Pad removal

[Angel Cruz Ortiz]

Can someone please tell me how to remove this recoil pad? Can I do it myself or is this a job for a gunsmith. Thanks for the help..

[Old and Reliable]

Angel. I have a similar pad on a LC Smith- an afterwards replacement. Believe you have a Pachmayr- with the -no-skid surface. There should be two mounting screws dead in line with the center- I use a dental pick to probe the molded rubber until I find each screw- then if you "wiggle it" you can usually feel if the screw(s) are slotted or a phillips head style- I pad and clamp the buttstock in a solid vise with wood jaws, and use a carpenter's brace and bit, with the proper type bit, rather than a regular Grace screwdriver with a Vise-Grip in case the screws are glued in the wood- I've seen that, also have seen pads "super-glued" on the wood butt end of the stock. What are you going to replace that pad with, if I can ask. I have an older period Hawkins red pad I removed from another Smith for sale. Francis M.

[Big D]

Approximately an inch from the top and bottom of the pad, there should be small (1/8") slits in the pad on the rear face. lubricate a Phillips screwdriver with Vaseliine, KY, or something similar and slide it in thru the slot, and feel around carefully until the screwdriver tip seats into the screw. Back out the screws (top and bottom), and bingo!

[Angel Cruz Ortiz]

Francis, John, thank you for your help. When this pad was put on , they left the spur from the original DHBP. It just so happens that I have a DHBP that's missing the spur, thy're both 0 frame. It would be something if it's a perfect match.

[Brush Buster]

Angel; I would have to say more than something if it were a perfect match ,something close to a miracle ! Good luck, hope it works !!! Russ

[Angel Cruz Ortiz]

Thanks Russ. If I'm ever able to get a hold of the screws I'll let you know how it goes.

[Old and Reliable]

You are welcome Angel. I forgot to add what John did about the old trick of some vaseline to avoid tearing the pad when you "probe" for the location of the screws. From your foto, I could not see the top or "heel" area where the inlet was set for the spur on the earlier DHBP- from the side view it looked like a fine job of mating the pad and spacer to the wood-so do I assume you want a shorter LOP, as it looks like you might loose 3/4" when you remove the pad--

O framed Parker- 16, 20, or early 28 gauge perhaps. Nice grain in the buttstock. I have some buttplate screws, but mainly the larger headed Fillister style used on pre-1913 LC Smiths. What do you plan to do with the pad and spacer once you have removed it?

[Angel Cruz Ortiz]

Francis, she's a GH 20ga with 26 inch bbls. I'm ganna wait to get a set of screws before removing the pad, but after that you can have the pad and spacer.

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Angel Cruz

Francis, she's a GH 20ga with 26 inch bbls. I'm ganna wait to get a set of screws before removing the pad, but after that you can have the pad and spacer.

Thanks- wish I had the screws, but I guess Galazan's or other places do- I appreciate the offer on the pad and spacer- I like the looks of the older vintage Silvers and Hawkins, but I shoot both clays and birds with a "low-gun" or British style mount I learned from the Ken Davies H&H videos-and I like the pebbled surface like on the present pad on your GH, once it is in my shoulder pocket it stays put until I dismount the gun. I have also used the old Gene Hill-Rudy Etchen trick of using black electricians' tape to cover the sides of a vented buttplate, seems to slid in place better- I will cover the shipping cost from your "hacienda" up here to me, when the time is right- many thanks, I'm a "packrat" for gun parts, pads, misc. items-must be the "farm boy syndrome" where you never throw things away-- F.M.