RAD1a

the spank

the spank

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I sent my TMS and MX8 to have a pair of RAD1a's installed. Same concept as a Gracoil only the main absorption device is a sealed hydraulic fluid cylinder instead of a cylinder containing a spring. I bought the 1a, non lop adjustable model. Another nice feature of the RAD compared to a Gracoil is the ability to adjust the pad plate to set your recoil pad to the height, tilt, side to side setting you prefer without having to remove the pad to get to the adjuster. It's a single point system on the RAD that is adjusted by loosening the nut located on the center shaft between the spring and pad plate. It comes with a special wrench to fit the nut and works slick! I received the TMS back yesterday (the MX8 was finished and sent back to me today) about 10 minutes before heading to the club so I had no time to get it set up and on paper to check my poi so I had to set it and tweek it between rounds. First round I shot a 21/25, my hits told me my poi was slightly off and a bit of recoil to my cheek told me a bit of tweeking was needed to the pad and comb. I did a couple small tweeks before the next round and headed back out. That round produced a 24/25 producing black balls of disintegrated targets from the Challenger 1oz 7.5 HV loads(1290 fps). The recoil on the cheek was gone and the unit was as soft to the shoulder as a 410 semi! Next round was 25x25 with the same results so I called it a night on a good note. The fellow who instaled the RAD for me was so impressed with the units I sent him that he contacted them and is now the Canadian dealer/distributor and installer for them. They are adding him to their website for Canadian orders to go through and save Canadian shooters the border bs and taxes/duties etc. Since he is not a sponsor on here I will not post his info as per the rules but if you like what you see in the pics you can send me a PM for contact info should you wish to purchase one. If memory serves RAD told me they have a huge following of these units with bench rest rifle shooters using the larger calibres in the 300 mag class. They also told me these units perform best when paired with a #5 size kick-eez pad (1/2" thick). I had a brand new set of #6's (5/8" thick) in my goodies drawer so we used them and all seems fine.

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They look good Spank!
Is the recoil device adjustable or is it at a set level of cushioning (for lack of a better word). Dave Fuller used to build a similar device. I tried his out and found that I didn't like the feeling of the comb moving backward under recoil across my cheek but it did mitigate recoil. Maybe the movement of the comb is just something you have to get used to.
 
Falconflyer said:
They look good Spank!
Is the recoil device adjustable or is it at a set level of cushioning (for lack of a better word). Dave Fuller used to build a similar device. I tried his out and found that I didn't like the feeling of the comb moving backward under recoil across my cheek but it did mitigate recoil. Maybe the movement of the comb is just something you have to get used to.
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I don't notice the movement on the comb? Maybe because it's such a short fast stroke? It only travels about 5/16"-3/8". The cushioning is adjustable. It has 8 different settings which are achieved by removing the unit from the stock and backing off a set screw located on the adjustment cylinder. You can then turn the adjustment cylinder to the numbered position you want to try. There is a series of numbered positions on the cylinder from 1-8. Turn it to the desired number, lock it in place with the set screw and reattach the unit to the stock. The unit comes with threaded inserts for the stock instead of stock screws. Those threaded inserts thread into the stock with self tapping threads and they have a threaded hole through the centre of them. Your unit simply attaches to them by a set of machine screws so you are not screwing and unscrewing the stock screws from the stock each time you want to make a recoil absorption change. Its a very well thought out design and very well made. I asked on TS for advice from those who had experience with both the RAD and Gracoil which they preferred and all said the RAD was hands down the smoother recoiling of the two and the better design for adjustment changes. Not having to remove the recoil pad to adjust the butt plate sealed the deal for me.
 
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Falconflyer said:
It sounds like a well though out design. The ones that I tried out a few years ago may have been adjusted too soft which would allow for more stock movement, at least on that design.
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If my guns didn't already have adjustable combs I may have tried one of the style where the adjustable comb hardware is attached via a rod/arm to the butt and the comb and butt recoil in unison. I did not want to get into modifying my combs existing hardware systems to try to fit a different set of hardware. I assume that would solve the feel of the comb sliding across your cheek as you noticed? A soft-touch or pro-soft system would be my ultimate choice but at this point spending as much on that as a used P gun is out of reach of my disposable income! Lol
 
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I tried out a recoil system where the comb was attached to the butt at a gun club near Dallas Tx quite a few years ago and really liked it. It felt a bit weird to have the stock and comb basically stand still while the rest of the gun recoiled but I think one would get used to it.
It had an air bladder in it and the amount of recoil absorbsion was adjustable with air pressure via a regular tire tube valve. I can't recall the name of it now but the guy told me he sent his stock to the company and they cut it and fitted the recoil system to it to his measurments. Seems to me he said it cost $700 but that was probably 20 years ago now.
 
Falconflyer said:
I tried out a recoil system where the comb was attached to the butt at a gun club near Dallas Tx quite a few years ago and really liked it. It felt a bit weird to have the stock and comb basically stand still while the rest of the gun recoiled but I think one would get used to it.
It had an air bladder in it and the amount of recoil absorbsion was adjustable with air pressure via a regular tire tube valve. I can't recall the name of it now but the guy told me he sent his stock to the company and they cut it and fitted the recoil system to it to his measurments. Seems to me he said it cost $700 but that was probably 20 years ago now.
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That's interesting.
 
The MX8 was completed and sent back to me last week. A few adjustments of the stock and butt and off I went to give it a try. These RAD's are sure sweet. Once the absorption setting is adjusted to your needs for the loads you are shooting they are soft, smooth and quiet operating. The recovery time in them is lightning quick and personally I cannot detect the movement of them while shooting. I have heard numerous people say other devices are not fast enough at full recovery between shots on doubles trap but I did not experience that. One fellow even claimed another brand he tried caused him to bump the trigger during the recoil interval after the first shot causing the second to go off before he had fully swung to the second target. Again I did not nor have ever had that happen any time shooting doubles with the RAD on my MX8 or any gun with any other type of recoil device. Maybe I'm just a slow doubles shooter? :redface:
So now both my dedicated trap guns are set up with RAD's and adjusted to the loads I prefer to use and they feel awesome to shoot. They make my 12ga shooting 1oz loads feel like a 4.10 target load. I'm looking forward to many happy sessions at the range.
 
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I had a browning 725 i could not get over the recoil just could not get it to fit properly. Had a rad 2a installed. Was amazing. I just picked up a kreighoff model 32 over single and someone had shortened the LOP on it so i purchased a gracoil as i did not want the hassle of shipping it from USA, i must admit the rad quality is 100x better will not buy a gracoil ever again.
 
scott9001 said:
I had a browning 725 i could not get over the recoil just could not get it to fit properly. Had a rad 2a installed. Was amazing. I just picked up a kreighoff model 32 over single and someone had shortened the LOP on it so i purchased a gracoil as i did not want the hassle of shipping it from USA, i must admit the rad quality is 100x better will not buy a gracoil ever again.
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Yes they are really nice! The fellow who installed mine will soon be listed on Hart Systems website as their Canadian contact for sales and installations. He was so impressed with the quality of my units he got hold of them to see about being their go to in Canada. He says he is going to stock the 2a units as they have the adjustable lop.
 
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