I have several BLRs. My most recent acquisition is a stainless takedown in .358 Win, and I would really like to add a recoil reducer in the stock. I have done this with my BAR in .338 Win Mag, and the gun is much more pleasant to shoot. Does anyone have any experience to share with adding a reducer in the synthetic stock of the stainless takedown ? For starters, the recoil pad would seem to be glued -- how does one remove it to get at the opening underneath ?
Google "slip-on recoil pad." I recently saw an announcement of a new one (Pachmayer?) that was gel-filled. It will be softer than any rubber pad. Personally, I don't find the recoil of my 358 BLR objectionable, but I lower the bench's seat at our rifle range to keep my spine as vertical as I can so I can roll with the punch. That also keeps my 338WinMag from bruising my shoulder. Nothing helps my Marlin 7 1/2 pound 45-70 if it's loaded with Buffalo Bore ammo. It kicks like a 12 gauge slug gun.
I will have to check out that, thank you ! In the meantime, I found there is a shop that still provides mercury reducers -- C&H Research at <http://www.mercuryrecoil.com/>. There is a fairly large cavity in the stock, and I was able to fit a 6 ¼" tube weighing just over a pound, and the rest of the irregular space I filled with #7.5 lead shot. This took the 6 ½ lb gun to just over nine, and that is before scope with mount. I fully follow the need to be vertical to roll with the punch. Having the higher mass also helps greatly, in increasing the power of load I can tolerate within a given level of recoil.