Thread: Sako 75 hunter ‘recoil pad replacement’ help

Hi guys,

My friend has asked me to re-finish his Sako 75 hunter that is around 20years old or more.

The recoil pad he is also wanting to upgrade because it kicks like a mule. The existing pad looks like it’s glued on and is that standard pinky/red ones that timber Sako stocks have.

Have any of you removed and replaced these before? Do you know if they fit any standard limb savers ect for tikka stocks ?
Or would they fit a ‘backfire backstop’ recoil pad in any of the current offerings they have ?

Also, does anyone know if these stocks came oiled or with a varnish/shellac finish? It will help me know what to re coat it with ice ill peeled it back to bare wood.

Thanks in advance!.

Easiest way to remove glued on butt pads is to carefully cut them off with a table saw or band saw, cutting through the black stuff after removing any screws. Then finish the end of the butt off on a belt sander or large disc sander. And then fit a new grind to fit butt pad and carefully grind it down to size. Refinish the stock after you have fitted the butt pad to take out all sanding marks that may have happened.

I am in Napier and fit many recoil pads each year. I always use Pachmayr pads which I can supply. The small size almost fit perfectly and look really classy. PM me if interested and I can help you.

I cut mine back with a drop saw to keep the length overall the same, then screwed in the limbsaver, pefect fit. The trick is to follow the exact angle of the stock, tape it & scribe around the where you are going to cut with a sharp stanley knife, stops chipping of the cut use a fine cutting finishing blade, set it up perfectly so as stock willn't move.

Just put on a slip on pad over top. Thats what got on my 75. Added bonus you avoid damaging the butt pad.

Cheers for the feedback guys. That’s really helpful. Definitely going to replace the entire recoil pad over a slip-on option but thanks for the suggestion regardless.

The guys who cut off the existing pads, I’ve heard there may be 2 steel rods inside that center the pad on the stock. Did cutting through that on a drop saw work ok still? Was it soft enough to just cut slowly through?

Mine is a Sako 85 brought 2012, couldn't find any fixing screws so was removed with a stanley knife as clean as I could, it is an awkward thing to do as it was stuck to stay there, the butt pad was only glued on didn't want to reck the sako pad.

Looks like you’ve done a tidy job man, well done. Did you buy a specific Sako limbsaver? Or use the ones for tikkas ?

Can't remember, think I just went by measurements, using verniers, just looked think it was this one from GC

Slap it with a jandle man

I have had all sorts of problems with Limbsavers. If any cleaning solvents get on them they will go all mushy and sticky. If you do fit a Limbsaver I suggest you store the rifle barrel down

Pachmayer mate, fit a pachmayer. I just had another well known brand go all tacky on me - reacted to the silicon sock it was stored in

The limbsaver on my 75 is a melted mess too. on the synthetic stock it’s the same as a t3 as I swapped them at one stage


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