Swarovski Customer Service

[Shootist43]

I normally use my lead sled to get a good zero i.e. 3 - 5 shots for a recently mounted and bore sighted scope. Doing so, takes "me" out of the equation. After that, it is just me and a couple of sandbags or a rest. There is always some sight adjustment necessary. The largest caliber I've ever fired from a lead sled is a 300 Win Mag or my 35 Whelen, maybe that is why I've never had any issues.

The answer to your question re. shooting off sticks being less painful and more realistic is yes.

 

[cpr0312]

BUT SWAROVSKI CAME THRU FOR ME WITH AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE NEXT DAY AIR ME A NEW 1-6X24 NO QUESTIONS ASK KEEP IT AND SEND US THE BROKEN ONE WE WILL CALL IT A SWAP!! EVEN OFFERED TO SHIP TO AFRICA IF NEED BE.

WOW! That's incredible

 

[Rick Hill]

Lead sleds will break most any scope. Here is the equivalent of you don't believe me. Place a loaded gun butt end against a concrete wall and fire it safely at a target. Broken scope and maybe broken stock is the result.

Recoil must go somewhere. Shooting off sticks or a rest allows the recoil to move. A lead sleds bolts the gun down so all that energy is held in place so the only give is the scope and it's mounts, maybe the wrist of the gun too .

The lead sleds create a problem of physics on guns bigger than .300.

The guy who mentioned the physics got it right. I was sighting in 3 boomers and used a lead sled and got beaned by a scope flung off a 416 Rigby. Imagine stopping your car from 60 mph in 1 foot - that called a crash. Use a wadded up hand towel behind the butt (check how far the rifle will travel so you don't get scope eye) and pull the rifle tight into the padding. I was using 50 lbs of lead shot think 25 would have worked and stopped the rifle less abruptly. Stupid in retrospect and found this thread when searched. Scratch on head and scope but we are both fine.

Rick Hill

ps tried at 25 lbs of lead with towel behind 416 Rigby rifle butt and used a stick to apply force to QR levers. Worked OK, LOL but had to tap rings loose with small rubber mallet to loosen them! No, won't try that again! So I would agree with .300 limit to be conservative but did shoot (without problems) my 375 HH and 404 J at 25lbs with a towel pad. I think this is risky and should be approached with a lot of caution!! I don't think I would shoot a 375 and above off a bench rest repeatedly because of the risk of soft and hard tissue damage (to the shooter). I also won't shoot a light gun in a heavy caliber. The shooting sticks are a grand idea. Your upper torso is flexible and can absorb recoil over time (like a semi auto). You can make really nice lightweight ones from carbon fiber camera mono, bi, or tripods. There are "tactical" supply houses that sell cradles that work well. We all need to be honest with our selves about what you can shoot accurately. I draw the line at 60 ft lbs recoil and will add tungsten to butt stocks for balance and to decease recoil.

I think the better question is still who makes a scope ring base with locking lugs fore and aft?

Rick

 

[BWH]

I don't think it is fair to dog the shit out of Lead Sled. It has a purpose, and does it very well. When the user/s want to push limits of physics.... you have to be prepared for outcome. If I use it, for .22 to 375+ I'm not going to strap it down & block the back/add weight. You are forcing an incredible "stop". The weakest components will break.

 

[Velo Dog]

Lead Sled has always enjoyed a reputation of cracking walnut gun stocks in recoil, usually at the spot where the wood meets the tang.

For that reason alone, I do not own a Lead Sled.

This is the first I had heard of them causing a scope to lurch clear off the rifle.

However simple physics being what they are, especially during the quite violent vibration of firing rifles suited to elephant hunting, I am not the least bit surprised.

It is one thing to have your scope fly off.

It is yet another, to have it hit you on the head during it's getaway.

 

[BWH]

BTW.... Congrats on the service & good luck on your hunt.

 

[BWH]

Lead Sled has always enjoyed a reputation of cracking walnut gun stocks in recoil, usually at the spot where the wood meets the tang.

For that reason alone, I do not own a Lead Sled.

This is the first I had heard of them causing a scope to lurch clear off the rifle.

However simple physics being what they are, especially during the quite violent vibration of firing rifles suited to elephant hunting, I am not the least bit surprised.

It is one thing to have your scope fly off.

It is yet another, to have it hit you on the head during it's getaway.

@Velo Dog I agree 100%...... One can't press laws of physics and be disappointed if outcome is disasterous.

 

[Rick Hill]

I don't think it is fair to dog the shit out of Lead Sled. It has a purpose, and does it very well. When the user/s want to push limits of physics.... you have to be prepared for outcome. If I use it, for .22 to 375+ I'm not going to strap it down & block the back/add weight. You are forcing an incredible "stop". The weakest components will break.

Agreed - just don't want anyone getting hurt. I'm going to use the sled tomorrow for load development, but it will be loaded lightly. If I wasn't putting this many down range I would shoot standing with or without the sticks I made from a carbon fiber camera tripod.

Rick

 

[Bullthrower338]

Swarovski is an excellent company, my 10x42's finally leaked after years of abuse from the Sonoran desert, Africa, -40 Montana elk hunts and 15 days of float hunting in Alaska finally spring a leak in the right tube. I believe I bought them in 1999 and sent them back in 2016. I would have had no issue paying for the repair after 16 years of them being one of the main items in my kit for every hunt. They completely rebuilt my glasses and essentially sent me brand new binos back, no charge! My tripod adapter was corroded into place and I couldn't remove it before I sent them in, they went as far as installing them back on after the repairs. I am passing them down to my oldest son this elk season along with my Swarovski range finder and replacing them with EL Range. The way that they treated me on the binos made my decision to purchase a Z6 for my 416 an easy one.
As far as the leadsled goes, I shoot small rifles off of mine while doing load development, I stop at the 338 RUM and shoot big rifles using a bull bag with a rear support bag. It isn't pleasant shooting a 505 Gibbs from the bench this way but the bull bag tames it enough that you can get through a range session.
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Hank2211]

I have used a lead-sled type of thing for years to zero the scope on all my rifles. I don't put any weight on the sled - it's basically just a holder with my shoulder at the back. So why do this? Because the sled will hold the rifle without any movement at all, and I can test groups with more accuracy than I could shooting off a sandbag. I still get much - but not all - of the recoil, and the gun tends to flip up - at least the .416 does.

I use Swarovski scopes, and I've never had a problem. Nice to know if I do, though, they will be there to help. That sort of service should be built into the price of all expensive hardware, but rarely is.