Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Flip flop recoil pad - seeking advice and pointers

any tips on doing a flip-flop recoil pad? after getting a quote yesterday for $100 to have a smith shorten LOP on a 22 and put a new butt-plate/pad on it i noticed $25 was to cut the stock and $75 was to buy and fit a basic pad.

So, i went to target today and bought two pairs of black flip flops for a whopping $4. Came home tonight and used a sharpie to outline a test pad for one of my rifles and an exacto to cut it out. It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world but it gave me confidence that i can do an adequate job and save myself $75.

any pointers or lessons learned from others around here that have done that?

A pad on a .22LR?

Rough up the side of the FF pad that will be glued to the butt of the stock. A course tooth hack saw blade works well.

5 min epoxy.

protect the stock with masking tape.

Sand paper (80 to start, finish with 100) the pad flush with the stock.

Take care to keep the toe line straight with the stock line. Easy to screw this up the first time installing a pad.

Pics of my flip flop pad install here...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread...ch/true/Flip_flop_recoil_pad#Post4197746

That looks good surprisingly good jmsdad.

Von Gruff.

Well done, I used them on my benchrest guns back the 70's..you should have seen some of the colors...too funny now!!
You did good!

If you had any chipping on the side that you didn't show it can be avoided by taping the stock with packing tape . I also use a plywood backer under the stock , so that the blade doesn't go through the stock into nothing but air . Looks good , I'm going to do that to my Grandsons 10/22 that I shortened 3" . Isn't problem solving fun ?

Thanks everyone. Can you simply sand it flush by hand or do you need a power tool/hand sander?

I use a bench mounted belt/disc sander to rough the pad out on the stock. Then I find it easier to finish the sanding to flush by hand. Use a sanding block. I have FF padded a stock entirely by hand though. It is doable but takes 5X as long.

I did most of this one on my bench grinder. A vertical belt or disc sander would be better. Ken

Lovely shade of pink there Kend....

I had to cut the stock down for a pretty special little girl.

I figured it was something along those lines. Cool man.