Metal Butt-Pads for Older Long Arms - How’s the recoil?

[Member-Deleted]

Hey Fellas,

Long time no chat. Hope all are well and Happy New Years! Just wondering if anyone can comment on how comfortable long arms are to shoot without the rubber butt-pads?

[Die Judicii]

Can't be all that bad cos I've never even thought about it.
My sporterized .303 still has the original brass butt plate.
I think that with the advent of the myriad of "soft" recoil pads,,, a lot of shooters have gone soft as well.

[No1Mk3]

G'day BangWhizzClack,
No problem with most people who do not have an underlying medical issue, I have fired many rifles with metal or hard plastic butt plates from military calibres to big game and over. 50BMG with a wooden stock from the T-Gewehr is unpleasant but bearable for a couple of shots, I have fired 10 shots from a 500 Nitro double with minimal complaints but I am over 120Kg, 303 all day. You need to try a few to see if the calibre you want is unpleasant to you, Cheers.

[Member-Deleted]

Can't be all that bad cos I've never even thought about it.
My sporterized .303 still has the original brass butt plate.
I think that with the advent of the myriad of "soft" recoil pads,,, a lot of shooters have gone soft as well.

Yeah, as long as I've know guns they've had the soft rubber, I guess it's a bit more forgiving if it's not seated properly. I'm yet to try a brass butt-pad I was going to say I'm just a softy I guess but I just haven't had the opportunity.

[Member-Deleted]

G'day BangWhizzClack,
No problem with most people who do not have an underlying medical issue, I have fired many rifles with metal or hard plastic butt plates from military calibres to big game and over. 50BMG with a wooden stock from the T-Gewehr is unpleasant but bearable for a couple of shots, I have fired 10 shots from a 500 Nitro double with minimal complaints but I am over 120Kg, 303 all day. You need to try a few to see if the calibre you want is unpleasant to you, Cheers.

Okay lovely, thank you kindly!

[bigrich]

Hey Fellas,

Long time no chat. Hope all are well and Happy New Years! Just wondering if anyone can comment on how comfortable long arms are to shoot without the rubber butt-pads?

it depends on the caliber and design of the stock . my old 6.5x55 96 swede mauser had a wide stock at the butt plate and recoil was no worries for many shots

[Die Judicii]

G'day BangWhizzClack,
No problem with most people who do not have an underlying medical issue, I have fired many rifles with metal or hard plastic butt plates from military calibres to big game and over. 50BMG with a wooden stock from the T-Gewehr is unpleasant but bearable for a couple of shots, I have fired 10 shots from a 500 Nitro double with minimal complaints but I am over 120Kg, 303 all day. You need to try a few to see if the calibre you want is unpleasant to you, Cheers.

Okay lovely, thank you kindly!

Hey there BangWhizzClack,,Just in a jovial fashion,,,,,,, did the check your punctuation in your reply ????

[Member-Deleted]

G'day BangWhizzClack,
No problem with most people who do not have an underlying medical issue, I have fired many rifles with metal or hard plastic butt plates from military calibres to big game and over. 50BMG with a wooden stock from the T-Gewehr is unpleasant but bearable for a couple of shots, I have fired 10 shots from a 500 Nitro double with minimal complaints but I am over 120Kg, 303 all day. You need to try a few to see if the calibre you want is unpleasant to you, Cheers.

Okay lovely, thank you kindly!

Hey there BangWhizzClack,,Just in a jovial fashion,,,,,,, did the check your punctuation in your reply ????

I noticed when I was submitting it, decided to leave it thought it might give someone a giggle.

[Member-Deleted]

Hey Fellas,

Long time no chat. Hope all are well and Happy New Years! Just wondering if anyone can comment on how comfortable long arms are to shoot without the rubber butt-pads?

it depends on the caliber and design of the stock . my old 6.5x55 96 swede mauser had a wide stock at the butt plate and recoil was no worries for many shots

Gotcha, no particular calibre in mind, I've just seen mil surplus rifles, shotguns and black powder weapons with the brass butt, assumed it's not as cushioned, so a poorly seated shot might do some damage.

[Die Judicii]

Gotcha, no particular calibre in mind, I've just seen mil surplus rifles, shotguns and black powder weapons with the brass butt, assumed it's not as cushioned, so a poorly seated shot might do some damage.

Your not wrong there,,,,,,,
Years ago I had an el cheapo 12 g single barrel with a hard plastic butt plate.
This thing kicked like a mule.
One night I had volunteered to help a mate keep the roos out of a small block of veggies while he was renovating the fence.

That being said,, I was sitting on a block of redgum in the total darkness, and if I heard roos I would fire a shot.
But by 2am I was getting a bit too relaxed in my duty,,, and was sitting with the shottie butt resting on my thigh and the barrel pointing skyward.
I heard more roos,,,, and squeezed the trigger.

At the precise moment my brain was screaming No No No,,, this is not a good idea, but the trigger finger wasn't paying attention.

I believe I actually cried immediately after that moment,,,, with the pain.

Suffice to say that I ended up with a massive bruise, and couldn't walk properly for nearly a week.

[Member-Deleted]

Gotcha, no particular calibre in mind, I've just seen mil surplus rifles, shotguns and black powder weapons with the brass butt, assumed it's not as cushioned, so a poorly seated shot might do some damage.

