Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters replacement recoil pad

My shoulder tells me I need a new and softer recoil pad on my Ruger tanger /with the red (now hard rubber) pad. Any suggestions on a quality soft rubber pad up to maybe 3\4 in. thick. Trying to keep lop about the same. Thanks

I like Kickeez pads

I swear by the Pachmeyer Decelerator. ( probably butchered the spelling) Turned my 30-06 lightweights into .243s. Wrote in my notes best money I ever spent. You will need to grind to fit.

Even a piece of old truck tire would have more give than the old Ruger red pads. I've put both Limbsavers and Decelerators on a couple of my my old tangers and they helped a lot. I am surprised how much the new softer thin red pad helps on the Hawkeyes.
As Oldotter says, the tangers require grind to fit.
I am curious if anybody knows of a red solud soft pad like the Limbsaver or Decelerator.
Good Luck
Bfly

Kickeez pads

Pachmayr Decelerator Both good choices. I have both. They work well.

Why not try a flip flop recoil pad? All it is is a foam flip flop cut to size and attached with contact cement.

ndh19;
Good evening to you sir, I hope that your part of the world is getting weather you're able to live with and you're healthy tonight.

While I'm far from an expert on such matters, my standard recommendation if a rifle comes across my bench for a recoil pad is the Pachmayr Decelerator these days. They offer the nicest balance between ease of installation and recoil absorbing capability in my experience. They do weigh about 5 oz however if you're counting oz on a build.

For lighter pads, I've sourced blank pieces of 1" soft rubber from Corlane Sports in Dawson Creek, BC in the past which are both light and about as good as a standard Pachmayr.

I've installed exactly one Limb Saver for a good friend and it was less than optimum to grind to put it mildly. When I was done, I asked him never to bring me another one please and thanks....

Back in the day Uncle Mikes made some nice enough ones though they were about as hard as the standard Pachmayr pads, which isn't awful but aren't Decelerator pads either.

As far as Kickeez, I've had no personal experience with them sorry.

Hopefully that was useful to you or someone out there.

Good luck with the project regardless of your choice, all the best and good hunting.

Dwayne

I believe Pachmyar makes a red Decelerator - maybe an Old English by Pachmyar?

https://www.hastingsdistribution.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=389

These are nice pads; just a touch thicker than you are looking for.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Limb saver

Yes--but recently they've been hard to find--like a lot of stuff.

As a matter of fact last year D'Arcy Echols, the noted custom riflemaker, met me in Montana to pick up a .375 H&H of his I'd reviewed in Rifle magazine. We met at Capital Sports in Helena, and they had ONE red Old English pad--which D'Arcy immediately grabbed because he hadn't found any, ANYWHERE, for a while... And Capital hasn't had any since.

Another vote for the Decelerator. I just put another one on a 375 Win that was biting the bejeezus out of me with the factory hard plate.

They don't soak up quite as much recoil as the Limbsavers, but they also don't have a propensity for melting into a pile of sticky floor goo like the Limbsavers do.

Pachmeyer does make a red decelerator, I’ve replaced Ruger red pads on three of my Number 1’s with these. They make a great difference and look good; however, I think they are closer to 1” than 3/4”.

The Old English Decelerators are abundantly available in Black. The Brown and occasionally the odd Green color pads are also available. The Red pads are as rare as "Hen's teeth" for some reason!

Yes on the available red medium Pachmayr, however they are 1". I like the Hogue GTF brown pads, again 1" iirc.

Awhile back I came across these British pads. Have not tried one. Bisley English Style 20mm, on eBay. Ain't cheap. Appreciate feedback back if anyone has handled one.

Red Pachmayr Decelerator is the only way to go, in my opinion.
They look great when finished, are very durable and last a long time. Also, the red ones have a little bit softer rubber than the black and brown ones…they really soak up the recoil.

Leftybolt

Red Old English pads are currently available from Midway. I have two, one on a FABARM L4S and the other on a CZ 550 American 6.5x55. I believe the red color looks real classy.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1115131620?pid=968953

Buy yourself a fitting jig and a belt sander. Do your own fitting….. just be patient and don’t rush.

+1 for the Decelerator pad they look great and work well, it's the only pad I've fitted to my rifles.