[GMFWoodchuck]

I just bought a Limbsaver recoil pad for my mossberg 500 and I can't believe how much of a difference it made, once I found the right one. Apparently my 500 slugster, is different than most. Most have a 5 and something inch stock whereas mine is 4 and 7/8 of an inch. The one for the synthetic stock fits my wood stock. Go figure. In any case it's like a whole new gun that I don't mind shooting quite a bit bit now. Before with the hard pad I didn't want to go past 4 or 5 rounds which made it a bear to sight in. Now it's little more than a push rather than Mike Tyson giving my shoulder everything he has. It's the best 40 bucks I have spent on gun stuff in years.

This makes me wonder if I should get one for my savage 12fv 22-250. It also has a fairly stiff pad, but it all reason being a 10 pound gun and only a 22 it's doesn't really kick much. But, if it made that much of a difference with the 500, should I go ahead and invest in a new pad for the 22-250? It's 40 bucks. But it's "only" 40 bucks. Does anyone have any experience in changing the pad on a small caliber light kicking rifle? I'm just wondering if the gun even has enough kick for the pad make a difference.

Thanks.

 

[Bindernut]

Hmm...If you're of a mind to add a thicker recoil pad then go for it.

I put a Pachmayr F325 (1" pad) on my .243 700 BDL varmint special. I did it just because the stock had been shortened by the previous owner and I needed a bit more length of pull. It was also about a 10-pounder & a heavy barrel .243 doesn't kick hard...
That gun was a joy to shoot, I could pop prairie dogs or sit at the bench all day long and not worry about getting fatigued by it.

 

[user]

I've got a Limbsaver on my Remington .30-06 bolt action, and a Pachmayr on my .44 Marlin lever action. Both work well, slight preference to the Limbsaver, with respect to both fit and recoil absorption. The Remington gives me a bruised shoulder without it, and the Marlin's just uncomfortable. Both tamed now.

 

[oldogy]

Yeah, I have the Limbsaver on my Remy 700 in 30-06 and on my Winchester model 12. Makes the old man grin when he shoots.
oldogy

 

[pickenup]

No experience with a small caliber light kicking rifle.

I did put a pad on my 12 ga. that USED to make my shoulder look like a zebra.
No more zebra shoulder.

 

[LDBennett]

I have installed many (!) Pachmeyer Decelerator recoil pads made of "Sorbene" rubber on many guns of many calibers. That's the same rubber used by Limbsaver, I believe. It makes a huge difference on any heavy recoiling gun. It makes no sense to put it on a gun that doesn't offer heavy recoil (??), at least to me, unless you have to replace the stock recoil pad because it is damaged.

Correctly fit recoil pads have to be ground away to exactly fit the stock. It takes a special tool, a table mounted belt sander or disk sander, and a steady hand. Often you have to plug the exiting holes with glued in dowels and mount the new pad in new holes. Some try to mount the pad on the stock and carefully grind the pad down to the stock and end up damaging the stock with the sander. The results are no better than the craftsman. Pachmeyer started offering no gunsmithing pads but the one I tried did not come close to fitting the stock correctly.

I suggest leaving the mounting of any after market recoil pad to a real gunsmith or at least to someone who has done a few that came out alright if you want your new pad to fit correctly and look OK and the stock not be damaged by the installation procedure.

LDBennett

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

Well, my thought is would a good pad make a 22-250 remington. feel like a .222 remington? If the answer is yes, then I'm buying one. I'm just wondering if there is enough recoil to make it "work?"

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

I have installed many (!) Pachmeyer Decelerator recoil pads made of "Sorbene" rubber on many guns of many calibers. That's the same rubber used by Limbsaver, I believe. It makes a huge difference on any heavy recoiling gun. It makes no sense to put it on a gun that doesn't offer heavy recoil (??), at least to me, unless you have to replace the stock recoil pad because it is damaged.

Correctly fit recoil pads have to be ground away to exactly fit the stock. It takes a special tool, a table mounted belt sander or disk sander, and a steady hand. Often you have to plug the exiting holes with glued in dowels and mount the new pad in new holes. Some try to mount the pad on the stock and carefully grind the pad down to the stock and end up damaging the stock with the sander. The results are no better than the craftsman. Pachmeyer started offering no gunsmithing pads but the one I tried did not come close to fitting the stock correctly.

I suggest leaving the mounting of any after market recoil pad to a real gunsmith or at least to someone who has done a few that came out alright if you want your new pad to fit correctly and look OK and the stock not be damaged by the installation procedure.

LDBennett

The one I got for my gun fit close enough for what I want. It's just a wood's mossberg. It has it's fair share of scratches and dings. What little it's not perfect, I could care less. So long as I can use it.

 

[Bindernut]

Well, my thought is would a good pad make a 22-250 remington. feel like a .222 remington? If the answer is yes, then I'm buying one. I'm just wondering if there is enough recoil to make it "work?"

Well, I don't know if it'll make it feel like the recoil is lighter...after all there are physics at work...

But, the recoil will be cushioned enough that it'll be noticeable (at least in the case of my heavy-barreled .243 it was). Instead of having a chunk of hard plastic bumping your shoulder every shot you'll have a nice chunk of rubber that will dissipate some of the force. Even though a .22-250 isn't a hard kicker, a long day at the range will get your shoulder muscles tired of that little push every time you pull the trigger.

I do agree with LD too. The "pre-fit" ones usually don't match up with the stock as well as a custom fitted one. And it really should be done with a fitting jig. I've seen lots of pads that were fitted using the old masking tape or duct tape wrapped around the wood to protect it, but there's usually a few nicks in the stock anyway when those guys got finished up.

If you've got a disc/belt sander with a table and are handy with a welder you can make up your own sanding jig in a couple hours.
Google the Miles Gilbert fitting jig and take a look at it...very simple to duplicate with a few chunks of scrap steel. It's only $50 or so, but the jig is a neat little tinker project to kill some time too.

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

I think I will get a new pad sooner or later. I may even get one of those wrap around pads. Not sure yet. But the only reason why I decided that I'm going to get one is because I went to Gander Mountain and every single one of the "higher quality" varmint rifles had a nice soft pad on it and the cheap ones had a hard one. I suspect though that it might help a bit, but recoil wise it won't make too much difference since it won't have enough kick to compress the rubber anyway. I figure if nothing else, it'll be more comfortable while holding against my shoulder because of a lack of a hard plastic corner.

 

[glocknut]

I think every rifle except 22lr should have them. They just feel nice...

mike
gn

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

I think every rifle except 22lr should have them. They just feel nice...

mike
gn

That's good enough reason for me.