Flip-Flop recoil pad

Ted, Back in the 80's I built several rifles using Brown pounders. On one in particular I wanted a real lightweight recoil pad and order and ordered the ultralight and it was a foam pad in black that appeared to have been cut from a flip flop. Super light and very effective. You idea has a lot of merit.
 
Well I just finished installing a dollar store flip-flop on my M96 Swede. Was surprised how easy it was to work with. And theres no way its not an improvement over the cracked plastic cap that preceded it.
Thank you to the OP for saving me about $50 on a recoil pad.
 
Well, I'm going to hit the dollarama today! I have some nasty old sportered milsurps that could do with a bit of taming. The flip flop method is a good way to try. No harm done to the stock and not a big $$ waste.

Thanks for all the posts and especially to WN. :)
 
You are welcome, kjohn.

It has been not only practical, but quite enjoyable hearing back from you guys who are also now doing it.

My experience so far, has been not a single failure of a flip-flop pad installation. They are all still staying put, and doing a great job reducing recoil, especially the doubles. However, if one ever does come off, it can be replaced in less than an hour using Barge cement or water-based contact cement.

Best,
Ted
 
The best ones I found in Dawson Creek were at the Dollar Tree beside No Frills food store at the west end of town. Size 12. $1.25 a pair. Two pair will be good for now. Black, nice pattern. All the others at Dollarama, Wobble Mart, CT were either $5.00 or too hard, bad colouring, or all three.
 
I went to the local shoe repair business and bought a piece of black orthopedic foam, comes in 1/2 inch thickness and has the right density and is easily shaped with a sander. A large piece, enough to make 6 pads cost me $10.

Ed
 
Just reporting back. Flip flop was a success! Even my 12 year old daughter, who's 75lbs soaking wet, fired a few rounds and said it wasn't that bad. I know my shoulder sure appreciated it.
 
Okay. Did my first ever flip=flop recoil pad. Not as easy as it may seem. Put it on a resurrected BSA sporter M1917 30-06 that kicked like a mule. Basically traced the butt plate and cut out the rough pattern with scissors. Trimmed it with scissors to a point as close as I dared, then glued it on with Shoe Goo. Set the rifle against the wall, barrel down and weighted a board on the pad with a couple of boxes of shotgun shells, then let it sit for a couple days. I wrapped the stock with a couple rounds of electrical tape. Today I sanded the edges to as close to the tape as I could. I removed the tape, and found that the pattern (little round dots) keeps the pad away from the stock enough to leave a gap all the way around with little bits of glue showing.

Hmm. I guess a body needs to find material that is flat on one side. The side showing on mine has a nice pattern that doesn't look at all out of place. If care was taken when cutting out the rough pattern, the lines on the showing side could be straight across. Mine aren't exactly straight, though. :redface:

Any ideas? How did you people trim to a rough size? I am thinking the orthopedic foam might be smooth on at least one side? ed99??

p.s. I won't be entering my first one in the best flip flop recoil pad contest. After all, it was a trial run. :p
 
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