A Grade replacement recoil pad

[Mike]

Just got a 1921 20 ga. A Grade w/original buttplate. Would like to add a period-correct recoil pad, but was wondering what style would be "accurate" for this gun? Any ideas, or suggestions? Would one of the Galazan red types be what was originally shipped from the factory on a gun of this vintage? This is a sweet little gun in great shape, all original from what the seller claimed (and from what I can tell), and I'm trying to decide if one of the red pads would look OK on it.

[fox-admin]

I believe most historically correct would be a Jostam anti-flinch pad. The Jostam anti-flinch pad is almost impossible to find as old stock but new. Any small Silvers style pad would be my choice. Craig

[Stan Hillis]

I agree with Craig on both accounts, and ended up with this one on my AE 16 several years ago. It's a great little pad that I bought from Mark Beasland, if I am not mistaken. As you can see the face is not perfectly flat like a regular Silvers pad, but is exceptionally comfortable and effective in usage.

[Silvers]

As made, your 1921 A Grade 20 would likely have a slightly concave butt surface under its buttplate and I strongly encourage you to avoid having that surface sanded flat (as typical) when fitting whatever recoil pad you decide on. Find a 'smith who will make the pad base convex to match up with the buttstock, as Fox did it. Smallbore Fox buttplates are about 5/16" at their center and imo a 3/4 to 7/8" thick pad gives a nice extra LOP without being excessive long on a hunting gun. frank

[Mike]

I believe most historically correct would be a Jostam anti-flinch pad. The Jostam anti-flinch pad is almost impossible to find as old stock but new. Any small Silvers style pad would be my choice. Craig

Thanks very much, Craig.

[Mike]

I agree with Craig on both accounts, and ended up with this one on my AE 16 several years ago. It's a great little pad that I bought from Mark Beasland, if I am not mistaken. As you can see the face is not perfectly flat like a regular Silvers pad, but is exceptionally comfortable and effective in usage.

Beautiful AE and the pad certainly compliments it. I had seen this curved type, but glad to know about it. Your help is much appreciated, Stan.

[Mike]

As made, your 1921 A Grade 20 would likely have a slightly concave butt surface under its buttplate and I strongly encourage you to avoid having that surface sanded flat (as typical) when fitting whatever recoil pad you decide on. Find a 'smith who will make the pad base convex to match up with the buttstock, as Fox did it. Smallbore Fox buttplates are about 5/16" at their center and imo a 3/4 to 7/8" thick pad gives a nice extra LOP without being excessive long on a hunting gun. frank

OK Frank, very glad you pointed-out the concave nature nature of the buttplate. I was already concerned about not changing anything on this seemingly original AE, and had even noted the "star" configuration around the screw holes under the buttplate, which I would not want modified during pad installation. Thanks for the dimensional info, as well as the headsup on making the pad base convex. Will attempt to find a smith who will do that, altho that may be a challenge locally. If I can't find one, I'll leave the original plate, as it isn't significantly short for me, plus I can always add a Galazan game keeper during the hunt. Thanks!

[eightbore]

Most available Jostam or Silver pads are too big for a 20 gauge. The repro No Shoc pad is what I prefer because it is small and less than an inch thick. It is a 1922 patent Winchester pad with No Shoc logo. A Winchester pad with the logo ground off is also a good choice. You can get either from Tony.

[Silvers]

Good advice from Bill. I prefer the NoShoc repro over the Winchester repro with sanded off logo because the latter will lose its smooth shoulder side finish from the pad mold. But whatever. Another option for either of the named pads is for your pad man to heat briefly in boiling water, bend to a convex and then cool, though the pad base will then get a curvature perpendicular across its width and that will have to be trued up for final fitting. frank

[Researcher]

I like the look of the No-Shoc on a smallbore Fox. I replaced the Ithaca "bridge trestle" pad that came on my favorite Ansley H. Fox A-Grade 20-gauge with a NOS No-Shoc pad --

Then refit the Ithaca pad to an NID No. 2 28-gauge --

[eightbore]

Stan mentioned the wonderful old pad that Mark Beasland used to hawk. It is the solid red "London Guns" pad from the retailer in California. It is a great pad for a medium to small gun, if you can find one. I think Mark sold out of them several years ago.