• Limbsaver Grind-to-Fit Recoil Pad

    I wanted to get a better recoil pad for my 114W. After looking around, the Limbsaver from Sims Vibration Laboratory (SVL) caught my attention. It looks like an ordinary recoil pad and I was skeptical about SVL's claims. I called SVL and told them what I wanted and they said the Limbsaver will do everything a recoil should do but better. "Yeah, sure" I was thinking, I mean it's just a rubber recoil pad, right? Nope.

    The Limbsaver is a high-tech approach to recoil management. The rubber is only the outside skin. They have designed the interior into sections and each section supports the others. I'm not exactly sure how it works, I just know it works. I put mine to use while doing .30-06 ammo reviews and it made a big difference. The recoil was still there but much more manageable. As a comparison, the .30-06 was feeling like a .308 with light bullets. I was able to shoot all 160 .30-06 rounds I had that day and never worried about recoil getting to me.

    The pad has the following features:

    Atmospheric Air Chambers
    Decay Time Modification Cylinders
    Proprietary NAVCOM Body
    High Density IsoPlast Plate

    Installation of the pad was easy. The kit came with easy to follow instructions and the required screws. Part of the instruction sheet is a template for drilling new screw holes. It took about 30 minutes to install the Limbsaver. I needed to do a little trim work to the plastic spacer (flat file worked fine). I also applied some polyeurethane to the wood where the pad would fit so as to seal the wood from weather.

    Only snag I ran into is that the Model 114W wood stock isn't made to the same dimensions as the Model 110 wood stock. The TC Encore has almost the same contour as the 114W. I went with that one and only needed a little trim work on the plastic plate. SVL also offers a grind-to-fit pad that would also have worked.

    If you need a recoil pad and want one of the best available, look at the Limbsaver. If you are recoil sensitive, this is the pad for you. With a retail price of under $40, I highly recommend them.


    Additional Photos:

    Stock Savage recoil pad LimbSaver recoil pad installed

    By: JCalhoun



    Sims Vibration Laboratory
    301 W. Business Park Loop
    Shelton, WA 98584
    Phone: (360) 427-6031
    www.limbsaver.com





    Comments 1 Comment
    1. big honkin jeep's Avatar
      big honkin jeep -
      The only problems I've had with limbsavers is that over time I have had multiple units go soft and melt into sticky goo. This is not from getting solvent on them as I first thought or from heat, but seems to be a systemic problem. Over time the Limbsavers have messed up one of my nice soft rifle cases and have also melted in my safe sticking the butt of a couple of my rifles to the interior carpet and making a mess. Remington even did a "quiet recall" on a bunch of their 700s including their higher end flagship 700CDL SF anniversary editions because of the recoil pads going soft and melting. They do indeed work extremely well to reduce recoil but in my experience do not hold up well over time. I truly hope the long term stability of their material is something they can address. I couldn't find the slip on to get a pic but I'm pretty sure I still have it.
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