Recoil

[Wayne Smith]

Al, I have the slip on pads on my Win95 .405 - metal curved buttplate. I have one on my A3O3. I got a PAST pad when loading for a Trapdoor Springfield. Haven't used it since - it is a little awkward. You might notice the consistency - metal buttplates and slip on pads!

[dverna]

I had a muzzle brake installed on a .300 Mag. It made a world of difference.....but **** it is loud!

I had a RAD II installed on the target shotgun. It is not cheap. It allows LOP to be adjusted easily.

The best device I have used is a PFS unit. It is used on shotguns but I spoke to the developer and it will work on a rifle if you can get it to fit. This unit allows adjustments to every aspect of stock fit including offset. Ugly and expensive but extremely effective. I have owned two and still have one.

[country gent]

Another thing I have found with the bigger guns is sometimes a little higher bench position helps a lot with controlling recoil. A few inches higher allows a more erect position and better handling of recoil. A well fit stock of the proper dimensions also makes a big difference.

The pads slip on and shoulder work but have draw backs too. Another thing is on firearms with open spaces in the fore arm and or buttstock adding weight will greatly reduce felt recoil. M1A / M14s, Garands, some fiber glass stocks and laminates the holes open areas can be filled with a lead shot glue mix adding a couple 3 lbs to the rifle. ( My NM M1A/M14s weight 14 lbs with the heavy barrel and lead in trap holes to balance, recoil is much lighter. My NM AR15s go 15 lbs with stock weight heavy barrel and front weights. Recoil is non existant). If a release agent is used in the stock then the weights can be removed easily. Double faced tap in the forearm weights to keep from rubbing the barrel under recoil might be needed though. A lot depends on the firearm and its uses, but going from 8-9 lbs to 11-12 lbs reduces a lot of recoil. A mixture of fine lead shot and epoxy poured into the void ( release agent and or a layer of saran wrap to keep epoxy from adhereing to stock. and work it into place with hand pressure will add weight and be removeable if desired for hunting or carry.

[quilbilly]

I have seen folks use these types before, but have no personal experience.
https://www.amazon.com/Pachmayr-Slip.../dp/B00542J5QO





Perhaps that is something to consider?

G'Luck!

I have used those of and on for decades, especially on my 444 Marlin, but now that I use cast and have reduced loads accordingly, I no longer need one. As others have noted about plain base boolits, I barely know the 444 is going off with a plain base 260 gr at 1200 FPS.
You will be amazed at how your military rifles feel and how well they shoot. In reality, you can also just reduce the velocity of gas checked boolits until the recoil is tolerable.

[Duckiller]

PAST pads work great. Years ago an older gentleman ( probably younger than me now) was on an adjacent bench was sighting in his 7mm MAG. We talked and after a while I insissted that he try my pad. He didn't want to at first but finally did. All of a sudden the gun ws=as no longer beating him up. He asked where I had got my pad. I assume he got a pad on the way home. I would recommend getting the heaviest pad possible. I will take the sting out of heavy loads. Also as Quilbilly points out light cast loads in military rounds sure take the sting out. #2 son enjoys shooting my SMLE with light cast loads.

[David2011]

While not suitable for every rifle, muzzle brakes can make a huge difference in felt recoil. Even better is a JP Rifles recoil eliminator. It makes a .300 Win Mag feel like a .243. http://www.jprifles.com/1.4.2_re.php

[Minerat]

I went with Pachmayr Decelerator pads on my 300WBY and 7mm Rem mag. and while I can run 20 to 30 round thru them in one setting they do take the sting out of doing it. At 64 some people never learn.. A buddy of mine can't take the recoil anymore so when we are working up hunting loads he uses a leadsled which helps a lot.

I'd hate giving up shooting them and if needed would use a 25# bag of 7.5 shot between the shoulder and the stock. I truly hope you find a solution that work for you.

[KenT7021]

I have used the PAST recoil pads for years firing magnum rifles from a bench for sight in and accuracy testing.They work extremely well.I believe I got mine from Midway.

[Tom W.]

I took my 30-06 ai to the range today. It was the first time I've fired it in years. I got my regular loads to print at 2 inches high @100 yards, then proceeded to fire both some test loads and some fireforming loads.
the last loads I made using 165 gr. Gamekings were all over. Scratch that load. The 180 gr. Gamekings were good. The fireform loads shot 4 inches low, but that was expected. I was happy for the Limbsaver...

