Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Recoil pad installation

I have an early Remington 700 BDL stock that has no recoil pad and it is a bit much to shoot. The standard BDL stock just does not fit me that great and makes recoil more pronounced. This was my late father’s rifle so I do not want to put on a new stock. I just want to have to stock cut back and a good 1” recoil pad added. My local gunsmith is an awesome machinist but grinding is not his forte.

Any campfire gunsmiths good at installing a recoil pad and making it look factory? Also I am leaning towards the good old Decelerator Pad. Any other suggestions?

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Limbsaver gets good reviews.
I have Decelerators which look good when properly ground to fit but I think Limbsaver is better at softening recoil.

Limbsaver

Decelerators have been good for me (all self installed). Never tried a Limb-savor, so no opinion.
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It's careful work once you get close, but not difficult. Likely some u-tube videos on it, too. Maintain your lines, especially at the toe. Taping the stock before you cut can prevent chipping it's best to break the finish all around first, and of course maintain the tape through the final pad fitting (by hand! ) to prevent inadvertantly marring the stock forward of the pad.

Seal the end grain underneath, and even then, prolonged exposure to precipitation may swell the stock beyond the pad - but it will go back....

Not a gunsmith, but I've recently used a couple of Kick-eaz pads and they ground easily and absorb recoil at least as well as a Decelerator. Also solid without the metal plate of a Decelerator which can be an issue with some narrow, European stocks, but probably not a 700.

The decelerator is an excellent pad. I dislike the Limbsaver (ugly) and positively loathe the Kick-eez (ugly and sticky). On an early Remington 700, a Pachmayr 325 is a decent pad. Effective and with the right look. GD

I'd prefer the lettering be smaller on the Kick-eez, but haven't noticed any particular stickiness. I'll be looking for that as it ages. IIRC my final wet sanding was with lemon oil furniture polish, so maybe that helped. Really soaks up the recoil of my old 8x68S Mauser compared to its original Pachmayr 325. The decelerator was the first replacement I tried on that stock, but the metal plate was too wide on the pad that was long enough heel to toe.

This is a Remington I built and stock I cut and did up for a Rem 700 custom for myself in 260 one of five I built. These all have grind to fit recoil pads on them.



This is a 350 RM on a Mauser action that I built



Just pattern copies of the Richards Dual grip style.butt stock added to a Rem or Mauser stock pattern.

This is a M-70 Classic, switch barrel I built


this is my Beretta 391 Sporting, Silver Side clays gun with one of my exhibition grade stock blanks cut and mounted on it.



Decided to add this jewel, a Cadet I buililt in 222R just because with an English walnut stock.



This is a Custom Reducton of a M-96 Mauser, is smaller by height and width with a Screw Bean Mesquite stock I cut from one of my blanks.



If you get stuck, drop me a note. I am on the FL/AL border might not be too far. If you need a stock fitted, there is that, so. But sounds like you need a proper length of pull plus a butt angle modified for recoil with a good recoil pad.

Don'r overlook Hogue recoil pads - grind well and similar to the Decelerator in comfort + they wear better. I use them all and have gotten no complaints from customers with regards to the Hogue pads.

I prefer the Pachmayr pads. For performance, looks and longevity.
A jig is nice for grinding(sanding) down the pad to the correct angle to match the stock.

It seems to me that a jig of some sort is absolutely necessary unless you are are skilled enough to sand on the stock-for example Tommy Bish and Ralph Walker.

+1 on a jig. Use a sharp scribe to mark the outline on the pad base, chalk it for visibility and grind carefully. You can get a very close fit without any refinishing.

Good point on the chalk for visibility! I use white shoe polish from a squeeze bottle

I might try that next time. 👍

My thoughts exactly.
The Pachmayr Decelerator is the best combination of durability and recoil absorption. And, they grind well if you know what you are doing and are patient.

After grinding, wipe down your pad with a couple coats of Armor-All(original formula). This will help keep the rubber pad from catching on clothing when shouldering the stock. It will also help keep the rubber looking good over years of use.

Leftybolt

I gave one of these jigs to a young local guy when he first got started in the gunsmith business. He said there was a learning curve but he does a real nice job with it.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1007111917?pid=658338

I have never even held a recoil pad jig and have always just taped the stock and ground the pad. I've used disk grinders and belt grinders. At the start of my gunsmithing career, recoil pad installation was a mainstay, and I would do a half dozen or more every week. At that time, many rifles came without pads, so pad installation was a common upgrade. When the decelerator came out, upgrading to them was another common thing. I can't guess at how many thousands I've put on. Quite a few. GD

I’m in this camp.
When I got my first job out of trade school I was there maybe two days before I had a work order wanting a recoil pad. I inquired as to the location of the grinding jigs and was handed a roll of masking tape and shown a bench grinder modified to accept foam backed sanding disks for an automotive orbital sander. “Go slow and sneak up on it”, is what I was told. It was a learning curve, but didn’t take long before I got good at it. It’s far faster and the only way I’ve ever been able to truly match the lines of the stock. A couple months ago I did one on a friend’s Harbor Freight disk/belt combo sander after a 7 year hiatus, just like riding a bike, “go slow and sneak up on it”.

+1 on the Decelerator

I have also done the masking tape and rotary disc sander method. Patience.

Limbsaver hard to beat for recoil reduction.

That piece of metal has caught me a few times, damned annoying.