Tech Tip: How To Fit a Recoil Pad
In this Brownells Tech Tip video, Caleb and Steve team up to demonstrate the process of installing a recoil pad on a Remington 870 shotgun stock. From selecting the right pad and marking screw locations to ensuring proper alignment and fit, they walk through each step with practical shop tips and pro-level guidance. Although final shaping isn’t covered in this video, viewers get a solid foundation for performing a clean, professional installation.
What You Will Learn
Viewers will learn how to select, mount, and align a recoil pad using proper tools and techniques—skills that are essential for gunsmiths and DIY firearm enthusiasts.
Benefit
The benefit of watching is twofold: you gain real-world insights that help avoid common mistakes and build confidence in performing a high-quality install that improves both function and aesthetics.
Introduction
Hey folks, Caleb from Brownells here alongside Steve, and today we’re diving into a job that’s common in any gunsmith shop—installing a recoil pad. Whether you’re doing it for comfort, aesthetics, or recoil control, knowing how to fit and install a pad properly is a great skill to have.
Getting Started
It's been a minute since I last installed one of these, and Steve hasn’t done one in a while either. So we figured it’s the perfect opportunity to walk through the process—just like we would in a shop.
Installing recoil pads is one of those bread-and-butter jobs for gunsmiths. If you get good at it, you can turn these out fast, make some money, and leave customers really happy.
Choosing the Right Recoil Pad
My personal go-to is the Pachmayr Decelerator. They’re well-made, durable, and work just as well as they look. The vented version looks great on shotguns, while the solid version is better suited for rifles in my opinion—but you can use either on whatever you like.
They also come in different styles, including some with a white line spacer. This particular one is the Deluxe Field model.
Sizing the Pad to the Stock
We’re working with a Remington 870 stock—a super common platform. The first step is making sure the pad you’ve got is the right size. The Decelerators use a metal insert for stability, and you definitely don’t want to grind through it during the shaping process.
To make sizing easier, we offer a set of sizing templates that match the pads—small, medium, large, and extra-large. Most shotgun stocks take a medium or small. I actually already sized this one, but we’re demonstrating the process anyway.
When matching the pad, look for two things:
- You want enough overlap to allow grinding without exposing the metal insert.
- You want the toe angle (the bottom rear of the stock) to match the taper of the pad. A mismatched taper looks amateurish, even if it’s functional.
This stock fits a size small, though with careful work we could make a medium fit too.
Marking Screw Locations
Decelerator pads don’t come pre-cut for screw installation. They do have pilot holes in the back, but you’ll need to cut through the rubber yourself.
I use a 7/32-inch punch to push through the back and mark where the screw will go. Once I see the material bulge, I use a razor blade (or an X-Acto knife) to make a small, clean slit for the screw. You want this to be almost invisible once the screw is in place.
Quick tip: don’t use a pocket knife or anything with a wide blade—it’ll leave a visible cut. Also, lubricate the screw before driving it in so it slides through the neoprene cleanly without tearing.
Material Durability and Prep
These pads are made of neoprene, which is great because it resists collapsing, holds up to oil and solvents, and doesn’t get gummy over time. Some recoil pads can melt or turn sticky if exposed to oils, mosquito spray, or gun solvents. That’s not the case with these.
Mounting the Pad
This particular 870 stock has pre-drilled holes, since we already repaired it in a previous video. If yours isn’t pre-drilled, you’ll need to carefully mark and drill pilot holes after fitting the pad.
To install, I insert the screws and slowly tighten them down using a recoil pad-specific screwdriver bit. These bits are long, smooth, and perfectly shaped to pass through the pad material without damaging it.
Here’s a key tip: don’t tighten one screw all the way before starting the other. Alternate back and forth, gradually seating the pad. The plastic base of the pad can crack if uneven pressure is applied.
Final Fit and Alignment
Once the screws are snug, check your fit. You can shift the pad slightly before final tightening thanks to the oversized holes in the insert.
Take a straight edge and check the toe angle—you want the pad to flow with the line of the stock. If it steps up or breaks the line, it’ll look off.
Once it’s centered and aligned, tighten both screws down evenly. You’re ready for final shaping.
Shaping and Finishing (Coming Up Next)
We’re not covering the sanding and grinding portion in this video, but that’s where you give the pad its finished shape to match the stock exactly. For that step, we use a belt sander, though it can be done by hand—it’s just much slower.
The idea is to bring the pad flush with the edges of the stock without gouging the rubber or the stock itself.
Final Thoughts
Installing a recoil pad isn’t difficult once you get the hang of it, but it does take a bit of care. With the right tools, a good quality pad like the Pachmayr Decelerator, and a methodical approach, you can produce a clean, professional result.
This kind of job might seem small, but it’s the kind of work that builds a gunsmith’s reputation.
Thanks for watching, and stay tuned—we’ve got more shop projects and Tech Tips coming your way.
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