Buttpad failure...

RCE1

Member
I have a McMillan stock and the buttpad has totally failed. McMillan says it's a Pachmeyr Decelerator, but I've never seen one come apart like this:

Barnard7SHButtpadDeterioration.jpg Barnard7SHRight.jpg

McMillan offered to sell me another Decelerator or send the rifle in for replacement. I'll put the new one on myself, but was looking for suggestions as to what might work better in this case. Its a Barnard action and the barrel is inscribed 7mm SH. I'm still trying to get it sorted out, so I don't know a lot more about it other than that. It was one of Stu Harvey's rifles. Customer service said it looked like it was exposed to solvents of some sort, but it looks more like a bad case of whatever happens to rubber when it gets old. It's all sticky and gooey on the outside.
 
What does Pachmeyr say?

I think they were bought out by Lyman(?) and Lyman's warranty is extended only to the original purchaser. I haven't found the contact info for the Pachmeyr division, but I'd think they would like to know about this...
 
I have Pachmeyers up to 50 plus years old & none have exhibited that issue.

I'd be inclined towards the argument that some solvent has been used or tipped on it.
 
I have a McMillan stock and the buttpad has totally failed. McMillan says it's a Pachmeyr Decelerator, but I've never seen one come apart like this:

View attachment 19999 View attachment 20000

McMillan offered to sell me another Decelerator or send the rifle in for replacement. I'll put the new one on myself, but was looking for suggestions as to what might work better in this case. Its a Barnard action and the barrel is inscribed 7mm SH. I'm still trying to get it sorted out, so I don't know a lot more about it other than that. It was one of Stu Harvey's rifles. Customer service said it looked like it was exposed to solvents of some sort, but it looks more like a bad case of whatever happens to rubber when it gets old. It's all sticky and gooey on the outside.


That ain't from old age or wear.
 
Remington had a bad batch of buttpads on 870 shotguns that that happened to. We had 30 of them at work like that. They were replaced thru the customer service dept.
 
Remington had a bad batch of buttpads on 870 shotguns that that happened to. We had 30 of them at work like that. They were replaced thru the customer service dept.

That's interesting. Now that I have a good photo of what's happening, I'll pursue Pachmeyr just a little further. It isn't like it's that much money to just get a new one, but I thought they might like to know about it.

Any other makers that might be worth looking into? You know, I'm starting to wonder if it really is a Pachmeyr product. The material has a squishy feel, almost reminiscent of Limb Saver...a Decelerator was what McMillan suggested I replace the damaged one with.
 
That's interesting. Now that I have a good photo of what's happening, I'll pursue Pachmeyr just a little further. It isn't like it's that much money to just get a new one, but I thought they might like to know about it.

Any other makers that might be worth looking into? You know, I'm starting to wonder if it really is a Pachmeyr product. The material has a squishy feel, almost reminiscent of Limb Saver...a Decelerator was what McMillan suggested I replace the damaged one with.

I have a Remington 700 that won't shoot. You can look into them.
 
You wanna buy one in 25-06? You could work with Remington to straighten it out or replaced.
I was wrong, mine shoots, but not well.
 
That's interesting. Now that I have a good photo of what's happening, I'll pursue Pachmeyr just a little further. It isn't like it's that much money to just get a new one, but I thought they might like to know about it.

Any other makers that might be worth looking into? You know, I'm starting to wonder if it really is a Pachmeyr product. The material has a squishy feel, almost reminiscent of Limb Saver...a Decelerator was what McMillan suggested I replace the damaged one with.

RCE1:

I have seen a LimbSaver pad deteriorate into a similar sticky mess. I called Limbsaver customer service and the agent asked me the year of installation. I said it was approximately 2007. The agent acknowledged that they had become aware of a batch from that time period that did not meet their solvent resistance standards. She sent me three replacement pads as a goodwill gesture........very good customer service I think. However, the Limbsaver logo is prominently displayed in the center of the pad and your pad appears to have an indented oval in the logo area unlike any LimbSaver pads I have seen.

Rick
 
2006 was when we got the 870's at work and all of them had the "melting" issue. They never came in contact with any solvents, some were like that in the boxes.
 
I have a Pachmayer Decellerator mounted for a support outboard of my vise. It got destroyed just like that from lacquer thinner.
 
Are you sure that's a Decelerator and not a Limbsaver? McMillan uses both. I've never seen a Decelerator crumble, but have seen Limbsavers do that. I had a Limbsaver crumble sitting on the pad in the gun rack.
 
Are you sure that's a Decelerator and not a Limbsaver? McMillan uses both. I've never seen a Decelerator crumble, but have seen Limbsavers do that. I had a Limbsaver crumble sitting on the pad in the gun rack.

Out-gassing from the finish on the wood is a common problem.
 
Are you sure that's a Decelerator and not a Limbsaver? McMillan uses both. I've never seen a Decelerator crumble, but have seen Limbsavers do that. I had a Limbsaver crumble sitting on the pad in the gun rack.

I agree. It doesn't look like any Pachmeyr I've ever seen, nor have I ever seen one of their pads do this. That said, I have seen both the Limbsaver and HiViz pads do exactly as yours appears to have. IMO, it's just a bad formulation by the makers. They are effective while they last though.

Here's a pic of a HiViz that I found with a quick search. It sure favors yours a lot. Can you make out any of the writing on it? I don't know that it matters at this point. You obviously need a new pad. I just would not be afraid of using a Decelerator pad.

458241.jpg
 
Couple not the brand names mention just get hard and dont absorb much of anything. The do add some dimension to the stock but absorb recoil, NO.

One Im thinking most is on a black plastic stock, 1903A3 Springfield. Took it off and replaced w/ a nice fitting 5/16 " wood plate.
 
Kick EEZ

The one on the rifle looks like a Kick EEZ. I see that the HiViz also has the large holes for accessing the screws without wallowing an ugly hole in the pad. I had several of these on my shotguns and they were made out of something called sorbathane. And the Kick EEZ did have a way of coming apart with use and time.

The Decelerator pads that I am familiar with do not have the large holes precut for the screw access.
 
I have seen this on a pair of shoes

That ain't from old age or wear.

Shoes had been worn once or twice and kept in a closet for almost a year. Next time they were to be worn the soles crumbled in big pieces when they were handled. No solvents etc involved.

Pete
 
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