Need recoil pad for Ruger m77

[WoodchuckAssassin]

I finally got out with my Ruger m77 .270, and after shooting 50 rounds...my shoulder told me that I need to do something about that aweful "recoil" pad.

What is a nice fiting, effective recail pad for the Ruger m77?

I was looking at a Limbsaver, but a lot of reviews said that the fit wasn't very good.

Thanks for any and all advice.

 

[sage5907]

Take a look at the Pachmayr Decelerator Field Pad No. D750B. It should be installed by a competent gunsmith with your length of pull. The 1 inch thick pad installed usually costs about $100 but well worth the effort.

 

[DJW]

Woodchuck, you're a better man than I am. Only took 10 rounds out of my Ruger MK2 in 30-06 to convince me that the nervous system cannot be fooled. After that, flinch city! Please post if the decelerator helps. Thanks, Dave

 

[Abel]

1" red Decelorator by a gunsmith who knows how to fit one.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

Seems to be pretty clear what the winner is.

To be honest, I didn't think I'd be getting myself into a $100+ upgrade.

Are there any middle-of-the-road recoil pads that I could install myself? I don't want to come off as cheap, but I'm already considering an action job on the rifle, and with the amount that I already have into it, I'm trying to cut cost where I can.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[DJW]

Funny story about mine. I happened to run into the old guy from whom I bought this beautiful left-hand Ruger. Got to talking to him and told him how it kicked. He laughed and told me the guy he bought if from only shot 10 rnds. and sold it to him in trade for a .243! If that is true, my rifle has a total of 20 rnds. through it. At 68 yrs. of age I just don't choose to be pounded like that. Do post if you decide to spend the $ and it really helps. My only other alternative is to load up some rounds with 10 gr. of Unique and lead bullets and have at it! Seems like a waste of potential horsepower though. Good luck with yours, Dave

 

[4season]

I picked up a slip on limbsaver for mine. The recoil wasn't bad for hunting but the pounding I was taking building up a load for it was making my shoulder blue. A slip on was all I needed for the range, then I took it off to go hunting.

 

[aka108]

Buy a PAST recoil pad. You wear it on your sholder. These shields are great. Almost think you could handle a 16in naval gun with one. No kidding, you can shoot any rifle caliber all day long and be comfortable. Cost is in the area of bucks. Mine is at least 20 yrs old and going strong.

 

[jmr40]

I don't think a permanate pad is the answer. A 270, especially in a fairly heavy rifle like a Ruger just does not kick that bad. Traditionally 270 and 30-06 rifles did not even have pads, just hard plastic or metal plates.

Shooting 50 rounds in a fairly short time will have an accumulative effect though. Especially if you're not used to it. I often shoot 2-3X that much with rifles with similar recoil. It never bothers me at the time, but I'll be a little sore the next day. Sometimes near the end of a session I start to notice, that is when I know it is time to stop before bad habits develop. A good temprorary pad when shooting lots at the range is a good idea, but when hunting you will probably never notice the recoil of 1-3 shots.

 

[Savage99]

Fifty shots is a lot of shooting without a soft pad.

Many of those Rugers have a rubber butt plate which is fine for hunting though.

Buy a slip on recoil pad for use at the range. That's what I do.

While the new Decelerator pads are excellent it's installation would be a considerable expense and your rifle will be tied up at the smith.



http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=741408

 

[sage5907]

If you shoot 50 rounds every time you go to the range just cancel two trips and you can afford to install a $100 Pachmayr decelerator pad. While the rifle is at the gunsmith you won't be batting your eyes and after you get the rifle back you'll shoot better than you did before because the length of pull will be correct and the recoil will be reduced.

 

[Deer_Freak]

Check Ebay I found a wonderful recoil pad for my Mosin Nagant for $5. You might find a nice pad for your ruger. It took less than a minute to find Pachmayr Pre-Fit Decelerator 1in Recoil Pad, Basket Black - Ruger M-77 : 01704 $28.

Also saw some nice Houge overmoulded stocks for the ruger

 

[simonjester]

I put a Limbsaver on my m77 .270 Did have to cut the screw slots a bit but I think it lines up ok...

 

[greyling22]

you can buy a grind to fit recoil pad for 20-30 bucks, screw it on the gun and sand it to fit with a belt or orbital sander. should take less than an hour start to finish, including reading instructions and finding tools. That's all the gunsmith is doing. A really good smith will make it look like the pad came from the factory. You can do it at home with varying degrees of success.

