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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5002 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:15 pm Post subject: Installed a recoil pad... |
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I've mentioned before how impressed I was with the Limbsaver recoil pads. I'd bought a Rem 700 in .35 Whelen equipped with the "R3" pad, which I found out was a Limbsaver. I was impressed enough to get a "prefit" Limbsaver for my .50 Encore and noticed a big improvement in felt recoil, although it was a touch long vertically. So I bought another to put on my Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70.
So much for easy installation... I immediately found a big problem. It seems that the mounting holes in my stock were drilled in the wrong place. BOTH SETS!! There were two sets of holes, both drilled off-center and crooked. Since the factory pad had been ground to fit that wasn’t a huge problem for them, they just made it fit. The “prefit” pad ended up canted a good 1/8” off at top and bottom.
My solution was to drill out the existing holes and epoxy in some pieces of ¼” dowel as fillers. Of course this required a trip to a hardware store for a suitable dowel. After sanding the ends of the dowels down flush with the stock I drilled new pilot holes for the screws.
Now problem #2 pops up. The “prefit” pad doesn’t really fit. It is too short vertically and too wide horizontally. Too big isn’t a problem, I can sand it down, but how do I fix too small?? I do not want to sand the stock down.
The dimensional problems are really pretty small, maybe 1/32”, so the pad is still quite functional. It just doesn’t look finished. Since this 10 minute job ended up taking about 2.5 hours I think I’ll leave it as is for now. I believe it’s time to learn how to fit my own pads though. Dad left me a small belt sander and grinder that should do the job. My next project will be to replace a cracked plastic pad on a Win 94 with a thin rubber pad.
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
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rdwllce Member
Joined: Feb 15, 2009 Posts: 97 Location: Tuscaloosa Alabama
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:07 pm Post subject: Re: Installed a recoil pad... |
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A skeletized steel but plate would look better on the winchester
_________________ Liberals and labotomies go hand in hand. |
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roklok Super Member
Joined: Aug 11, 2005 Posts: 608 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: Installed a recoil pad... |
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I bought a limbsaver "pre-fit" for my Marlin 1895 a couple years ago. It did not fit so I returned it. The Limbsavers are nice pads, but at 30 below zero they turn rock hard. Of course, usually at that temp you are wearing enough clothing to absorb some of the recoil.
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chambered221 Super Member
Joined: Aug 17, 2007 Posts: 3455 Location: Lost for good !!!
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: Installed a recoil pad... |
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Mike, I’ve seen some pre-fit pads on guns over the years, can’t say I’ve seen one that fit right !!!
IMO, get a oversized pad and do it the hard way, it’ll look a lot better !!!
_________________ Ask as many people needed, sooner or later your question will be answered the way you want it answered !!!
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5002 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: Installed a recoil pad... |
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Rok, if it gets 30 below zero here in NC I've got bigger problems than a hard recoil pad... I suspect that any recoil pad would get pretty hard at that temperature.
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
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ElyBoy Super Member
Joined: Apr 04, 2006 Posts: 1541 Location: Forest Lake Minnesota
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: Installed a recoil pad... |
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Mike, look at the pad that I put on my Model 12. {Picture in the Guns post}
If you are refinishing the entire stock, it is a piece of cake to get the pad sanded exactly to the stock. You can "feather" the stock down to the pad if the pad is too small, and nobody will notice.
Otherwise, when fitting a pad to an already finished stock, I use a sharp punch to scribe the size of the stock to the back of the pad.
I have a combination disk and belt sander in my woodshop, and then custom fit the pad.
It takes time, but works well.
Eric
_________________ NRA Certified Chief Range Safety Officer
NRA Certified Pistol Instructor
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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5002 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: Installed a recoil pad... |
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Thanks guys. I agree that a hand fitted pad looks a lot better and intend to go that way from now on. I think in all these years of shooting and tinkering I've only replaced 3 recoil pads, and one of those I had done by a pro.
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
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