Gentlepeople:

I would very much like the input from the group regarding a recoil pad for a rifle project.

I am putting together a .30-06 on a pre-64 Model 70 for my son. Roger Ferrell did all of the metal work, installed a Krieger barrel, a quarter rib with one standing and two folding sites (by NECG) and a banded front ramp site with hood. It will also have a Leupold Vari-X III 2-8X scope with QD Talley bases and rings

I am going with a banded front swivel and skelton grip cap.

The template for the stock will be based on a British Stalking rifle, similar to this rifle:



Here is the rifle blank that is being used for this rifle:



Now the question I have is what COLOR and type of recoil pad should go on this rifle? I like the look of the one in the photo above. Should it be leather? If so, what kind of leather? Or go with a Pachmayr?

Any and all inputs and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

My choice, with the ebony tip and grip cap being both blue/black, go with the black pachmayer "old english", Or, you could have a leather covered pad stained black.

There are subtle but important differences in a pad designed for shotguns vs rifles vs "classic" rifles. So, this is a critical point for looks as well as use as you well know.

I would shy away from a leather covered recoil pad on a working rifle. They are expensive and hard to get them to come out looking smooth.

I like the look and color of the pad in the picture. When a pad gets too thick on a rifle its harder to hold it solid because of the cushening effect.

577,

I like the Old English, 1 inch, in Red from Pachmeyer(Spellin?) or a Slivers type from London Guns. The Old English is a decelerator and does its job for recoil. The London Guns pads are stiffer. Red would be perfect with that wood.

Is this the one for the boy? If so I would take recoil into consideration. NECG makes a classic red pad that you can adjust length, It is a quaility pad and system, may be something to consider again if it is for the boy. Even with the recent developments in pads, the decelerators are hard to beat in the longrun.

Interesting pattern that WR is a nice looking rifle.
Roger does very nice work. Who is doing the stockwork?

Many Thanks

HBH

HBH:

Yep, it is for my boy. He's only 2 1/2 now, but I wanted to put something together for him when he is older.

One thing I need to say is that I am not putting this together as a youth model. This is going to be his "forever" hunting rifle. So I am having it built for him to use throughout his life, and not just in his youth. For that, I'm not worried about making this perfect for him when he is 10, 12 or 15.

If he doesn't hunt with it until he is 18, that's fine. He will know it is his rifle from day one.

I was on the pachmyer website and I couldn't find the "Old English" style - at least I didn't see a style called "Old English," just a number of different model numbers. Does anyone happen to know the model number of the Pachmyer "Old English?"

Oh, and Bill Soverns is doing the stock work.

quote:

I was on the pachmyer website and I couldn't find the "Old English" style - at least I didn't see a style called "Old English," just a number of different model numbers. Does anyone happen to know the model number of the Pachmyer "Old English?"

The "old english" style is listed on Brownells as the "690" The Declerator model is the "752" comes in black, brown and red(only in the 1" med". The 752 normally has a leather textured face.

In the words of world champion team roper Walt Woodard, "chicks dig leather". My choice would be a black leather covered pad!

Given the amount you are spending on your rifle, then a leather pad is definitely not out of line in price. I have a leather pad on one of my "bad weather" rifles and it has held up quite nicely.

For your application, I would either go with a black leather covered .8" Pachmayer Decelerator, a "period corect" Silvers style pad from Galazan's, or a distant third place is the Silvers style pad from London GUns. THe London guns pad is a little darker red and a little thinner than the Galazan's pad. I think the Galazan's is actually closer in looks and feel to real Silvers pads from the Victorian era.

The Silvers of today are more red than they used to be "way back when." I have read that the reason Silvers stopped making pads and then came back to life with a different color is that something in the original formula was found to be a carcinogen, so the new pads have a different look. I have no way to verify if it is true or not, but the new Silvers are definitely different.

quote:

The Silvers of today are more red than they used to be "way back when." I have read that the reason Silvers stopped making pads and then came back to life with a different color is that something in the original formula was found to be a carcinogen, so the new pads have a different look. I have no way to verify if it is true or not, but the new Silvers are definitely different.

And hard as a rock!!!!

If it were me, I would use a very thin winchester pad, as they are available for sale, and would mate with your choice of action. Then in afew years, you (he?) could move on to a one inch pad to get the grown up dimension needed in whatever style he wants then. Beats cutting a stock too short and then needing to decide what to do with a 12 inch stock and a six foot Kid!!

Nice piece of wood. and hope Bill does as good on yours as he is doing on mine right now!!

Go Bill Go.

Jameister

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
The "old english" style is listed on Brownells as the "690" The Declerator model is the "752" comes in black, brown and red(only in the 1" med". The 752 normally has a leather textured face.

The Decelerator "Old English" is model D752. The regular "Old English" is model 752B.

These aren't as nice of wood as you are using but here's a pic of red & black pads side by side:




I think the color is purely personal taste. Some will like black and some will like red. Leather pads look great and are "Classic" but no way are they going to hold up as well as a std pad.
As for me I prefer Red Pachmayr's:




.......................DJ

I like the orange, though I had to see it to really make that decision.

577,

First what a wise and generous act for your son. If I could do it all over...I woul dhave had on very nice 30-06 built and hunted everything with it and then had on 375 HH built and be don ewith all my other silliness.

I really think this is a Ginger/MaryAnn thing...any of the three options is fine. I would just avoid brown

577,

What a great project, really a gift that will keep on giving. Have you considered a stock oval? Maybe a little engraving? Easy for me to get the cart ahead of the horse, especially with someone elses money.

