Recoil Pad Installation - How to suggestions please

[Woodcock survey]

Thats the place,an industrial park now. there was an area that had the biggest hemlock trees i have ever seen.See you in April.

[Pa SxS]

Dean, that must be a Remington Era gun. Wonderful wood!

[BRDHNTR]

Dan, that is the place! I can't tell you how many grouse and woodcock I took out of the covert! It was one of my 'go to' places.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Chuck Bishop

Dean, that must be a Remington Era gun. Wonderful wood!

Nope... It is a Damascus barreled 12 ga. GH made in 1903 on a 1 1/2 frame. It was really one of my early mistakes but I bought it for $400 without a forend and the butt plate was missing. The screws were a mess, the cyanide colors made it look like the unfortunate child of a zebra and a tiger. The Damascus barrels were blued and the word Damascus on the rib was obliterated. The barrels were originally 30" and were cut back to 27". It was a fabulous skeet gun though. I sent the barrels to Dale Edmonds and I bought an aftermarket forend for a 2-frame gun that never fit very well but served the purpose.

But that was the original wood! Some of the best I've ever seen on a grade 2.



.

[Bill Murphy]

Brian, what's you opinion of fitting a pad, on the gun, with some tape on the wood?

[B. Dudley]

You talking to me bill?

[Bill Murphy]

Yes, I would like to know what you think of that method.

[B. Dudley]

Well, sort of. I would not recommend using any sort of power equipment on the pad while it is attached to the stock. Too many chances of things to go wrong.

What i do is true up the base of the pad since most are not flat from the start. I attach the pad to the stock, get the outline of the stock by scribing it with a sharp awl or something of the sort. Remove the pad. Sometimes the line is plenty visible as is or it may help to use something to show it off. I like to use the blue chalk line chalk. Just sprinkle it on and rub it into the line to show it better.
I then mount the pad to a grinding jig. I use a miles gilbert jig. I use a T-bevel to get the angle of the toe and heel in order to set the jig to for grinding. I use a 12" radius sander for grinding. I grind the toe and around the sides half way up first and then i set angle for the heel and do that end. I grind up to the line and not past it.
I then remount the pad. Usually there is about enough to catch your fingernail on after grinding. It is at this time that i do use 3M painters tape on the wood and use strips of polishing cloth to bring down what is left by hand. The blue 3M tape holds up well to sanding on it and it flexes nicely for curved butts.

The type of pad plays a big role here since some hand finish nicer than others. The bases are all about the same, but the rubber part can be problematic when hand sanding. Most of the vintage style pads finish well on their sides.
Sometimes you then have to finish the back with plugs as wih a silvers pad. The strips of polishing cloth work well here. Also wet sanding with oil will get a smooth finish at the end. For back finishing, personally using the Silvers number 3 pads thag CSMC sells. The back and the corners shape and sand VERY well. Their cheaper "period correct" pad does not sand very well on the face.

I hope this information helps some. Again, this just what i do. It does not mean it is right or wrong. Just what i do and what i have found to work well.

[Craig Larter]

I have simplified the whole process and have had Brian install my pads.Perfectly done every time! No worries about damaging the stock finish.

[B. Dudley]

Another note is that pads can be mounted to curved stocks. Some pads are more flexible than others. I have found that the silvers pads flex pretty well. I have been able to get kick-eez pads on curved stocks also. But, sometimes, the curve in stocks is just too extreme to get the pad to pull down fully in the middle. And sometimes the location of the screw holes can be important on a curved stock. One sikvers pads, i aleays use washers that fill the entire plug hole as to allow for a more even application of pressure on the pad base. This really helps with curved stocks.

The toe and heel angles need to be roughed in while mounted on the stock since it will all change when removed.

Obviously curved stocks complicates things. And also the additon and fitting of large spurrs on a plate add to the complicstions as well.