Now, belt sander a fraction of an inch from your stock can be exceedingly scary. be carful, go slow, don't slip. That's what the gunsmith is charging you for. doing it right without screwing up. Same with computers, cars, houses, you can actually do most repairs and projects yourself, but a pro will typically do a better job and not screw up.

based on your skill level and handiness, choose wisely and good luck.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

Unfortunately, I don't own a belt sander. I know, I know...try not to pick on me too bad.

I'm thinking of going with a Pachmayr Pre-Fit Decelerator 1in Recoil Pad from ebay that Deer Freak recommended.

Does anyone know what screw-head is on the ruger butt plate? I'm having some trouble getting the old butt plate off, and I can't see those tiny screws.

 

[juk]

I have a Limbsaver pad on my tang safety Ruger. It screwed right on with no modifications and fits very well. Going from the hard rubber "red" recoil pad to the Limbsaver was a major difference. I believe I got mine for under $40.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

Went with the Kick-Killer

In case anyone was curious, I decided to go with the slip on recoil pad, Akton Kick-Killer. It was a great fit for my rifle, the velcro strap keeps it in place, and the leather is much higher quality than what I thought it would be. The color of the leather almost matches the stock, so it looks like a complete package. Best of all, it only increased the length of pull by a 1/4 inch - if that. Either way, it sholders perfect. Now I can get that trigger job I've been drooling over!

Haven't shot it yet, but I'm excited to get it out. Money well spent!

Thanks for all your opinions.

 

[Steven R.]

I don't think a permanate pad is the answer. A 270, especially in a fairly heavy rifle like a Ruger just does not kick that bad. Traditionally 270 and 30-06 rifles did not even have pads, just hard plastic or metal plates.

Shooting 50 rounds in a fairly short time will have an accumulative effect though. Especially if you're not used to it. I often shoot 2-3X that much with rifles with similar recoil. It never bothers me at the time, but I'll be a little sore the next day. Sometimes near the end of a session I start to notice, that is when I know it is time to stop before bad habits develop. A good temprorary pad when shooting lots at the range is a good idea, but when hunting you will probably never notice the recoil of 1-3 shots.

jmr40, if you don't think you need a softer recoil pad on a Ruger 270 Win. you are sadly mistaken. Last year I went out to chrono a load and check my scope. I shot 16 rounds and on the 16th. when the gun off I felt so much pain in my shoulder that I almost dropped my rifle. I managed to get it balanced on the sandbags and I got up and tried to walk it off. After a few minutes the pain settled down a little and I attempted to finish my last 4 shots. Big mistake, when the gun went off on the 17th shot, the pain was so tremendous that I could hardly lift my arm, but once again I managed to get the rifle back on the sandbags and try to walk it off. I got a coat out of my truck and folded it and tried to use it as a buffer between my shoulder and the rifle. Didn't work. On the 18th shot I could not stand the pain anymore. Now, if your thinking I'm a small man, I'm not. I'm 6' 3" and I weigh 200 lbs. This 270 win. that I bought new in 1992 and have put many rounds down range and taken many deer with over the past 20 some odd years managed to tear my rotater cuff that day. It's been over a year and it still hurts to move my arm a certain way. I advise anybody shooting a rifle with a moderate amount of recoil to get some sort of shoulder pad to absorb the pounding that a high powered rifle puts on the human body. You can hurt something seriously when you least expect it.

 

[jakk280rem]

Those tiny screws holding the butt pad on aren't so tiny. Just the hole in the pad is. Try a #2 philips. Also even though it's too late now, I have to second the PACT wearable recoil pad. One pad can be used for any number of rifles or shotguns and you can loan the pad out to smaller statured family members when it comes time for a get together.

 

[ford8nr]

I'd second (or third ) the wearable PAST PAD for range sessions. I shoot 50 rd vintage military bench matches with steel butt plated 30-06 and. 7.62x54R. Use to get a flinch by rd 15, now with the PAST PAD I've fired 2 matches back to back with NO PROBLEM at all. It REALLY is amazing.

 

[highlander 5]

Ruger and Browning have/had the hardest recoil pads that I've come across. Side note I've 2 Ruger M 77 MKIIs and both have Timney triggers have to say that they work well and not that expensive to purchase and easy to install.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

The Hawkeye pads are fairly squishy----I'd call Ruger and see if one of those would fit.

 

[stiab]

Are there any middle-of-the-road recoil pads that I could install myself?

Yes, the answer to your problem is a leather lace on recoil pad by Action Products in Hagerstown, MD. Phone 301-797-1414. You can google it. They are very soft and effective, stylish, and cost about $35 IIRC. I have five, including two on M77's. Don't have time to do pics now, but they look and work great.

Edited to add: for those pesky range sessions, wear a PFD and problem solved. You can get a cheap one in the boating section of Walmart for a few dollars.