Looking for Help/Advice

[Homes Outside]

I bought myself a new scope in the late summer. Had a friend help me mount the scope and then life happened so have just recently gotten around to sighting it in.

Buddy from work lends me a lead sled to help with the sighting in. So I get on paper at 100 yards just using Caldwell bipod that's on my rifle. Vanguard S2 243 WIN with a Nikon monarch 3 4-16 mildly

used three different ammunition
100 gr federal blue box soft point
100 gr Hornady American whitetail
95 gr federal premium ballistic tip

I did a 5 shot group with each type of ammunition, blue box did the best for me(hopefully pictures work)

I then set up the lead sled at 200 yards to see how things may change.

After what happened I feel like I may be 100% retarded. I either don't know how to use a lead sled, or have the worst shooting technique ever.

First three pictures are the three ammunition at 100 yards last three are at 200 yards.

Looking for any advice or tips on what I can concentrate on to improve.

Home's Outside

edit trying to get pictures to upload asap

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by Homes Outside

I bought myself a new scope in the late summer. Had a friend help me mount the scope and then life happened so have just recently gotten around to sighting it in.

Buddy from work lends me a lead sled to help with the sighting in. So I get on paper at 100 yards just using Caldwell bipod that's on my rifle. Vanguard S2 243 WIN with a Nikon monarch 3 4-16 mildly

used three different ammunition
100 gr federal blue box soft point
100 gr Hornady American whitetail
95 gr federal premium ballistic tip

I did a 5 shot group with each type of ammunition, blue box did the best for me(hopefully pictures work)

I then set up the lead sled at 200 yards to see how things may change.

After what happened I feel like I may be 100% retarded. I either don't know how to use a lead sled, or have the worst shooting technique ever.

First three pictures are the three ammunition at 100 yards last three are at 200 yards.

Looking for any advice or tips on what I can concentrate on to improve.

Home's Outside

Things are going to change big time shooting out of the rest

[Ranger CS]

I would recommend that you find a friend who reloads. I am not a fan of factory ammo.

[Xiph0id]

I have the same gun and same scope but I shoot 257 Weatherby.

You should be able to find ammo that'll shoot sub MOA.

I recommend not using a lead sled.
I personally use a table and chair with a cushion of some sort or lay down on the ground with a cushion. I'm not a fan of lead sleds as they don't allow one to learn proper shooting technique.

[Homes Outside]

Hopefully this link for pictures works











I think this will work

[Mateo]

Federal vital shock seems to be your ticket. Least vertical dispersion at 100 nd stays good at 200. I can see shooter error in the shot spread.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Mateo

Federal vital shock seems to be your ticket. Least vertical dispersion at 100 nd stays good at 200. I can see shooter error in the shot spread.

Yup or something is loose on the rifle/scope.
Double check everything, clean, shoot one at 100 as a flyer, shoot another to ensure your on and the move out to 200 and hunker down and have a controlled shoot.
That's a lot of rounds to put down range and actually give the rifle/shooter a fair shake.
Good luck.

[Xbolt7mm]

Did you have the barrel resting on the lead sled or the end of the stock

[elkhunter11]

I would start by replacing the lead sled with a good rest and bags. Then take the action out of the stock, clean any oil from the bedding surfaces, and put it back together and torque the action screws. Then clean the barrel properly and try again. My own Vanguard S2 in 243win put five of my 75gr V-max handloads into an inch, and the 90gr Accubonds weren't quite as good. As for your groups, they seem to have more horizontal spread than vertical, which is usually the result of either wind, or the shooter.

[gunner1911]

How long have you been shooting? Accuracy comes from practice and technique. Lead sleds are evil. Get rid of it. Noone takes a lead sled hunting and it throws off the rifles natural harmonics. Bipod and sand bag for support. Nothing else. Focus on your breathing, heart beat and just relax! Tension is bad. Relax and enjoy the shots one at a time. Don't let a bad group get to you cuz you'll start making mistakes. Also reloading once your more consistent helps a lot to bring the groups down to half inch. Mostly cuz you can so why not haha

[Skytop B]

Best thing you can do is take that lead sled and throw it in the garbage. Get a good bipod or front rest and a rear bag and get an experienced shooter to give you some instruction on proper fundamentals.

[gitrdun]

Loose the Ledsled and get a decent front rest and rear bag.

[Slicktricker]

It's a 243 why do you need a lead sled?

[Homes Outside]

thank you all for information. I will stick to the bipod and come up with an improvised rear bag for shooting. Unfortunately I don't have a torque screw driver so the rifle will stay together for now. I will give it a good cleaning and see if I can do another round of groups in the next couple of days.

[Smokinyotes]

Homes- where are you located.

[SylverCANADA]

This is my opinion only:

Nothing wrong with bipod, nothing wrong with lead sled, nothing with ammo.

The significant dispersion is horizontal, otherwise your groups would be 1.5-2" @200 yrds if we basing it on ammo, which is fine.

Second of all, if you were first were shooting off a bipod a simple variation between bench/prone could slightly alter impact. It would have been prudent to shoot the 200 yrd group in same manner to determine cause of grouping.

Thirdly, lead sleds have their use i.e. initial bore sighting, shoulder injury etc. For me, I use the lead sled to sight my rifles in, and then proceed to fine tuning by redoing the group from the position I plan to use it in the most. If used right, also lead sleds can remove the human factor from the equation to help diagnose problems with rifles.

I hope that helped a bit. Cheers!

[gtr]

Lead sleds are good tools when used properly. Some tools just can't use tools..