Simple question...is there a simple answer?

Which of the currently available after-market recoil pads does the best job of reducing felt recoil?

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Simple question...is there a simple answer?

Which of the currently available after-market recoil pads does the best job of reducing felt recoil?

Limb-Saver gets my vote

I've found that too much cushion is as bad as not enough. The Pachmayr Decelerator is by far my favorite. They tame recoil and last a long time.

Terry

Pachmayr Decelerator closely followed by their 325 Deluxe ventilated pad. I use the Decelerator on my H&H and have used them on smaller guns that needed the retro faux leather covered pad look.

I like the black 325 Deluxe ventilated pas on 30-06 class hunting guns.

I've got Decelerators on all of my padded rifles and shotguns.

Limbsaver...

quote:

The Pachmayr Decelerator is by far my favorite. They tame recoil and last a long time.

+1

Keith

Just to make my intent perfectly clear...

I don't care how long the pad lasts, or how good (or bad) it looks.

What I do really want is a pad which will make a rifle with 70 ft. pounds or more of recoil reasonable to putz with for long strings at the bench, if there is any such thing.

The only two I have seen mentioned so far are the Limb-Saver and the Decelerator. Which of those two do you think best for my intended use?

Alberta

Forgive me for getting of your subject a bit and for asking, but why do you need to shoot long strings of such heavy recoil off the bench? Maybe you already have or already do but have you considered shooting cast bullets? So much more pleasant and keeps that ever present danger of developing a flinch at bay.
Just a thought.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Just to make my intent perfectly clear...

I don't care how long the pad lasts, or how good (or bad) it looks.

What I do really want is a pad which will make a rifle with 70 ft. pounds or more of recoil reasonable to putz with for long strings at the bench, if there is any such thing.

The only two I have seen mentioned so far are the Limb-Saver and the Decelerator. Which of those two do you think best for my intended use?

I've found that too much cushion is as bad as not enough. The Pachmayr Decelerator is by far my favorite. They tame recoil and last a long time.


Terry

Limbsaver from Sims Viubration Labratories is THE best, followed by the Pacmayre Decelerator.

The Pacmayre Decelerator an be a real bear to grind though. Putting it in the freezer overnight helps.

I have yet to grind a Limbsaver. The only one I have came on the rifle from the factory. I do believe the Limbsaver is just a bit better than the Pacmayre as far as recoil absorbtion.

For bench shooting I highly recommend a strap on pad; most are made by Past. I have a Winchester, a friend has a Past and another has a Cabela's, but they are all the same pad, with the same recoil reduction. Get the Magnum model.

I bought mine because I was afraid to shoot bigger guns after shoulder surgery. I still use it in the summer when at the range in a "T" shirt.

As far as your original post I stand by my answers. You can ignore the additional reasons that I listed. Decelerator closely followed by Deluxe 325 as far as mounting to a gun an using in the field.

After the first time I had to shoot a session of 12ga slugs I went out and got a leather, cylinder shaped sandbag and put it between my shoulder and the butt. Works wonders.

The so-called "sissy bag" can work wonders off the bench. I made my own, so it is not so nice as the leather one mentioned above.

The strap-on pads get good reviews as well.

I plan my recoil pads for field shooting and try to make whatever additional arrangements are needed for the bench.

Edit: Should have said that I vote for the Decelerator as well.

another vote for the Decelerator

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
another vote for the Decelerator

+1, I have bought my last melting Limb Saver pad.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
Alberta

Forgive me for getting of your subject a bit and for asking, but why do you need to shoot long strings of such heavy recoil off the bench? Maybe you already have or already do but have you considered shooting cast bullets? So much more pleasant and keeps that ever present danger of developing a flinch at bay.
Just a thought.

I guess the answer is mainly "Because I want to.", but that is really not the whole story, and sounds more "smart-ass" than I intend. All my life I have really enoyed trying all kinds of different loads in my rifles as part of the process of learning about them. I do that with the really big bores, as well as the really small ones and everything in between. Often I then just sell the rifle or rifles, but just as frequently I'll buy another big boomer and start all over again. All part of the "learning by experience" syndrome.

So, even with rifles which use 90+ grains of 3031 and 500 or 600 grain jacketed bullets, or bigger, I like to be able to shoot at least 30-40 shots per range session to compare a known load to a couple of new ones.

Usually the recoil doesn't bother me, but once in a while I get a rifle which for some reason just kicks the snot out of me. Rather than give up on experimenting with them, I'd like to get pads which make them reasonably comfortable to shoot, if possible.

I have shot cast bullets for years (currently have well over 100 moulds), but they are no substitute for the real thing in rifles intended for delivering far more power. That isn't meant to say that cast bullets won't kill well, just that using them in some rifles is simply not the same thing as experiencing the "more modern" ammo they are designed to use.

I'm using the decelerator on my big buckers.

Too much speculation for such a simple and inexpensive experiment, IMHO...

Too much speculation for such a simple and inexpensive experiment, IMHO...

Limbsaver Limbsaver LIMBSAVER

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

currently have well over 100 moulds

Wow!

For really heavy recoil, above the .375H&H level, I prefer the "Kick-Eze" magnum depth pads. For all others, I prefer the Decelerator by far and I use strapon pads as well, at the bench.

I can and have shot several sub-moa groups in a row with 286-maxed 9.3 bullets from unpadded 9.3x62 and 9.3x74R guns and am not very "recoil sensitive", but, when shooting my buddy's Rigby or my Browning FN-LE .458WM., a good pad is a must and they do hekp prevent shooter's Bursitis.

Pachmayr XLT MAG

I like the Decelerator. If a Past recoil pad on my shoulder isn't enough to shoot comfortably on long strings at the bench, I use my sissy bag.

When you're older you should not only be experienced but wiser !.

I like the Decelerator and a Past recoil pad on my shoulder. Why ?, Because I might want to use my

shoulder in the near future . Seems pain isn't as much fun as it was when I was younger .