Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Pre 64 Win model 70 recoil pad

I’m wanting to remove the old butt pad and add an out of the box fit recoil pad. Any recommendations on brand / model. I looked at a few sites but didn’t see anything for the pre 64s (if that even matters)

Get a grind to fit 1" red decelerator pad in Medium, model 752B,

You are not going to find a "pre fit" for a pre 64. Do like handwerk said. However, is your rifle original? Original "butt pad"? I'd not mess with an original, if it's in good condition. If it is pre '59, it's going to likely have a widows peak inletted for the steel butt plate. The stock will not look right with this inletting and a recoil pad slapped on top of it. There is also a slight curvature, so to do it right the stock needs to be cut straight. This drastically reduces the value of the stock. If it is not original, no big deal. If it is, look for a "shooter" stock for your rifle..

Connecticut Shotgun Mfg has a Winchester logo pad, but it will need to be fitted. Link here:

Winchester Style Recoil Pad

Those are nice. Might as well get it glass bedded at the same time.

My pre-64 M70 300 H&H came to me used with an aftermarket shotgun style pad that was shot. I replaced it with the period correct pad linked to here. Though not an exact repro of the original, it's darn close and is the only pad I'd consider for a pre-64.

ANY pad that is unoriginal to the pre 64 model 70 depreciates value. The 300H&H rifles never had pads on them originally. At that point, you might as well glass bed it like another poster said because you or someone previously turned a $400+ stock into a $150 stock. The repro's do not mitigate recoil as well as the Pachmayr handwerk suggested either. The red pachmayr also looks great. There is not real positive by going to the repro..

I had this M721 in 300H&H come to me a couple years ago. All original except it had no pad or butt plate. LOP on stock required a 1" pad.

I had this NOS pad that I got with my grandfathers kit in 1982 when he passed. Note the price of $1.39. Never did use that pad so this seemed to be the perfect application. Works well and certainly looks right on that rifle.

I've heard those repros are stiffer than a wedding prick.

Igloo, they are not quite that hard. They do offer some recoil absorption, but not nearly as much as the Pachmayr I'm suggesting:

I use these on Winchester model 70's, Ruger 77's and anything else that needs a recoil pad. I like the red color, as it goes very well with a wood stock or brown painted stock. There's no reason to install a repro pad, unless you think you are trying to convince yourself or others that is is original. Just be aware, someone like myself will come along and call you on it. Most pre 64's, as you know, did not come with a recoil pad. As they had steel, aluminum, or composite butt plates. Some models did come with ventilated recoil pads and the solid red pad, but those models are few and far between.

Like I said earlier, once you replace the original pad/plate and cut the stock, you have depreciated the value of the stock and rifle big time. On a pre 64, they are slightly curved and also have an inletting on the top for the widows peak butt plate, unless manufactured after '58-59. The op can do as he wants, it's his rifle, but will likely not find an exact fit pad. A grind to fit is about the only option.

That makes a lot of sense...

To be honest when I think of Winchester 70s with a red recoil pad like that I think of the push feeds. I'd imagine maybe the 375 H&H pre 64 models might have had a solid red pad?

I'm looking at a 30-06 that already has been cut and has a ventilated, old school pad (and grip cap ) added to it if I can get it for the right price. Would def. fit one of those Pachmayrs to it since the damage is already done. But its good to hear the repros aren't really that bad.

Yes, you are right buddy. Yeah, white line spacers were cool back in the 70's. Man, those XTR's had some hard azzed pads. All of mine are original, so I keep them that way. The only one that really haunts me is the "new to me" 300WBY:


Now, on a 22-250 that pad is fine^^^^ But why on a 300WBY?? My other 300 WBY is 2 pounds lighter and does not kick as hard with the Red Pachmayr installed..

Yikes! My shoulder hurts just looking at it.

I just took in a 70 Classic in 270 Win that has the same pad. Not sure if this is the original stock, since its a DBM that has been converted to floorplate...but wow that must rattle someone with a 300 Bee.




OP, I think Dirtfarmer here did an awesome chronicle of working on a Win 70 Featherweight Pre '64 and the brown pad his had on it looked super sharp. Whole rifle did.

I have a 70 classic DBM in 30.06. I had looked into converting it to a floorplate model but was told several times it's not possible to do that. Has to with feed lips being part of the dbm. Or am i misunderstanding that you converted a dbm model STOCK to take a floorplate for an action that was originally a floorplate model?

It seems to me this was a DBM. Or at least the barrel came from one? I really don't know the history of the rifle.

After looking at a couple of different rifles and having a hard time deciding, just snagged this. Waiting on the mail now. 1951 in 270 Win. Came up to about $850 USD, which considering the alterations, I don't think was a bad idea at all.

May take the advice given to the OP and go with a red Pachmayr pad.