Pussy pads otherwise known as recoil absorbers

[Bigtravoz]

Okay so just wondering what everyone one thinks are the best recoil pads available for prone style shooting. This is in the interest of the fact that I plan on building a custom stock for my upcoming build and I don’t want to have to buy and try various pads and potentially have to sacrifice personal fit or add bits of wood etc and destroy the overall fit and finish of the stock. Advice on thickness,brands, experience with particular product etc is what I am after. I am not particularly recoil sensitive, and tbh consider a 308 recoil quite minimal, however I also plan on making this rifle suitable for my boys (12 going 13 &11 going 12, the latter being slightly built) to shoot. Debating between 260 rem and 284 as to what it will be when finished. Either way I don’t want to beat them up and make them recoil shy or scare them off of getting into the sport.

Trav.

[Tim N]

Hey Trav
I use a limbsaver slip on shotgun style recoil pad which is very soft.
Use it on my saum and FTR gun.

[Wal86]

I wouldnt put a 13 year old behind either of those cartridges, recoil/noise will frighten them, and a flinch will develop.. My suggestion is build something like a 223/22br or 6br in a heavy build.. The more comfortable they feel behind the rifle the more enjoyable, this will allow them to focus more on their wind reading and shooting techniques...

Cheers

Alan

[RDavies]

The Limbsaver recoil pads are getting good reviews and I like the ones I have had. They are pretty soft and spongey compared to some and come in a few different sizes and shapes. Mine were about 25mm thick which I liked.

[Gyro]

As was alluded to above the likes of a 284 will come with a fair amount of recoil. Depends on the gun handling technique too. If the shooter is holding on to the gun with the butt in full contact with the shoulder then the felt recoil is a lot less than when the gun is 'free-recoiled' and is allowed to get a run up as it comes back into the shoulder. The free recoil option will result in a lot more felt recoil. I free recoil my comp rifle and have been using some 1" tough thick closed cell foam and it worked better than any Limbsaver ever did. But it aint as pretty !

[wsftr]

Whichever brand you buy make it one inch thick
limbsavers are good my back then 17 yr old was shooting .308 185s after moving from a 6br 105s and was unconcerned about the recoil
Personally I would go the .260 for them if those are the two choices. very accurate, long lasting and you have to read the subtle stuff to do well at long range...that sets you up very well long term.
And there is nothing like joy factor for kids whipping the old mans arse when the kids under gunned

[Bigtravoz]

I wouldnt put a 13 year old behind either of those cartridges, recoil/noise will frighten them, and a flinch will develop.. My suggestion is build something like a 223 or 6br in a heavy build.. The more comfortable they feel behind the rifle the more enjoyable, this will allow them to focus more on their wind reading and shooting techniques...

Cheers

Alan

Why not? They shoot my 243 (under strict supervision) no worries and being a light hunting rig it kicks harder than my 308. not going to be built for them it’s being built for me but want to make it tameable enough for them. When I was their age I was fine behind a 12 gauge or an slr.

As for the slip on style these are not suitable for this project as the butt will be made adjustable for length.

[Wal86]

I wouldnt put a 13 year old behind either of those cartridges, recoil/noise will frighten them, and a flinch will develop.. My suggestion is build something like a 223 or 6br in a heavy build.. The more comfortable they feel behind the rifle the more enjoyable, this will allow them to focus more on their wind reading and shooting techniques...

Cheers

Alan

Why not? They shoot my 243 (under strict supervision) no worries and being a light hunting rig it kicks harder than my 308. not going to be built for them it’s being built for me but want to make it tameable enough for them. When I was their age I was fine behind a 12 gauge or an slr.

As for the slip on style these are not suitable for this project as the butt will be made adjustable for length.

Ive seen quite alot of flinching on the range from adult shooters who most likely developed this trend from an early age.. Been able to shoot a rifle doesnt necessarily mean you can shoot it accurately..
Each to their own mate, only a suggestion

[Bigtravoz]

Thanks Wal but they will be fine using either of my chosen options. I wasn’t after advice on calibers or the like. What I am after is specific information about recoil pads! What brands and types are good and what are average and what people are using and why. For example are the hogue ones in the league of the limbsavers, are pachmayer decelerators the go to? Etc.

[Kianga1971]

Kickezee by far the best

[Gyro]

I shot a 284 Ackley free recoil in FO with 180g bullets with a Decelerater, then a Limbsaver, then some closed cell foam rubber from work. The last option was far and away the most comfortable, plus it was nearly half the weight of the others. I just used some Ados F2 and glued it onto a piece of 3mm aluminium then ground it to fit. ANY small flinch and your groups will suffer and I suspect many shooters flinch !

[Bigtravoz]

I shot a 284 Ackley free recoil in FO with 180g bullets with a Decelerater, then a Limbsaver, then some closed cell foam rubber from work. The last option was far and away the most comfortable, plus it was nearly half the weight of the others. I just used some Ados F2 and glued it onto a piece of 3mm aluminium then ground it to fit. ANY small flinch and your groups will suffer and I suspect many shooters flinch !

Don’t suppose you would have an off cut big enough for me to make one? I am guessing that it’s like the stuff that those interlocking square mats you get from Bunnings are made of but a bit softer and thicker?

[Gyro]

Im in NZ. I will see if I can get a proper name/stock code for it and let u know. We got stacks of it at work. Its magic mate.

[Bob Kinnear]

put a RAD on It and finish the rifle at 10 kg

[Brad Y]

X2 for something like the RAD. I’m using a GraCoil reducer on my FTR rifle and there is also the bump buster you could consider. Balance the gun out as best you can while staying as close to the weight limit as possible.