I’ve got a Marlin 1895 45-70 that is from 1972 in their first year of production. It appears to be a well used but not abused rifle. It has some bluing worn at the natural carry point on the receiver and the wood was a little rough, but I’ve refinished it with True Oil and it looks good. I know that there really isn’t any collectors value to it, but still, it is pretty much unchanged and almost as old as I am. I want a pad because as many of you know, hot loads hurt without one. I have a leather slip on but I just can’t warm up to it. Plus, I would like an LOP somewhere between the slip on and the hard butt plate. So, should I cut the original stock or buy another and put a pad on it, keeping the original as is? What is the consensus?

Just my opinion (and well worth what you get to pay for it) - I'd leave the buttstock alone and put on a strap on the shoulder pad if you wince that much with your hot loads . . . or just tone down the loads a bit (not trying to be a SA, just seeing those as viable options). No real reason to shoot hot loads from a 45-70 - in all likelyhood the bullet will hit the ground before it reaches the 200 yard mark (unless you scoped it) and under 200 yds, a bullet traveling at "normal" speed loads will knock down whatever you are shooting at.

Do as you are led to do, but I would leave it alone. (I have and shoot 3 different 45-70s and a 45-90, one of the 45-70s is a Marlin 1895 CB.)

Good luck.

Oh, I really don’t load it that hot, not super hot, but obviously more than the commercial trapdoor loads available. That said, I had pretty much made up
made up my mind not to cut it. I think what I will do is pick up another stock and put a pad on it and keep the original, original.

More than recoil it is that I find it too short without the slip on pad and too long with it.

Take off stocks are pretty easy to find. I would replace it as well.

It HAS collector value. You can probably sell it for twice what you think its worth.

Try a decelerator slip on or a Limb Save slip on.

One note about the Limbsavers. I put one on a really lightweight .300 Win Mag and they do a great job of reducing felt recoil, however, they do have
a lot of "give" to them and if you are shooting a rifle with a scope that doesn't have a lot of eye relief, you might get hit with the scope!

I have a .416 Rem Mag that I have shot for years and I have never had the scope hit me, so I know how to hold a kicking gun, but the first time I shot
the .300 Win Mag with the Limbsaver, the scope hit me (although not enough to cut me).

So beware.

BH63

I wouldn't cut the stock but would put a slip on on it.

No, do not cut the stock. You will regret it.

wear a pad on your shoulder. i would not cut it.

Take off the factory butt plate and put the slip on pad over the bare wood. That may give you the in between LOP you are looking for without cutting the stock.

i use a limbsaver slip on . the only thing i dont like about is the rubber they use glues itself to whatever it is standing on if left for a while. i have 6 of them so its not just one off.
don't cut the stock!

Dont do it...

Cut it and install a pad that will fit you.