Grind to fit recoil pad for Marlin?
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.308 Norma
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I can only speak for myself - I ground down one, have paid gunsmiths to grind down and install recoil pads on rifles and shotguns (including the rifle I ground down that recoil pad for) every since.
.308 Norma
Member
I can only speak for myself - I tried to do one, messed it up, and ended up taking the rifle to a gunsmith to have him install a "grind to fit" recoil pad. I've never tried to do one myself since. To me, having a pro do it is less expensive.
However, I should explain that I don't have the proper tools and equipment for that kind of work. I do a little woodworking though, so in order to grind down that recoil pad, I was trying to use my belt sander, clamped upside down to my workbench. It didn't work well at all.
EIB0879
Member
I have put Kickeze and Limbsaver pads on Marlin 336s. Both required some grinding but weren't bad.
Sunray
Member
Depends on what tools you have. Isn't something you want to do with a file or sandpaper. If you don't have a bench mounted belt sander take it to a smithy. Unless you know somebody who does have one.
It's easy with a bench mounted belt sander. Like this. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-120-Volt-Bench-Sander-Green-BD4601G/205509608
Not so much with a hand held sander or angle grinder. Like this. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-3-in-x-18-in-Portable-Belt-Sander-BE319/205216313
Or this. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18-Volt-ONE-4-1-2-in-Angle-Grinder-Tool-Only-P421/100519983
It's easy with a bench mounted belt sander. Like this. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-120-Volt-Bench-Sander-Green-BD4601G/205509608
Not so much with a hand held sander or angle grinder. Like this. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-3-in-x-18-in-Portable-Belt-Sander-BE319/205216313
Or this. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18-Volt-ONE-4-1-2-in-Angle-Grinder-Tool-Only-P421/100519983
I agree with Sunray, the correct tools make it a fairly easy job.
i bought a bench belt sander to do pads, i do enough the 100 bucks was worth it just for that.
Also a pad sanding jig is worth the money it makes life quicker and easier.
For the best fit, you still you still need to sand it in on the stock.
When doing a pad now i usually wait till im gonna do a refinish then sand them im together to produce as little seam as possible. You can use a layer of tape to keep from scratching the finish if your not refinishing tho.
If youve got the tools, Watch some of the video guides, see if its something you think you can tackle. Ill be honest i probably ruined the first 2 or 3 i tried to do.
i bought a bench belt sander to do pads, i do enough the 100 bucks was worth it just for that.
Also a pad sanding jig is worth the money it makes life quicker and easier.
For the best fit, you still you still need to sand it in on the stock.
When doing a pad now i usually wait till im gonna do a refinish then sand them im together to produce as little seam as possible. You can use a layer of tape to keep from scratching the finish if your not refinishing tho.
If youve got the tools, Watch some of the video guides, see if its something you think you can tackle. Ill be honest i probably ruined the first 2 or 3 i tried to do.
Well that was easy! Barrowed a 1" table top belt sander with 60-80 grit and a model scalpel and traced the stock onto the pad. Took off a lot of material until close to the line and will finish by hand with paper.. it's about 98% done and looks about 95% good. Hours got cut at work so can't afford the smith so I'll give it a shot. I figure go slow on the paper for proper fit. if it doesn't turn out great I'll throw it on my shotgun.
I asked you guys cause a couple of the youtube videos made it look super hard and super easy and I didn't want it to look like crap. not really a fan of the black but it will do. the marlin factory pad is only about 1/4'' thick so this pad is well worth it.
well crap! It just dawned on me that I was waiting for a response from marlin on the stock being 2 different colors and them replacing it. I tried calling but I don't get out of work in enough time so I emailed them. well here is hoping that the pad I worked on tonight fits the new stock if they decided to replace it.
you see what happens when you get all excited about something.
you see what happens when you get all excited about something.
Glad you got it done nicely. If you havent finish sanded it yet maybe leave it till you hear back from marlin.
If your pads a little undersized on the new stock you can shorten the stock a little to give you the space on the pad to final fit it.
If your pads a little undersized on the new stock you can shorten the stock a little to give you the space on the pad to final fit it.
I'm hoping to have some downtime during lunch tomorrow and call them instead of waiting on email. I'm not finishing the pad until I head from them.
I too have an 1895 and wanted a real recoil pad instead of the red rubber butt pad. I bought a grind to fit Limbsaver and took it to work one weekend. Watched a few Youtube video's on fitting a recoil pad and was able to do it myself. Filled the old screw holes and drilled new ones to fit the new pad. Took only the stock to work with me (pretty sure they'd not like an employee walking around the production floor with an 1895!) and used a bench belt sander. Mounted the pad to the stock and scored a line around the pad where I needed to grind to. Went back and fourth between grinding and refitting the pad to the stock until I got it right. Not hard, just a little back and fourth. A real recoil pad on a 1895 makes a big difference. Good luck!
entropy
Member
Once you learn how to do it, it's not hard. ilmonster did it the right way. a lot of checking the fit, then working it a bit more, then checking. After a few dozen, you get a feel for it, and it goes faster.....
22250Rem
Member
No experience with it here; but I was once told it's easy to learn......... After the first 4 or 5 that you mess up then your work starts looking a lot more professional after that. Which is why if I'm gonna get one I'd just as soon have it look professional. If I did it there would probably be a lot of "Bubba's Gunsmithing" comments.
shooter1niner
Member
Use a couple of layers of masking tape on the stock and get close. Remove one layer of masking tape and get closer yet. Remove the last layer of masking tape and apply scotch tape. Slowly and carefully remove material to the scotch tape. You are very close at that point. So now you can consider it done or (leaving the scotch tape on) carefully file the hard plastic part of the pad using a good sharp file and blend to the stock. I use my finger on the tape as a guide to prevent me from filing tape or wood. I do the last bit with a 6" or 8" mill smooth file. Pad looks like it grew off the stock...
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