doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Silvers's repro pad versus original?

Tony Galzan sells a period correct pad, aka Silver's repro. Also sells the original Silver's pad at about 2X the cost. Any advantage of one compared with the other one? The color of the original one looks darker but may be that's the catalog pix. Any one know how the color of each compares? Thanks.

I went with the repro because it does not have the metal "stiffener." We heated the pad and installed it on the curve of the buttstock which we didn't have to cut. The pad has darkend considerably with a few month's use.

sv

Dogfox:
I've done work with both pads. The repro is much softer, and the sides around the cavity in the base of the pad flex an awful lot when grinding the pad to fit. The pad will push away from the disc and then spring outward again when there is no pressure on it. In my experience,it's MUCH easier to do a first-class job of installing the real thing than the the reproduction, unless the installation is such that you are able to glue the pad to the stock. Then there probably isn't a whole lot of difference (except the price). The color of the repro is, I seem to remember, brighter than the original.
Craig Libhart

Now that we have a "pro" posting his opinion, what about gluing or pinning? I would think if a pro were putting a lifetime pad on one of his own guns, he would glue or pin. What about that, Craig?

Hi, Bill:
I'm sure gluing is a viable option, although I've never done it. I had one gun where the owner wanted the LOP shortened until we found out the pad had been glued on, then he changed his mind and left it alone. I'm not sure of the need to glue a pad on, as I've never heard of one slipping; maybe it seals the end grain of the wood better than stock sealer, I don't know.
Craig