doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Do “recoil pads” really…

Do recoil pads really reduce recoil?
I’m not talking about the red brick-hard ones but the modern synthetic rubber ones either leather covered or not.
Clearly they are effective in lengthening the LoP of a particular gun. They also function as a way to finish off a butt stock and cover the end grain or holes if there any.
But is there any measurable data that shows that a “recoil pad” truly reduces recoil?
Just curious.

All I can offer is, they're softer on the shoulder than a a wood or plastic buttplate. I'm talking Kickeez or Pachmayr Decelerator. Gather from that what you may.
JR

I think they change recoil over time, but your shoulder is still receiving the same amount of energy but perceived recoil may be less with a pad compared to a hard butt. How do I know, I just had shoulder rotator cuff surgery and I’ve tried EVERYTHING to reduce recoil. It’s hard to beat physics, Force = Mass x Acceleration, period. But, if the pad weighs more than a hard butt, it would reduce actual recoil slightly.

They don’t do much, if anything, when it is below zero.

Best,
Ted

KICK-EEZ pads are what I always use. And I use them for leather covered pads. They're about the best there is as far as I'm concerned.

There are published force - time graphs; most unfortunately from the sellers of the pads
This is from the Remington Super Cell
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2008/01/04/remington-supercell/

The curves do suggest that good pads dampen some of the recoil, and spread the duration of the recoil impulse

Sharp kids
https://www.flintsciencefair.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/95_Display.pdf

They reduce FELT recoil, or the perception of it. They also protect the butt in bad conditions like duck blinds, and anywhere the butt maybe set down in water, ice, etc. And, IMO, they look good on big duck guns. They're also an easy way to add length to a to short butt.

What about a pad protecting wood? I haven’t seen very many split stocks with a pad but several dozen without?

I'd much rather have a KICK-EEZ pad shooting a 100 or 200 bird trap shoot than a wooden buttstock without one. Those Remington pads look pretty nice Drew. It does look like I'd have to grind the bottom off of one to make a leather covered pad though So they probably wouldn't work for that. But thanks for the info.

I have a Remington Model 32 that went through a Dennis Potter restoration in the early 70's and sports a "Jenkins" recoil pad. The 32 is very nicely choked for trap doubles (which I enjoy) but the pad is very uncomfortable to shoot. I didn't really analyze pads much until I shot this version. My Beretta EELL has an early Kickezz that is beat to s*** but works well. I like the period correct Hawkins pads but don't like the hardness and slipping around after the first shot. I rough up the surface or have pasted the nappy side of velcro to the pad. They don't compare to Kickezz though.

I got a Remington 1894 BEO trap gun from Doug Mann, it has a leather pad that is just right to shoot with...stays put and absorbs recoil. I bought several cases of Borngani 7/8 loads for my first shot on doubles with the old 94's, very soft and helps me get to the second target with a minimum of movement.