Limbsaver recoil pad range report

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to shoot a friend’s straight-gripped Marlin .444 with a 1†Limbsaver pad that I had installed and turned down. We were shooting up some old factory Rem. Loads and some fresh compressed handloads with 265 gr. bullets. Never having shot one, I figured the gun to be a fair boomer but it wasn’t bad. Chuck Hawk’s recoil table puts the .444 in the ‘hood of a .350 Rem. Mag. which some say is a hard kicker but I’ve never shot one of those for comparison. The gun did however, impart a certain awareness but the bottom line is that I shot 30-35 rounds and figured that would be enough to give some soreness the next day but I was pleasantly surprised. About midday it dawned on me that I was to expect some reminder in my shoulder of the previous day’s events but I realized there was none. I pressed around and found one slightly tender spot.

For any sort of comparison, I have a .270 with a 1 1/8†(longer to increase l.o.p.) Kickeeze and a 7 Rem. Mag. with a ¾†Kickeeze. Both of these I find quite satisfactory and in a very indirect and subjective comparison, I think the Limbsaver is as good or better than the Kickeeze and it may have been easier to turn down. So to the occasional query that one sees about the Limbsaver’s performance or installation, or to anyone just pondering a pad upgrade, I recommend it.

pretty much along my feelings... especially that the limbsaver will wear FAR better than the kickese...

but, only use the grind to fit limbsavers, and avoid the michilinman side walls

jeffe

How about "stickiness" at the heel and toe that drag on clothes and armpit as you mount the rifle to your shoulder?

Jaywalker

no where near as sticky/clingy as the kickeze .. and there's "slickeze" to smooth that up.. just not wonderful stuff to use due to smell/etc

jeffe

Jaywalker: I never even thought about "stickiness" until you asked the question, and the ower of the gun never mentioned it either but range work and hunting are for sure different motions. I have hunted with my Kickeeze-equipped guns and have not noticed a sticking problem however the Limbsaver, like the Kickeeze, is a softer than average pad and might be more likely to drag but I have not experienced it. It may be also be a function of gun fit. I'm 6'3" with long arms and I strive to lengthen the pull on all my long guns. My mounting motion may preclude pad drag whereas drag with any pad might be a more likely problem for a 5'10" person and therefore encouraged by a soft pad.

Yeah, a guy at the club told me about fixing his Kickeze by putting plastic electrical tape across the pad at toe and heel, then wrapping a few passes around the circumference (?) of the pad to hold the ends down. He claims it works well, but I was looking for a more - elegant - solution...

My Pachmayr Decelerators (8 - 10 years old?) have a different material at toe and heel that's less draggy. It works well, but I don't know if they're still doing that.

Jaywalker

Jaywalker: If it's elegance you are looking for, why not just glue a leather face on the pad (dyed black of course)? Maybe the pros could comment on the practicality of that and the adhesive(s?) that might make it work.