[Kraschenbirn]

Eddie Allen trapshooter vest with suede-covered Past pad sewn (by Mrs. Krasch) over the original quilted padding. Fired 40-some rounds through my 45-70 RB Friday afternoon without so much as a twinge of stiffness on Saturday morning. Vest I'm using now is my second with this arrangement; steel buttplates on my milsurps and BPCRs wore the suede beyond patching after 4 or 5 years.

Bill

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Walmart sells LimbSaver slip-ons. I have Limbsaver or Kick-eez on everything bigger than the 22-250. Makes most rifles much more pleasant, even the 243 and 30-30. You can shoot a light 300 Savage or 308 Win with pleasure for many more rounds with a Kick-eez or LimbSaver. Recoil pads do harden with age so every 5-10-20 years might need to be replaced. 300 Mag, 358, 444 and 45-70 full loads are just miserable without. There is a great difference with the newer pads.

[MaryB]

I even use the PAST pad with my AR-15 and it has a muzzle brake. Why beat up a messed up shoulder any more than I have to! After 2 rotator cuff surgeries that side I do NOT need to injure it again!

I do warm anyone next to me I am using a brake and they need good ear protection and it will blow light stuff off tables... I need a muzzle brake for my Type 53 next, that is my northern MN deer rifle...

[tinhorn97062]

I probably don’t qualify for the “older crowd”, being only 35, but my .45-70 wears a Pachmeyer Decelerator on it. I tend to shoot “heavy and fast”, and the Decelerator makes it easy to do.

[HangFireW8]

I avoid slip on pads because the increase the length of pull. If the body has no slack, stretched out over a too-long stock, recoil is more painful.

When I get a factory rifle the first thing I do is belt sand off the point at the bottom of the butt pad. Later I adjust length of pull in or out as needed, and put a 5 degree draft vertical, 2.5 degree horizontal on the butt. That means the heel is shorter than the top and the left side, and the butt better matches the angles of my shoulder.

I have been putting Pachmayr Decelerators on everything. Limbsavers are good too.

Evaluating length of pull and cheek position is everything in eliminating recoil pain. I have recut Combs and raised or lowered sites to address recoil issues.

-HF

[beezapilot]

Sometimes I find myself shooting quite a bit of trap in the course of a day- I installed one of these on my trap gun and spent a little time dialing it in. Aside from the stock moving on your cheek and a noted "ping!" as the spring resets, it reduced 12 gauge recoil to a level that 200 birds a day is comfortable. I've not put one on a rifle as yet, but believe that it would work well.
https://graco-corp.com/product/gc15r-gracoil/


As an edit, like HangFire said, this has some adjustability built into it that is really an asset

[nicholst55]

Don't overlook the mercury recoil reducers that are installed in the buttstock. Generally a bit more money than a recoil pad, but another option.

[TXGunNut]

Been using a PAST pad for some time, I think it's time for a new one. Will probably upgrade to the one Mary linked.

[Wayne Smith]

I avoid slip on pads because the increase the length of pull. If the body has no slack, stretched out over a too-long stock, recoil is more painful.

When I get a factory rifle the first thing I do is belt sand off the point at the bottom of the butt pad. Later I adjust length of pull in or out as needed, and put a 5 degree draft vertical, 2.5 degree horizontal on the butt. That means the heel is shorter than the top and the left side, and the butt better matches the angles of my shoulder.

I have been putting Pachmayr Decelerators on everything. Limbsavers are good too.

Evaluating length of pull and cheek position is everything in eliminating recoil pain. I have recut Combs and raised or lowered sites to address recoil issues.

-HF

I like the slip on pads because it adds to the LOP. But then, I wear a 36" sleeve. My flintlock has a 14 3/4" LOP. Al, if I remember right, you won't have that problem.

[Multigunner]

I found that when using a slip on pad my group sizes increased. So now in summer I just fold a thick washcloth and put it on my shoulder under my T-shirt.
In winter if wearing a winter coat recoil doesn't bother me.
Shooting is more consistent because effective length of pull is much the same when either is used.

[jbutts6785]

I use a PAST recoil pad at times and like it. I also shoot a lot of military rifles with those steel butt plates. It is especially good when firing the .45-70 trapdoor with the 500 grain bullet and a full load of FFG.