Just a thought from someone that recently stubbled over a family heirloom. Take the time and document the project to paper, you may forget some of the small details down the road and the boy likly will be interested in all of them.

Many Thanks

HBH

Paul,

Glad to hear your project is moving forward. Your son is one lucky young man for many reasons....

I kind of like the red color pads but black would be just fine.

If you have a chance post some pics of Roger's metal work and have Bill take pictures along the way so we can see it all come together.

Best,

Jim

I think a leather covered pad would look great on this gun. And Bill does a good job with them. The obvious problem is if the length of pull has to be adjusted to fit your son when he is at full size. And that problem is there no matter what you put on it.

Brownells lists an old english pad in green, anybody have a photo of one? I think a real dark green, almost black might look good.

Paul,
Take him some hide from the elephant you are about to kill and have a cover made for the pad!

Better be a damn thin skinned elephant.

quote:

Originally posted by ROSCOE:
Paul,
Take him some hide from the elephant you are about to kill and have a cover made for the pad!

Regrettably, I don't think the PAC hunt is going to happen with this short of notice due to other obligations during that time period. But there is always next year!

Does anyone have a photo os a rifle with a tan colored recoil pad on it? I would very much like to see this option before I make any decision.

Thanks in advance.

Color me sentimental, but I just love the red Winchester pads when using a Winchester action:

BTW, use pig skin.

quote:

Originally posted by jjs:
Paul,

Glad to hear your project is moving forward. Your son is one lucky young man for many reasons....

I kind of like the red color pads but black would be just fine.

If you have a chance post some pics of Roger's metal work and have Bill take pictures along the way so we can see it all come together.

Best,

Jim

Jim:

I will be visiting with my dad this weekend - he has a better gun safe for guns at his place so I had Roger ship the barreled action there. I'm going to see it on Friday and will of course post photos when I get them.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
BTW, use pig skin.

Chic:

Why pig skin vs. thin cow hide?

Thanks,

Glenn Fewless

Hi GLenn!

Dennis Potter suggested I use pigskin several years ago and I found it much easier to work than thin cow skin. Pigskin looks very good when finished and it has worn quite well for me.

Regarding the leather pads, do you guys have issues with the shape of the recoil getting "distorted" if placed in a gun safe, barrel up, for extended periods of time?

Nope. Hasnt happened to me.

Since there's really no telling what length of pull your son will require once he's grown, I'd suggest putting on a relatively thin pad and leaving lots of buttstock to work with later. If you use a half-inch pad finished to a 14-1/4" LOP, you'll be able to trim the stock a bit and make it 13-1/2" or add a thicker pad and get to a 14-3/4" LOP.

There's little reason to go with a leather covered pad right now. Wait for that expense when your son is grown and has a good fix on the LOP he wants.

My color preference is for red pads or cordovan stained pigskin that is so dark that it's almost black. Pigskin holds up very well. Goatskin works well and looks good but is a bit less forgiving in hard use.

It's just amazing how fast kids grow up. He'll be using this rifle in no time.

577

Would you consider adopting another kid?

I'm a cute little guy and only 59 years old.

By the way I prefer Pachmayr Old English pads. Any caliber would be fine!

577,
Craftsman will also need someone close to his age to play with. I'm also a cute little feller, so keep me in mind too.

Forrest, I mentioned the same thing to Bill Soverns on the phone about the LOP as far as leaving it long. And yes a leather pad is an expense that may be tossed away when he grows up.

Glenn, Marc summed it up well. Pig skin also has a very nice distinctive grain. It stretches well and is easier to eliminate folds and wrinkels as you stretch the material over and under the pad.

AND, 577, Forrest thinks he is cute but he is not small. I am a lot smaller. Okay, I am a lot shorter. BTW, Bill emailed me a photo of that blank when he got it and I was very impressed. It is such a gorgeous stick of wood. Congratulations on the selection.

On a piece of wood like that, I'd use a skeletonized steel buttplate and install a cartridge trap too. If your son needs reduced recoil, do it with reduced loads of about 300 Savage level.....

Gentlemen:

I truly appreciate all of the feed back so far and everything you say makes a lot of sense.

Regarding the leather pad, I agree that I will probably wait on that option until my little weed stops growing. And I am becoming a fan of the red colored recoil pads in the photos posted thus far.

I'm always opened to adopt another child - but I already have one - his name on here is Doc52 - and you know, he acts a lot like my son, Ewan, already - burbing, farting, picking his nose...normal kid stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
BTW, Bill emailed me a photo of that blank when he got it and I was very impressed. It is such a gorgeous stick of wood. Congratulations on the selection.

Chic:

Thank you kindly, sir, for that kind remark. I got it from Denli Gunstock.

When I bought my blank, it was actually a "pair" offering from Denli - I got him to split the pair up for me. But I do know where the match for my blank went - I'm 99.9999% sure it is the blank that you guys are using for the Silver Lining rifle.

If you like the looks of a red pad, take a look at what red, or more accurately a blended burgundy, leather pad looks like. BTW, ScrollCutter did the engraving but this photo does not do it justice.

quote:

Originally posted by CAS II:
Color me sentimental, but I just love the red Winchester pads when using a Winchester action:

They be Joe Smithson rings,..yes?

577Nitro,

Your project sounds outstanding.....Your son is one lucky little boy!

The walnut blank is first class and I think it would look perfect with a red recoil pad leather covered or not.

Since you mentioned stalking rifle maybe you would consider chambering for the .300 H&H?

Woodjack,
Those do look like Smithson's rings to me but, I am not 100% on that.

Regards,
Dave