Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Flip flop recoil pad install --HOW TO

Posted this on rimfirecentral...maybe it can help some diy'ers here...




I had alot of inquiries when I posted this pic of my son's 10/22 with a compact CRR stock and a flip flop recoil pad...

Why the flip flop?

-Cheap

-Lightweight

-Easy to work with

-Last for years....the first one I have installed is going on 5yrs.

-Nonslip properties--I have had rifles with the slick factory plastic recoil pads slip off when resting against trees, tires, etc more than once.







I remembered to take pics on the latest pad install. Here's a how to...


$2/pair flip flops @ Wallyworld. Remember to buy the biggest size available so you can do more. These are size 13-14.



Latest victim....factory RR stock with a LOP of 13.75". Works in hot weather, but with a thick winter coat on, I prefer 13.5" on all my rifles. The .25" matters...




First cut with a compound saw



flip flop traced and cut



Dimpled/drilled ready for adhesive. You could drill less holes or rough it up with coarse sandpaper.



Taped and ready for adhesive...here's what I used
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/blacktape.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/loctite.jpg[/img]


Pad meets stock....taped to insure either moves during curing time ~12hrs...
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/tapedup.jpg[/img]


Next day, ready to sand. Notice the belt sander I picked up for $5 at a yard sale 4yrs ago...still going strong
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/padinstall001.jpg[/img]




to be continued....

TA-DA! All done...





Wait! need to put final touches on it. I like the Pachmayer decelerator pads so the edges are rounded off via the old sanding block and 60grit sandpaper.



Finally, nice and clean...



[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/padinstall012.jpg[/img]



continued...next post

17" GMHT barreled action dropped in...



Grip and forearm textured with Devcon. All my non-checkered hunting stocks have this process done. Taped up and pattern cut out...

Devcon spread on...




Peaks and valleys done with the sandwich baggie...






1.5-2hrs later, tape off...
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/padinstall029.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/padinstall033.jpg[/img]

After devcon has cured, I knocked off the high/sharp spots with some files (big one for the flats and small needle for the curves and hard to reach areas)




Done with painting--4 coats of Rustoleum textured (Dark Pewter) paint...






Barrel channel opened up to accomodate the GMHT barrel, left unpainted till after bedding...




Barreled action in...
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/rrstock014.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/rrstock015.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/rrstock019.jpg[/img]

Cut off about 1" off the tip so the shorter barrel doesn't look out of place. The piece on the right with black tape and the hole in the center is from a Savage/Stevens model 94 shotgun in 12gauge that got the flip-flop treatment last weekend...





Close up of the forearm. I flatten it just a bit like the stocks on the ruger 77s.

Dug up these pads and weigh 'em....



Limbsaver pad ~ 4 1/8oz



factory ruger 77 pad ~ 3 1/8oz



Pachmayer 750B? basketweave pad ~ 2 7/8oz



factory plastic RR pad ~ 3/4oz



rough cut 1/2" flip flop pad ~ 5/8oz



And some of my small caliber rifles...all with flip flop pads...

22K-Hornet
22 magnum
pair of 1022LRs

[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/Flip%20flop%20pad%20install/pads004-1.jpg[/img]


Enjoy!!

I like it, thanks for taking the time to share with us.

burgie

some folks use their brains.....thank you for this innovation...

I've seen alot of "add-on" texture jobs. Your finished product is one of the best I seen. Most of them actually look like "add-ons".

I like the flip flops too but mine dont look as good as yours (i dont have a belt sander either). What scopes you running on those 10/22s? Look nice and compact

These are the Weaver 4x shotgun scopes. Bought four of these scopes awhile back from Natchez for $70 a piece. Nice scopes for the money. 50yd paralax, long eye relief, compact and weighs about 9oz.


The price has gone up a bit, but still a good buy at $100. Check it out...

Weaver 4x shotgun scope

jmsdad,
A beautifully done & informative post. Thank you for your efforts. I'm deciding on a project gun this afternoon, & am anxious to get started.
Jim

Very nice , thanks for sharing !

