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Travis Olander 12.29.23
Taking pictures sleds can turn out to be your finest good friend on the vary. They’re nice for zeroing a rifle with simply two or three shot teams – as a substitute of chasing level of purpose with a dozen groupings, or extra – they usually’re nice instruments for getting behind a brand new rifle, or educating a brand new shooter the fundamentals of marksmanship. However not all sleds are created equal. I beforehand evaluation the “Solo” taking pictures sled, Lead Sled’s budget-minded, compact choice for intermediate rifles. The Solo will get the job carried out, however it will probably really feel slightly insufficient, and it lacks some options. At present, we’re taking a look at their top-tier selection, made for higher accuracy, consolation, and recoil administration for bigger weapons: the Lead Sled DFT 2.
Caldwell Protection on AllOutdoor
Caldwell Lead Sled DFT 2 – Specs & Options
The Lead Sled DFT 2 is an all-steel unit, with a cut up tubular body making up the gun help, whereas the burden tray is a stamped metal sheet. The tray and tube body are each powder-coated – matte black and Lead Sled’s signature inexperienced – so it’ll be completely fantastic for moist climate and humidity. Some fundamental measurements:
- Horizontal adjustment: 16.5″
- Sled weight, empty: 24 kilos
- Weight capability: 100 kilos
- Assist legs: 30″ L x 12″ W
- Value: $215 (sale) to $299
I’ve used the Lead Sled Solo fairly just a few instances at my native bench seating vary, and I discovered its base to be a bit extensive and cumbersome for many tabletops. The DFT 2 is definitely extra compact, with narrower help legs and a much less obtrusive body.
Its cut up body design can be ambidextrous and takes up much less room, too – once more, not like the Solo. That is good for left-handed shooters (like me), who in any other case need to take care of a swing arm that winds up getting in the best way.
The open weight tray is sweet, however you’ll need to be aware of what’s relaxation in in there. I discovered that, over the course of a day of taking pictures, any weight you’ve thrown in there – luggage, dumbbells, or anything – tends to shift round and ultimately fall out. Not an enormous concern, however one thing to remember. The load capability of the Lead Sled DFT 2 is greater than ample for any massive .30-caliber magnum rifle, one thing the Solo tended to wrestle with after I threw a Remington 700 ADL in .300 Win Magazine atop it. That hasn’t been the case right here.
Coupled with weight, the rubber ft do a very good job conserving the sled from sliding round, although this isn’t completely foolproof. On a wet day or atop naked concrete, you need to anticipate a little bit of shimmying ahead and backward with a high-recoil rifle. However any AR-type rifle chambered in some 6.5mm cartridge, .308, or something smaller will sometimes stand planted with no shift.
Talking of massive weapons, the DFT 2 excels at internet hosting huge, extensive shares and actions. I’m an enormous fan of the DFT’2 entrance rubberized cradle, which is considerably bigger and wider than the one discovered on the Solo. Whereas the Solo does fantastic with the everyday AR-type handguard, and skinny wooden inventory, it struggles to accommodate bigger chassis setups and extensive, polymer shares discovered on long-action rifles. The Lead Sled DFT 2 manages this with no subject, and it gives wonderful recoil mitigation besides, with excessive grip.
Recoil mitigation is necessary, too, as a result of the DFT 2’s rear cradle – which additionally features as your shoulder relaxation – simply isn’t snug. There’s no approach round it, this extensive, flat piece of metal with laughable rubber insulators does nothing to advertise a very good taking pictures stance.
With the tray stuffed with weight, you received’t get punched an excessive amount of. However Lead Sled actually ought to present at the very least a way for attaching a rubber buttpad. The Solo suffers this subject and I used to be disillusioned to see this wasn’t addressed with the DFT 2. This isn’t a significant concern; to be clear: You received’t stroll away with a bruised shoulder when you load the sled up, however some cushion can be appreciated – particularly whenever you’re attempting to carry a decent cheek weld whereas dialing in an FFP scope at 200 yards. However at the very least establishing the gun for a very good sight image is simple, and the DFT 2’s numerous top and size changes work phenomenally.
All changes are dealt with beneath the entrance cradle: You get a big, padded wheel that hosts a jack screw for elevating and decreasing the rifle contained in the cradle, permitting you to angle the sights and muzzle up or down. The jack screw’s then set by turning a pressure knob on the left facet of the sled, with locks and loosens it. Out again, you can even modify the peak of the rear help foot when you want further angular changes, and it helps to make sure you’ve obtained optics set to the correct top relative to your individual.
Instantly beneath the peak adjuster are two length-adjustment clamps. Pop each free, and you may slide the complete cradle ahead or backward atop the legs and tray to get the correct size of pull. The clamps present loads of pressure and maintain the tubular body locked up strong when closed; no points with wiggling or swaying with a 20- or 25-pound rifle.
This meeting’s greater than ample – overkill, even – for the everyday field mag-fed rifle. And the cut up body has loads of house for any AR-type or comparable journal, although prolonged mags for, say, an AR-type shotgun would possibly wind up working into the weights or tray under.
Caldwell Lead Sled DFT 2 – What’s To not Like?
The DFT 2 grew to become my favourite taking pictures companion throughout benchtop vary days. Even when I don’t want it, I simply depart it in my storage subsequent to my Jeep, so I take it with me nearly each time I’m going taking pictures. If it served no different objective than zeroing (and saving ammo), I’d nonetheless love the factor. It’s extremely strong, with nice, fine-tune changes. The 2 issues I don’t like concerning the DFT 2 are its retail worth — it’s costly at round $300, until you’ll find it on sale — and that rattling rear shoulder help. I’ve debated drilling and tapping some threaded fasteners into the vertical portion of the shoulder, so I can mount some kind of buttpad for taking pictures Magnum rifles. It’s simply simply snug out of the field when you sit behind it for an prolonged time frame. Should you’re on the fence about throwing down this sort of cash for a taking pictures sled, try our evaluation of the Lead Sled Solo. It’s nonetheless a fantastic selection for smaller rifles and AR-15s, and it’s lighter on the pockets.
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