Recoil pad for special application

[MistWolf]

Limb saver is my recommendation for a recoil pad.
My go to pad for shotguns, only two of my ARs have limbsavers as it’s kinda overkill but comfy.
Another option is the Fab Defense ‘recoil reducing’ stock. Never tried one but do have a Fab Def GL-CORE stock.

And of course, maybe an adjustable gas block or gas key? Stop the recoil at the source.

My first AR upper was a RRA 16” carbine HBAR, WAAAY over gassed. Not fun. So my next upper was the polar opposite, a BCM middy 14.5” pinned pencil profile. Uber light and half the recoil. Still my favorite.

I know this seems like I'm picking at nits, but it's an important nit. Reducing gas port diameter does not reduce recoil. In fact, by reducing mass (going to a lighter upper) you've increased recoil. Reducing the gas port only softened the recoil by reducing the impact (caused by over gassing) of the buffer against the receiver extension.

[Steve_in_Allentown]

An interim update.

I put a Rubber City Armory adjustable gas key on a Bravo Company BCG from another rifle as a test. I adjusted the gas until there was reliable feeding and bolt lock-back. The result on felt recoil was obvious and dramatic. It felt like a .22LR. Because of this result I bought a low mass steel RCA BCG that came with the adjustable gas key installed. I've not yet tested that BCG but expect even more recoil reduction.

I also bought a FAB Defense butt stock, ground the recoil pad flat, and am waiting for a Limbsaver 1" thick, grind-to-fit, medium +, Speed Mount pad to arrive. My intention is to glue the Limbsaver to the FAB pad. My problem is I don't know what glue will permanently adhere the plastic at the rear of the Limbsaver to the rubber of the FAB. If anyone knows for certain which adhesive will provide a permanent solution, please let me know.

Here's a pic of the FAB pad before I put it on the belt sander. It's now perfectly flat.

Thanks to Uncle Sugar I have no idea how many thousands of rounds of 5.56 I've put down range. I found the recoil to be of no consequence - unlike the 7.62. My experiment with the adjustable gas key really opened my eyes to why the 3-gun competition guys were falling all over themselves to get the latest and greatest adjustable gas blocks.

[Stickman]

Steve, pick up some barge cement, its cheap and should work very well for you. You can always drill and throw a screw or two in it.


Glad things are working out for you.

[Steve_in_Allentown]

More detail.

I was able to track down another FAB recoil pad that I could use to experiment on. I have also ordered a Limbsaver 1" thick, grind-to-fit, medium +, Speed Mount pad to arrive. My objective is to glue the Limbsaver to the FAB pad. My problem is I don't know what glue will permanently adhere the plastic at the rear of the Limbsaver to the rubber of the FAB. If anyone knows for certain which adhesive will provide a permanent solution, please let me know.

The pictures below show the OEM pad to the left of the pad that has been modified to eliminate the "treads" to provide a flat surface to which the Limbsaver can be glued.




Here's the Limbsaver pad. Note that the rubber pad is glued to a substantial plastic backing. When I suggested to the folks at Limbsaver that I wanted to separate the rubber from the plastic and just glue the rubber pad to the flattened surface of the FAB rubber pad they strongly advised against it because the soft Limbsaver pad needed the reinforcement of the plastic to maintain its shape. That's why finding the right glue to join the plastic of the Limbsaver to the rubber of the FAB is critical.




Unfortunately, I cannot directly screw the Limbsaver to the stock. The picture below of the rear of the stock shows why.

[m4luvr]

BARGE AP All Purpose Contact Cement has fixed many soles on shoes & slippers for me - do it outside or directly under an exhaust vent - you don’t want to inhale it

[Tony617]

The LimbSaver recoil pad has one the fits the 6 position buttstock on an AR15.

https://limbsaver.com/collections/re...-on-recoil-pad

The recoil pad is kind of tough to get on while the pad is new but the stretches a bit over time to it is easier to put on.

[Steve_in_Allentown]

Unfortunately, the snap on version isn't compatible with the FAB stock.

[GH41]

I still think you are barking up the wrong tree with the butt pads. They are made to reduce the felt recoil of guns the actually recoil. They will not be compliant enough to help you. How good they work on a shotgun will mean nothing in your application. Think about this way. If you could put the shock absorbers from a F350 on a Honda Civic how do you think the ride quality would be? I'll tell you... It would beat your fillings out!

[Stickman]

BARGE AP All Purpose Contact Cement has fixed many soles on shoes & slippers for me - do it outside or directly under an exhaust vent - you don’t want to inhale it

It doesn’t seems like he is actually looking for answers.

[tehpwnag3]

Fully agree. I bought a Limbsaver pad for all of my shotguns and hard-kicking bolt rifles and it works great. Then thought I should get the version for my wife's standard M4 type stock and it didn't work very well. All it really did was make the LOP about an inch longer. Sold it.

I still think you are barking up the wrong tree with the butt pads. They are made to reduce the felt recoil of guns the actually recoil. They will not be compliant enough to help you. How good they work on a shotgun will mean nothing in your application. Think about this way. If you could put the shock absorbers from a F350 on a Honda Civic how do you think the ride quality would be? I'll tell you... It would beat your fillings out!