Limbsaver / Remington R3 Recoil Pads
A few years ago I injured my shoulder while working. This threw a monkey wrench into all of my hunting plans for the year. I didn't know how I was going to survive the hunting seasons I couldn't shoot. Recoil was a major problem. My Winchester model 70 Win Lite in 300 Win. Mag. is a brutal kicker. With the Leupold 3-9X Compact, nylon sling and a full magazine, it weighs 7 1/4 pounds. To say that recoil, when shooting 165 gr. Barnes XLCs at 3200 fps, is noticeable is an understatement. Five rounds off the bench will rattle your teeth and give you a headache. The hard rubber "recoil pad" is unforgiving. It was time to unretire the old, worn out 270 Win. It received a new barrel, and the old fiberglass Brown Precision was reshaped, and refinished. I had heard something about these fancy new R3 recoil pads. I thought I would give them a try. I fitted one to the reshaped stock and waited for my barrelled action to return from the 'smith.
In the meantime my son turned 12 and was able to go duck hunting. I bought him a Remington 870 SPS Super Magnum. It was fitted with a synthetic stock and a hard rubber ventilated "recoil pad". It was all right to shoot, but was hard on my recovering shoulder. I had cut off the walnut stock on my Wingmaster Magnum for my son when he was smaller, and I bought a camo synthetic stock to replace the walnut so I could hunt ducks. It came with one of those fancy R3 recoil pads. I was about to find out what all the hype was about. We went out shooting clay targets one day. I was shooting my Wingmaster with the R3 pad, and my son was shooting the SPS. Halfway through the day we decided to switch guns. Even with the light target loads the recoil reduction was substantial. When we got home from the shoot I went right down to Gunnie's and bought an R3 pad for the SPS. I bought one to go on my 11-87 Super Mag at the same time I bought the shotgun. I even put one on my fourteen pound 243. I will put one on every rifle or shotgun that I buy from now on. They're worth every penny of the purchase price.
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