Please understand this is just one mans opinion:
I have used Pachmayr recoil pads since the late 70's in conjunction with others such as those made by Silver's, Griffin and Howe and an imported pad that NECG has sold for years. But the mainstay for decades was always the Pachmayr. The rubber material used before the advent of the Decelerator ground and finished up well and held up great under heavy field conditions. Every now and then I receive an older Classic rifle that arrives for a 30 year clean and oil or to replace a barrel and I have never felt a need to replace any 752 Old English pads from that era.
This rifle was built in 1983 and pitched up a year ago for its 3rd barrel. It has never been a safe queen.
This 416 Rigby has been used in Africa as a client loaner, a backup and culling rifle from the early 90's and it appears this old 752 has never ever been wiped down or cleaned up with lighter fluid. But it's still very much in service.
I can't remember the year the Pachmayr went to the Decelerator material. Those newly engineered pads seemed to work OK, gave a little more in the initial recoil moment but still was the best game in town for my rifles. Granted you had to modify the way you finished them up but what else is new. Like the old rubber 752 the decelerator ground and finished up well and offered sufficient density for Leather covered pad application when required.
The last couple of years however Pachmayr has out done themselves in their lack of quality control. There is nothing worse than grinding a pad to fit and running into what I will call a bark pocket, or some hidden material that managed to fall into the casting procedure while under construction.
None of these cavities showed on the exterior of the pad as it came out of the Blister Pack, just fantastic isn't it. These pads were removed shortly after installation.
Call Lyman to complain and they will snd you a new pad, but who pays for the lost and additional man hours required to fix this problem ? It not going to be Lyman
