I recently picked up a nice old Fajen Mauser stock and installed a medium old english pad I had laying around. In grinding to fit, I hit the metal reinforcement plate. I went out and bought a small version of the same pad to try again. I am planning on dismantling the pad I already ruined and using the metal plate as a template to re-locate the screw holes.

I have seen that Brownells sells a "key ring" set of these templates in different sizes. It is not worth the investment for the rare occasion I do something like this, but I was wondering if any of the gunsmiths out there might have a set of these that they could compare hole spacing, length/width, etc. and tell me how much I might need to move the new pad to avoid repeating the same mistake.

I struck silver 3/4" from the toe.

For one thing, the hole spacing on the meduim pad is different than the small one; 3.12 versus 2.87. The small pad shuld work. Just remember, the next time you do that, look on the back side of the pad. There is an outline of the steel reinforcing plate therein.

Thanks Jim. What I meant by template was moving it around to ensure that the metal plate of the medium would work, then having the confidence to know the small would be somewhat less. I realize the hole spacing is less, but I appreciate the warning.

I looked at both pads and do not see any kind of outline of the interior metal base marked. By eyeballing it I think I will probably be OK leaving the heel hole in place, and moving the toe hole up a it. (i could probably center the hole a little more precisely as well since i struck silver only on one side...)

Any other suggestions?

quote:

Originally posted by montea6b:
Thanks Jim. What I meant by template was moving it to ensure that the metal plate of the medium would work, then having the confidence to know the small would be somewhat less. I realize the hole spacing is less, but I appreciate the warning.

I looked at both pads and do not see any kind of outline of the interior metal base marked. By eyeballing it I think I will probably be OK leaving the heel hole in place, and moving the toe hole up a it. (i could probably center the hole a little more precisely as well since i struck silver only on one side...)

Any other suggestions?

Turn the pad over and look at the bottom of it. You will see a line scribed around the bottom of the pad between the holes and the outer edge outlining the location of the metal insert.

You know...a good recoil pad is not easy to find. I gave up on Pachmyr pads about 20 yrs ago. Bases cracked, steel plate was not "where it was supposed to be"

Went backwards in time...I only use Silvers from England. The "sorbocoil" material breaks off in chunks. Kick Eze says "round off the corners"...never been able to "round off " enough to keep the pad material from breaking off.

Silvers pads...really...are about as soft as a brick, but you can shape to your hearts content and I used this pad on my 500 Jeff...like it!

One had a line scribed, the other didn't. Redrilled the hole at the toe end and fit the small one last night without any problems.

The templates are way less than one ruined pad as I recall. I use them all the time.

@Duane: do you use the Silvers "unmodified" or do you add cork as the British (i.e. Rigby) used to do once?

Many thanks from Germany!