see how far you can hit an animal.
Everybody wants to be a sniper. Unless you study study study the ballistics of the setup you have your just wasting your time. You need to shoot and shoot and shoot that setup before your absolutely sure what it is going to do at all ranges. You better also better understand wind effects and spin drift and coriolis and incline decline angles and cant effects. Temperature , atmospheric conditions can go on and on. Let alone the skill it takes to properly get a proper rest and set up It ain't just slamming a bullet in the chamber and jerk the trigger.

 

[Turkeytider]

It all comes from all the B.S. you can read and watch about shooting at long distance. Even people who have been shooting all their lives think it's the rage to see how far you can hit an animal.
Everybody wants to be a sniper. Unless you study study study the ballistics of the setup you have your just wasting your time. You need to shoot and shoot and shoot that setup before your absolutely sure what it is going to do at all ranges. You better also better understand wind effects and spin drift and coriolis and incline decline angles and cant effects. Temperature , atmospheric conditions can go on and on. Let alone the skill it takes to properly get a proper rest and set up It ain't just slamming a bullet in the chamber and jerk the trigger.

I don`t hunt deer or any other animal that might qualify for a " long " shot, so the issue`s moot for me. I`m becoming, slowly, reasonably proficient at hitting 6" and 4" gongs at 500 yards . Even so, and even if I did hunt larger game, there is no way that I would shoot at a live animal at 500 yards or greater.

 

[LongestShot]

It all comes from all the B.S. you can read and watch about shooting at long distance. Even people who have been shooting all their lives think it's the rage to see how far you can hit an animal.
Everybody wants to be a sniper. Unless you study study study the ballistics of the setup you have your just wasting your time. You need to shoot and shoot and shoot that setup before your absolutely sure what it is going to do at all ranges. You better also better understand wind effects and spin drift and coriolis and incline decline angles and cant effects. Temperature , atmospheric conditions can go on and on. Let alone the skill it takes to properly get a proper rest and set up It ain't just slamming a bullet in the chamber and jerk the trigger.

Excellent post. Wind effect is often neglected and incline and decline have material affects that many don't understand. 300 yard plus shooting is a multifaceted exercise that demands study and extensive bench time to be proficient. I killed an Elk once at 500 yards; a lot more luck than skill was involved. I now limit myself to 300 yards because I don't spend enough time at the bench and don't spend the time studying all the above-mentioned affects that play into long distance shooting.

 

[Rum River]

The key is to weight them so that they still slide.

This is very important. If a gun rest is weighted to the point a heavy recoiling rifle has trouble moving it - then yes - you are absolutely risking damage to the rifle.

if a rifle recoils bad enough that I don't want to shoot it from my shoulder I don't want it

I agree. But I also have no problem using a properly weighted rest for a long afternoon of load development of let's say - a .300 Weatherby and a .338 Winchester magnum.

I'm sure there are shooters out there that can take a hundred rounds of stout recoil while on sandbags and not have it affect their marksmanship - but I'm not one of them.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

2 things to remember...
1) who you heard it from
2) there is a plagiarism fee every time you use it.

You'll need to post your Trademark Cert. before any checks can be sent.

 

[Rflshootr]

You'll need to post your Trademark Cert. before any checks can be sent.

Checks? In God We Trust..................all others pay cash!

 

[Turpentine21]

This is very important. If a gun rest is weighted to the point a heavy recoiling rifle has trouble moving it - then yes - you are absolutely risking damage to the rifle.


I agree. But I also have no problem using a properly weighted rest for a long afternoon of load development of let's say - a .300 Weatherby and a .338 Winchester magnum.

I'm sure there are shooters out there that can take a hundred rounds of stout recoil while on sandbags and not have it affect their marksmanship - but I'm not one of them.

I can certainly see where the sled can be useful working up loads for heavy rifles. But as you mentioned they need to be used correctly. I just see so many folks set the rifle using the sled and then carry it hunting without every having fired it from the shoulder to check the zero.

 

[pacowboy]

Not only do we have the 100yard gun guys we have guys like the one I'm going to share with you. I will do some reloading for some family and friends. Most listen when I say you should fire some test loads before you load (this guy wanted 120 .30-30 rounds) to make sure they group well. As you will see in the screen shots I asked him to test some that I loaded for his 3 different .30-30 rifles. I can't wait till he takes these 3 rifles to the range Thanksgiving week and calls me saying the load sucks and it's all my fault he can't hunt now. Oh he has all 120 rounds of the same load. I will never load for him again.

What would you have done?