Nice job!

Question, what kind of tape did you use to protect the stock when grinding the pad?

thanks.

Great post! I've been wanting to cut down a Mini Mauser stock for use by grandkids and thought a flip-flop pad would be good to keep the weight down. With your post and excellent photos, I'm ready to tackle the project. THANKS!

Professional grade? (maybe 3M) electrical tape. These are tougher and thicker than your average store bought electrical tape. I got a box of them 14 years ago while working in Atlanta. I'm down to my last two rolls and need to buy some more if I can find a comparable product.









Post up some pics of the finished product.

HINT...You don't need a belt sander to grind down the pad as the material sands easily with 60 or 80 grit sandpaper. The black stock was done with 60grit sandpaper wrapped around a file to shape.

I really like the comb and pistol grip fluting on the .22 mag. That little bit of attention takes the stock to the next level and helps it stand out from the entry level shaping of the standard 10/22 stock. Nice touch!

Great job of detail and explanation.Thanks

Nice work.
Can you explain the baggie process?
Thanks

Here's my first flip-flop effort, on a Husqvarna 9.3X57 that had a terribly botched pad installation.







Long story short: weekend, no stores open, wanted a pad on the rifle, so gave it a try with some Acraglass with a bit of flock mixed into it.

Works just fine with 286 gr bullets at close to 2300 fps.

Ted

fingers inside baggie, apply slight pressure to devcon and lift away...

jmsdad,
I like it. American ingenuity.
I've got to try one.
By the way. Midway has a reasonably priced pad grinding fixture.
It wouldn't work with the flip flops unless you epoxied on a stiff backer.
Thanks for sharing your skill.
John

I did the same flipflop approach on a 12ga O/U for adding LOP, much cheaper than a custom stock. I did not polish the edges though, guns look great!!

Just did one on a Mini-Mauser, cut 2" off the original stock (have a spare) that strangely comes with a 14.25" LOP on a Mini-Mauser -- go figure. The cut down stock will be used for smaller people. The flip flop pad was easy to do following the OP instructions.

Next project **Learn how to post photos!**

Thanks jmsdad

If you already have the grinding fixture, great. But there's no point in buying a $40 fixture to put on a $2 pad. Total cost would be under $10 if you had to buy the materials (ie.. flip flop, adhesive, tape, sandpaper).





No problem, I'm glad you were able to use the tutorial/pics.

Am I the only guy mesmerized by this picture? A Husqvarna and some prairie engineering. Can relate.

For $2.00 (cost of flip-flops) you can get six pads of the size I needed. Botched the first one a little, so removed it and made a second. Still dirt cheap! They are very easy to sand, many times easier than Pachmayr Decelerators.

I used 60 grit with a orbital sander and it was quick and easy. Final contouring with 60 grit on a sanding pad just as advised by the OP.

This is easy even for a klutz like me!

Ted here is how I used my redneck bungee cord clamp! Epoxy wants to move when clamped a couple of finish nails hold it in place till drying.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...5/Flip_Flop_Recoil_Pad_Clamp#Post2778145

Background story... my father passed away last month (May 10, 2012 @ 62yrs old). This rifle (Ruger 10/22 magnum) was a birthday gift from me to him during 2003. For small game hunting, this Ruger magnum was his favorite and he cherished/took very good care of it. He re-shaped/slimmed down the stock and added an M1 carbine hand guard to it.

I stippled the stock and will refinish it in Tru-Oil..





Flip-flop pad goes on...and what was cut off.....



Left the top screw and part of factory plastic pad on..




Stippling done with diamond ball tip on Dremel...





[img]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/jmsdad/rugermagstock2.jpg[/img]

Full pic of rifle...actual barrel and bolt is currently at CPC for rework...





front half...




back half...




hand guard...

The pink flip flop pad I put on my Grand Daughters 10-22 squished pretty flat from standing up in a closet for most of a couple of years. FWIW someone is making pink pads now.

Cool!