Your not wrong there,,,,,,,
Years ago I had an el cheapo 12 g single barrel with a hard plastic butt plate.
This thing kicked like a mule.
One night I had volunteered to help a mate keep the roos out of a small block of veggies while he was renovating the fence.

That being said,, I was sitting on a block of redgum in the total darkness, and if I heard roos I would fire a shot.
But by 2am I was getting a bit too relaxed in my duty,,, and was sitting with the shottie butt resting on my thigh and the barrel pointing skyward.
I heard more roos,,,, and squeezed the trigger.

At the precise moment my brain was screaming No No No,,, this is not a good idea, but the trigger finger wasn't paying attention.

I believe I actually cried immediately after that moment,,,, with the pain.

Suffice to say that I ended up with a massive bruise, and couldn't walk properly for nearly a week.

Hahahaha, sounds almost as bad as firing both barrels at the same time on a double. Was there any fractures? Or just soft tissue damage I.e. bruising and swelling?

[Blr243]

In th field my 303 iis no prob but at the range it hurts so I bought a pad

[Member-Deleted]

In th field my 303 iis no prob but at the range it hurts so I bought a pad

Is that because you're firing from prone/bench position at the range?

[Blr243]

Yes of the bench hurts

[ThatNewGuy]

Yes of the bench hurts

I agree with this one I love the hell out of my swede but every now and then you will find a bench that is either too tall or too short and you will end up paying for it with a midly sore shoulder or a bruise.

[Member-Deleted]

Yes of the bench hurts

I agree with this one I love the hell out of my swede but every now and then you will find a bench that is either too tall or too short and you will end up paying for it with a midly sore shoulder or a bruise.

Okay I'll look at getting a shooting jacket or shoulder pad should I get a firearm with a metal butt.

[JimTom]

All part of the charm of firing old military rifles I reckon.

[Blr243]

The pain at first could be described as charm, sort of like how it feels to throw a smallish fallow doe across your shoulders just after u have gutted it. but after a while it’s a long way from charm

[in2anity]

Pocket it right, and no worries. Cross-arm, lazy style, loose in the pocket, it can drive upward out of the pocket, and it can hurt. Shoot the gun as it was designed, with a stabilizing sling, from a field position, and you’ll go all day long.

[Member-Deleted]

Pocket it right, and no worries. Cross-arm, lazy style, loose in the pocket, it can drive upward out of the pocket, and it can hurt. Shoot the gun as it was designed, with a stabilizing sling, from a field position, and you’ll go all day long.

Thank you kindly.

[LawrenceA]

I shoot a lot of old guns from original muzzleloaders through to about the 1950's.
Personally I do not find the recoil an issue but it depends on the gun and its loads.
I can make your face hurt with a BP 45 muzzleloader and make recoil tame in a 14g shotgun with steel buttplate.
I must confess the old Rossi Coachgun boots with heavy loads as does the Marlin 45-70.
Dial em back and no worries.
Things are just as dead.

Blackpowder does not recoil like smokeless but a 4 Bore will knock you over and one great white hunter suffered permanent shoulder damage when both barrels in his 6 Bore went off accidentally. The old Martini 577-450 would cause concussion and nose bleeds with sustained use in the prone position.

It comes down to loads, proper positioning/hold and stock design. If you are hunting you dont notice recoil. At the bench you do.

[Member-Deleted]

I shoot a lot of old guns from original muzzleloaders through to about the 1950's.
Personally I do not find the recoil an issue but it depends on the gun and its loads.
I can make your face hurt with a BP 45 muzzleloader and make recoil tame in a 14g shotgun with steel buttplate.
I must confess the old Rossi Coachgun boots with heavy loads as does the Marlin 45-70.
Dial em back and no worries.
Things are just as dead.

Blackpowder does not recoil like smokeless but a 4 Bore will knock you over and one great white hunter suffered permanent shoulder damage when both barrels in his 6 Bore went off accidentally. The old Martini 577-450 would cause concussion and nose bleeds with sustained use in the prone position.

It comes down to loads, proper positioning/hold and stock design. If you are hunting you dont notice recoil. At the bench you do.

Was the 45/70 with a rubber or metal butt?

[LawrenceA]

Was the 45/70 with a rubber or metal butt?

I have an original trapdoor with a metal buttplate and an older Marlin with a thin hard rubber pad.
I use a 65grain fffG load in the Trapdoor and 37.5 of 2207 in the Marlin, but have had the Marlin up to over 50 grains and you know when it goes bang.
No worries offhand but hard sitting with the heavy loads.
Also got a military Mauser 98 in 30-06 with metal buttplate. It seems like a pussy to shoot with factory loads.

[Member-Deleted]

Was the 45/70 with a rubber or metal butt?

I have an original trapdoor with a metal buttplate and an older Marlin with a thin hard rubber pad.
I use a 65grain fffG load in the Trapdoor and 37.5 of 2207 in the Marlin, but have had the Marlin up to over 50 grains and you know when it goes bang.
No worries offhand but hard sitting with the heavy loads.
Also got a military Mauser 98 in 30-06 with metal buttplate. It seems like a pussy to shoot with factory loads.

Gotcha, thanks for the information!