Steel butt plate vs. recoil pad on hunting rifle

[Ar180shooter]

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.

I have one of those. I made the mistake of shooting my first shot off a bench using full power leverevolution ammo. The recoil is "stout", to say the least.

For a hunting rifle, a steel buttplate isn't a big issue. You're firing off one, maybe two shots, and are usually wearing heavy clothing.

I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of recoil, but I've spent years shooting milsurps, so steel buttplate come with the territory.

 

[docsleepy]

A completely removable and very inexpensive option that I have used: cut a $1.00 Walmart summer flip flop sole (clearance this time of year) into the desired shape. It will be about 1/2" thick. Glue with contact or rubber cement to the steel plate. I use this on several larger-caliber rifles.

They don't stick perfectly, but if you ever want to return it to normal, you just peel it off.

 

[Ironman615]

I like the Limbsaver slip-ons and think they work great. Let's be honest and say that the military rifles with steel butt plates are usually heavy enough that felt recoil is very mild. My M1 is no trouble to shoot all day, but my light-weight 30-06 hunter can be punishing. Okay, when I was younger, it was no issue. At 66, with lots of Plavix in me, it's a problem. Still, I don't think I would cut a family gun to add a permanent recoil pad.

 

[goon]

My dad and grandfather both used rifles with steel buttplates their whole lives. As Dad got older, the degenerative arthritis in his shoulders required him to step down to a lighter recoiling round in a different rifle.
Personally, I'm leaving his rifle just the way it is. I'll probably hunt with it for just a bit now and then, but it's a part of my memories of him. Not one thing is getting changed on that rifle if I can help it.

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.

No, but a rifle that belonged to someone you loved... that can be pretty rare. Irreplaceable actually.