A Ithaka M-37 16 ga that I just got has a plastic butt plate and the length of pull (to the pistol grip) is too long also. This is a 6.5 lb gun with a 25" bbl.

What recoil pad will be just right for this old classic gun? The present plain walnut stock has checkering and a normal dark finish. I don't like the look of shotgun pads with the holes in the sides that much. What about a dark red rifle recoil pad? What one?

Thinking outside the box would you look on ebay or where for a take off butt stock. Maybe I can find one with a pad on it?

Pachmayr decelerator in brown or black, there is no red. They can be had in an old enghish style and there is on visable webing on the outside. I tried to find a red one for a Winchester but couldn't.

Don Martin

Maybe I'm missing something but if the length of pull is already too long,then doesn't that have to be fixed simultaneously with putting on a new buttplate/recoil pad?

If the stock,even with a plastic butt plate is already too long for you then some gunsmith work is in order. Also do you need a recoil pad or just a butt plate? In any event a gunsmith can take your measure and install a new butt plate/recoil pad on the shortened stock. (Unless you are very good at doing this already I would let a gunsmith do it. You have a nice grouse gun there and using field loads I really don't think you need a recoil pad. I was shooting grouse with a 16 ga. when I was 13 and weighed maybe 105 pounds and was using field loads. At 6.5 pounds that rig of yours should be quite comfortable with field loads)

Recoil pads: The Pachmeyer Decellerator or Sporting Clays (SC) are of sorbathane and look MUCH better thatn the Kick E Z, which will tear or crack readily.

Main thing is to find just what your correct length of pull is and cut the stock for this length with the recoil pad's length taken into account.
LOP will vary on how you are dressed/time of year.
Dress as you would when you will be using the gun the most often.
If you cut it to suit being heavily clothed, you can use a slip-on pad to compensate when you are shooting doves in your T shirt.