My 8 1/2 lb. Winchester Model 71 in .450 Alaskan can push a 400 grain jacketed bullet at 2200'/sec. with 75 grains of powder. The recoil energy calculator says this equals 58.77 lbs. of recoil energy. (For comparison it shows a .30-06 at 7 lbs. and a 338 LM at 15 lbs.) After levering off 20 rounds my shoulder tells me it would appreciate a rest, and under my t-shirt I think I can read "Pachmayr White Line" imprinted into my skin.
Then I came across a different recoil pad design that instead of being made of solid rubber, is a rubber casing enclosing a soft gel pad that claims a 1/3 reduction in felt recoil. Unlike traditional pads that you shape the pad to fit the stock, this design is manufactured to fit specific firearms and cannot be ground down. Seeing as there is not one available for a Winchester Model 71 or 86, I made a new stock to fit the pad.
Beginning with a block of walnut...
Recoil pad base plate installed.
Glass bedded for top tang.
Stock rough sanded.
First coat of linseed oil.
Ready to shoot.
So after firing off a bunch of cartridges I can report that the gun has less muzzle jump and my shoulder has no complaints. If anyone is interested in this pad the manufacturer's website is http://www.falconstrike.ca/
Then I came across a different recoil pad design that instead of being made of solid rubber, is a rubber casing enclosing a soft gel pad that claims a 1/3 reduction in felt recoil. Unlike traditional pads that you shape the pad to fit the stock, this design is manufactured to fit specific firearms and cannot be ground down. Seeing as there is not one available for a Winchester Model 71 or 86, I made a new stock to fit the pad.
Beginning with a block of walnut...
Recoil pad base plate installed.
Glass bedded for top tang.
Stock rough sanded.
First coat of linseed oil.
Ready to shoot.
So after firing off a bunch of cartridges I can report that the gun has less muzzle jump and my shoulder has no complaints. If anyone is interested in this pad the manufacturer's website is http://www.falconstrike.ca/