doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Hawkins pad nomenclature

OK gents, which of these pads is the "trestle type" and what is the name of the other one? Thank you. Silvers

the zig zag pattern should be the trestle type as far as I know.

They call the bottom one the ummm, ummm, ummm, uh, I'll think of it if you give me enough time. The bottom one is the one you want. Tony reproduces the one on top if you need one real bad. Now that he is selling the No Shoc Repro, I would much rather use the No Shoc than the wrong Hawkins on an American gun. The No Shoc is very nice. I just used two original brown No Shocs on two Parkers and they look great. The red ones would look good too.

The brown No Shocs were standard equipment on M-79 Grenade Launchers when I worked for the Government. They were square cut on the bottom but would work on a small gun like an 0 frame Parker. Yup, I took a few of them home. I guess my DHE 20 has U.S. markings on the recoil pad. I've been waiting for that knock on the door for forty years now. I hope they don't notice that I also have a couple 1949 Mummy Bags still in high condition.

The zig zag is Hawkins Model 25 Recoil Pad, The Cushion Pad Co., Sioux Falls, S.D. first offered in the early 1920s. Patent granted Dec 16, 1919 to Frank D. Hawkins.
The straight is Hawkins "No. 12 Gauge" Model 32.

Thanks everyone. I guess I'll continue to refer to the one on the bottom as the "trestle type". Bill - the straight one at the top is an original Hawkins and is smaller that the repro one that Tony manufactures. I presume that type was made in two sizes. Frank

Another question on the Hawkins. Would a Hawkins be appropriate for a 1914-1915 16 ga Sterlingworth? I have an original Noshoc I could use but I'm thinking the Hawkins would be a better choice. Any suggestions? Anyone willing to part with an original zig zag/trestle style Hawkins?

I got an original (small size) from CSMC a few months ago. They had a small selection of original Hawkins pads in their clearance/blowout section on the web. Prices seemed to depend on size and style, but ranged from about $40 to $130 or so. My pad looks like it had previously been fitted to a gun that was never used.

Mike Covington, the 1919 Hawkins patent was, as Drew says, for the trestle pad. I guess it could have been on the market before the patent was applied for in September of 1919. The patent for the No Shoc was 1922 as stamped in the pad. An original high condition No Shoc is a wonderful pad for a small frame Fox because of the small plugs and the spacing of the screws. A worn No Shoc or Winchester 1922 pad makes a nice imitation Silver pad if the logo is ground off.

Silvers I have always called the lower pad the trestle type with its X type construction. I beleive it got its nickname because its looks similar to the "Howe Truss" railroad bridge that became known as a "Trestle Bridge".
Mike Covington I have a 1912 vintage sterlingworth that had a Silvers pad that was crushed and hard when I got it in the 70's I believe it was original to the gun. the Hawkins and Jostam pads are post 1917 pads. I think the Silvers would be the right choice although any pre WWII pad would look nice. Paul