Steel butt plate vs. recoil pad on hunting rifle

It depends on caliber, weight of rifle, and type of clothing you're going to wear. The "worst" you can do out of 721 is .300H&H therefore no recoil pad should be needed. If you want to bring tears to your eyes try old .45-70 lever gun with steel crescent-haped butt plate.

What caliber rifle is it??

If bigger then .308 or 30-06?

MAybe a recoil pad would be wise.

If a .308 / 30-06 or smaller??

Half a gazillion men fought our country's wars with steel butt plates on military rifles for about 250 years.

I never saw or heard of any permanent injury to any of them.

However, if I had a old Rem 721 with a steel butt plate?

I sure as heck would not saw it off at this late date and put a rubber pad on it!!

They ain't never ever gonna make any more like that!!

rc

I am a C&R junkie so most everything I have has a steel buttplate. When you pull the trigger on a deer or whatever, you won't even feel the recoil or hear the report. My next hunting adventure will be with my M1D or a Mosin Nagant.....chris3

However, if I had a old Rem 721 with a steel butt plate?

I sure as heck would not saw it off at this late date and put a rubber pad on it!!

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Amen.

You can use a number of techniques to make it more comfortable for long bench sessions if that's what you want to do with it. But you can't "un-cut" it. Once you take a saw to it, it can't be original, the gun your grandfather used and loved, again.

I wouldn't touch it. Not any more than I'd cut off the original buttstock of an original 1903, or Mauser, or Enfield, or K-31, or other historic weapon. And those wouldn't be something I have a family connection to -- just respect for the original weapon and a desire to be a good steward of that weapon for posterity. My grand-dad's gun? No fllippin' way.

http://www.limbsaver.com/

I have them on all my Noisy Maggots, my Ishy, my Mauser and my Eddy. (Sadly, I don't get a discount, or a kick-back...)

I also wear double hearing protection at the range.

Half a gazillion men fought our country's wars with steel butt plates on military rifles for about 250 years.

I never saw or heard of any permanent injury to any of them.

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I don't mind people having disagreements over whether 'tis better to have steel or rubber. But stick to facts. Plenty of people (me included) have permanent shoulder damage from shooting, it depends on how much you shoot, what calibers you shoot, and of course your basic body build etc.

When you hand it down to your grandchild, you will be happy that it is still the way your grandfather had it. With a few of your stories and normal hunting dings added.

Leave it alone

Regardless of caliber, 3-4 zeroing shots a year and one or two hunting shots won't make much difference.

Your hunting offspring will appreciate it.

A slip-on Limbsaver pad only increases the length by 3/4 inch.

As with shotguns, it's all about fit. My Steyr M95 beat me less painfully, somehow, than my K31, even though the latter is heavier, less powerful, and allegedly of a more ergonomic design. But I get pinch bruises from the corners of the Swiss stock because they're sharp. After 20 rounds, shooting gets less fun. That's a bad thing, in my book.

Bruises may not be permanent, but they aren't exactly good for you either. Otherwise, we wouldn't call them something scary sounding like hematoma . Bruising has an inflammatory component, and up against something as sensitive to swelling as a shoulder joint, frequent/constant inflammation can cause all sorts of issues (my tendons --sensitive from old dislocation injuries-- usually "act up" for a few days while the bruising is present, but have no issues with my padded O/U 12ga). Pads of all types are so easy to put on and work so well, why not slip one one? Just pull it off occasionally to make sure the stock underneath is okay and no harm will come of it



TCB

If you really feel the urge for a recoil pad, buy a new stock and have the work done to the new stock. That way the old stock is preserved. Slip on recoil pad is another option.

A slip-on pad or one of those pads you wear on your shoulder would be fine options just don't cut anything!

Use a slip on pad or just a folded towel for range use. I you have used it for the past few years and did not come to the conclusion that you needed a recoil pad before now you don't really need one.

As othes have said it depends on the caliber, and how bad recoil is a factor to you. I probably wouldn't do it, but if you decide to do so an old 721 is hardly a rare, desireable collectors item. If recoil is preventing you from using the gun as is, then do it if it will allow you to actually use the gun more.

Another option that may be of interest is a shooting jacket or vest.

Basically a jacket wit built in padding around the shoulder (s)

Get you a thin slip on & a hunting jacket with padded shoulder and you will be fine........

I'm a firm believer in making shooting as comfortable as possible. If you know that you'll be experiencing pain as soon as you pull the trigger, you'll start to flinch. That makes it very hard to practice with the same gun and load if you dread every trigger pull.

I use slip-on pads with most of my mosin and mauser milsurps most of the time. One of my main hunting rifles is a spanish M44 in 8x57 that has a scope, but still has (most) of the original stock. I shoot it with a limbsaver pad and it not only helps with the recoil, but lengthens the pull to where the gun fits me better.

Matt

I'd love to see a nice picture of that rifle if you happen to find a suitable setting to lay it out and show it in its element. I have a soft spot for vintage gear.

OP didn't say anything about cutting the stock or recoil hurting him. I do see where in post #19 that he will leave it as is, however if you want you can remove the steel plate and add a 1/4" rubber pad this will not change the lenth of pull and will help stop slipping on your shoulder or when leaning in the corner.

I personally don't think it really matters. On my dad's 03A3 we have the original metal but plate. On my Mosin I've added a buffer pad mainly because I wanted the extra 1" on the stock (THAT's the truth! ). If one finds it uncomfortable to shoot with the plate they might as well switch it out. The whole point of shooting is to have fun.

Steel butt plate

I agree with Wolverine. The whole point of owning and shooting a firearm is to have fun whether you are practicing for self defense, target shooting, hunting or just plinking. Do whatever you want to do and if that includes cutting the stock and installing a rubber recoil pad, more power to you.

That might be "the whole point" but it isn't the ONLY important factor to consider.

If it was we'd scrap all the old vintage stuff and buy new high-speed low-drag gear with recoil reducing stocks and 5r barrels and better high-velocity cartridges.

If you've got something with historic value, be a steward of that special value.

Use a slip-on.