Recoil pad question

[Boltaction]

Good evening, and an early Merry Christmas (season) to everyone. I have recently obtained a nice SC Grade Parker SBT, and am looking forward to shooting it. The recoil pad on it is serviceable, but has seen far better days. It appears to be a Jostam, but without the slots I have seen in these in the past.

According to the Parker Story, Parker didn't offer a specific pad, certainly not one of their own, so really anything goes on these? Connecticut Shotgun seems to offer a Galazan Jostam repro, a Hy-Gun, which might be ok, but they also have a repro Silver and repro Hawkins.

I am new to this field; I have collected and shot military rifles and old handguns for years, and just in the last four years have gotten into trap shooting. I stumbled across a couple of nice old trap shotguns which I love shooting, and have now been more actively hunting down examples. Recoil pads are definitely an area of deterioration on most of them. What do the experienced folks on this site feel would be most appropriate on a Parker SBT, since I wouldn't be able to find the same style repro Jostam as is on it? That would be assuming that the old Jostam IS the original one mounted to the gun.

Any advice appreciated!
Thanks

Ed

[Researcher]

Those sponge rubber pads first hit the market as the Huntley recoil pad --

Huntley Recoil Pad H & D Folsom circa 1916.jpg

but by 1916 the had been acquired by JOSTAM and became part of their line. A 1916 JOSTAM folder --

JOSTAM 1916 01.jpg

1937 JOSTAM catalog --

JOSTAM 1937 Catalog, Sponge Rubber Pad, PATENTED APR. 10, 1917, S.A. Huntley Patent No. 1,222,29.jpg

[Pittypatdugan]

The heart shaped Hawkins and Silvers
Pad from England are most desired.
I have a 1941 gun that when I got it looked
Unfired, has heart shaped Hawkins

I had a DHE 20 ga. with correct silvers pad on it, was questionable
shot 2 round of skeet, fell apart
Get you a period replacement pad and enjoy

[Bill Murphy]

Your pad is nailed on. I would leave it intact as long as it stays together.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Your pad is nailed on. I would leave it intact as long as it stays together.

Bill,
If it is nailed on as the originals were to be installed, wouldn't there be no holes in the back of the pad? I am betting that if a screwdriver of the proper size is sent down into the two holes, one will find screws holding it on. I could be wrong, but cannot find any other reason for the two holes in the original pad.

[GH-16]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

Bill,
If it is nailed on as the originals were to be installed, wouldn't there be no holes in the back of the pad? I am betting that if a screwdriver of the proper size is sent down into the two holes, one will find screws holding it on. I could be wrong, but cannot find any other reason for the two holes in the original pad.

Bill is correct--These type pads are tacked & glued on. Click on the picture of the pad that researcher posted about them. The information in the text talks about the glueing & tacking method for installation.

I remember seeing some threads about these before, where the sponge rubber had to be cut through to remove the pad part just to reveal the tacks so the rest of the pad could be removed. I suspect that the holes in this pad were put there somewhere during this gun's life after the fact or whoever installed it decided two screws were an easier way to install it.

If only these guns could talk & tell us their story!

[GH-16]

Bill nailed it!! Pun intended!

If this were my gun, I'd leave that pad alone and enjoy the gun just the way it is. The Galazan re-pop pads look the part, but you might as well be putting a red brick on your gun. They are recoil pads in name only and hard as a brick.

[Pa SxS]

If the pad can be saved, save it since it's original equipment. If it can't be saved, you have to decide if you want it original even though it will deteriorate quickly with heavy use or just have a Kick Ezz pad put on. A Kick Ezz pad is much more comfortable with heavy shooting. If the Jostam's pad can be saved, it can always be put back on if selling.

[Boltaction]

Originally Posted by Paul Ehlers

Bill nailed it!! Pun intended!

If this were my gun, I'd leave that pad alone and enjoy the gun just the way it is. The Galazan re-pop pads look the part, but you might as well be putting a red brick on your gun. They are recoil pads in name only and hard as a brick.

Nailed on!!! I hadn't thought of that!! I have not looked in the pad holes to see what is there. The pad is still soft so can be used; I had thought that if I replaced the pad I would keep the original (or original-ish) one with the gun. I had to replace the pad on my Three Barrel because in shape and consistency it resembled a ginormous piece of well used chewing gum, and have to agree that the replacement Galazan does feel pretty much like an orange extension of the wood stock......

Thanks for the advice. Key for these guns seems to be making sure they are in a case and not stored butt down in a safe.

Ed

[Mike of the Mountain]

Ed, store them barrel down in the safe.