Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Need new recoil pad

1941 Pre 64 Model 70 in 30-06 I've had for about 8 years now and I've decided that I want to make it my go to deer rifle this coming fall. The White Line recoil pad that has been on it is rock hard and I'd like to replace it with the least amount of hassle. In the process of taking it off it crumbled around the screw holes but it was beginning to crumble on the bottom of the pad anyway so I'm all in now. Are there pads that can just be ordered and screwed back on or is everything grind to fit? Hole spacing is 3 1/8 inches and stock has been cut to 12 1/2 inches LOP without pad. I was looking at the solid Winchester repro pad on Pre64.com but it says hole spacing is 3" and it's grind to fit which is a rabbit hole I really don't want to go down unless I have to. Suggestions?

Made to order recoil pads simply do not fit walnut stocked rifles. Remington has had some success using the pre-fit pads on synthetic stocked guns where they can better control the stock dimensions.

You will have to buy a new pad and grind it to fit. One trick I recently discovered to get super close is to get within .050" with the belt sander, then use aluminum tape to lay one layer on the stock right up to the pad. Using a sanding block with 150 grit sand paper, you can maintain your toe and comb lines and get an extremely close fit without dinging your stock finish. Finish up by removing the pad and using 220 paper to take the base down another .020" or so. The 220 will give you a nice smooth finish and a bit of lemon oil at the end will make it beautiful.

Don't forget to use a razor blade to slit the pad holes and then a smooth screwdriver bit with some wax to keep from tearing the holes in the pad.

Get a Pachmayer Decelerator and have someone install it for you. Grind to fit is the only way to do it.

+1 on the Decelerator, one of the best pads out there. I had the same situation with my pre'64 .30-06 FWT, replaced the petrified old pad with a Decelerator.

Jkob is right...plus those repo pads are pretty hard.

Thanks for the advice guys. Looks like I'm going with a red decelerator pad and do the work myself.