Late 40s factory recoil pad?

Posts about the Model 81~Woodsmaster~
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14delta
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:59 pm

Late 40s factory recoil pad?

Post by 14delta »

Howdy All
I'm in the process of getting a 81 in 300 Savage up and running and I've run into a problem with the Butt plate or recoil pad. According to John Henwoods book all 81s had a 13 3/4" length of pull, The length of pull on this rifle is 13 1/4" which makes me think it was cut, But I'm wondering now if this rifle might have been fitted with a pad at the factory, The sealing Varnish on the butt matches whats on the stock and there is absolutly no sign of it being cut off such as chips around the edges or saw marks. The gent I bought the rifle from said it had a red pad on it that was as hard as rock which he promptly replaced with a modern wiz bang poorly fitted piece of junk pad.
Now my question is What currently available pad could I put on the rifle that would look like a factory Remington pad from the late 40s period.
If anybody had any ideas or a picture of a correct factory pad it would sure help.
Thanks
14delta
14delta
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:59 pm

Re: Late 40s factory recoil pad?

Post by 14delta »

Thanks Rich
I talked again to the guy I bought the gun from and he said the old pad was redish brown and just a generic period pad, I think your browning pad is probally pretty close. I hit a lot of swapmeets and dig thru the junk boxes at gun shows so I should be able to come up with something appropriate. I can't live with the pad that came on the gun its just too modern and out of place.
Thanks for the help
14delta(Bill)
14delta
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:59 pm

Re: Late 40s factory recoil pad?

Post by 14delta »

Thanks Rich
I've had the Midway catalog out looking at the Pachmayr pads, lots of choices .
What color is the Pachmayr on your 81, I'm assuming it's a ventilated type with a white line.
I keep thinking of red pads but I think i'm getting the later 40s early 50s pads confused with the old Hawkins pad of the 1920s.
The pad that was on the rifle was pretty good but when it was fitted they cut the toe off straight instead of following the taper of the stock, It's a personal thing but it just bugs the daylights out of me. I figure while I'm putting a new pad on it might as well be as close to original as possible.
I really appreciate the help
Bill
14delta
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:59 pm

Re: Late 40s factory recoil pad?

Post by 14delta »

I went back and looked at the pictures again, It looks pretty much like what they still make.
Brown, Black stripe and Ventilated, It looks like this is going to be easier than I thought.
Thanks again
Bill
14delta
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:59 pm

Re: Late 40s factory recoil pad?

Post by 14delta »

Howdy Folks
After much hemming and hawing I finally decided the closest thing currently available to a 1948 factory pad would be the Pachmyr F250 in brown with a white stripe, I felt a little stronger about this after I saw the F grade m8 in the classifieds, The pad on it is identical to the pad I have sitting on my desk. I'll post pictures of my 81 after the pad is mounted.
14delta.
P.S. I came across a couple old Herters pads at a gun show that would have been perfect, Unfortunatly they had turned rock hard
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