Limbsaver recoil pads getting sticky

[nvschütze]

Limbsaver needs to get its act together and address this issue. Looks to me like it's something that's not isolated to any particular area of the country...

 

[Overkill338]

Talcum powder worked for me.

 

[cohunt]

common, known issue on both limbsaver and kick-eeze from what I have heard
I have heard the "shelf life" of these products are 10 years
I'm still waiting for mine to start getting sticky-- but I have installed them in the last 10 years

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The safe is in the basement, no sunlight and coolest and driest spot in the house. Nice even temps year round. Heat and sunlight are not the factor.No chemicals or oils applied to pad to cause it to break down.

^^^^^ This is my situation as well ^^^^^
All of my Limbsavers were ground to fit on custom rifles. Some of the pads actually look like they are disintegrating. Some readily stick to the carpet in the safe. For now, I put a small piece of waxed paper between the pad and the carpet just so that the carpet doesn't get embedded into the pad.

 

[EWY]

I had the same thing happen with a Limbsaver I installed in 2004. At the advice of a friend I put on a Kick-eez. He and many of the people he shoots with have been using the Kick-eez with no problems. I recall reading that Limbsaver had a problem with their formula or curing that has been corrected. They will replace the pad for free but installation is on you.

 

[Backcountry sports]

I had one i put on my daughters Winchester compact did the same thing. It ruined the bottom carpetbagging of my safe before I was aware

 

[Backcountry sports]

I had several limbsaver pads do that and stuck to the safe bottom my safe dry all other pads fine just the limbsaver ones on the old style pads

 

[Alibiiv]

LimbSave or Kick-Eez used to provide a tool that consisted of a stud about 1/8th inch in diameter and about 1 1/2 inches long, that was molded into a piece of rubber that was 3/4 of an inch thick and 3/4 of an inch in diameter. The stud part would be inserted into the screw holle that holds the recoil pad onto the buttstock and the entire rifle rested on that tool taking pressure off of the recoil pad and placing it on the tool. It would be simple enough to make one out of a piece of dowel, a nail and some blue to hold the stud in place. And.....I agree this ought not be to be necessary, however this is the hand that has been dealt.

Also I have at least six or seven rifles with Kick-Eez recoil pads that are close to ten-years old and not issues as of yet.

 

[Svashtar]

This happens not just with the limbsaver pads, but with a whole host of synthetic / rubber based materials made in China, usually when they're about 5 or 6 years old. YMMV. I've had this happen with everything from hard plastic knife handles, to plastic Bluetooth speakers, "rubber" recoil pads and grips (not Pachmayer or Hogue, and my one Kick-Eez is still good), to tool handles. Has nothing to do with where the item was stored.

They can send you a new one, but a few years from now you'll be in the same boat.

This really works, and seems to prevent it from happening again: get some denatured alcohol, but even plain rubbing alcohol will work. Use a t-shirt or other good finished cotton/linen shirt or rag that won't leave lint, because of the sticky rubber. A square piece of high-thread count cotton sheet is perfect (just cut it from the bottom of the bed, your wife will never miss it! ). Painters rags used for applying stain are already the right size and texture.

Don't use anything like a red shop towel; you want something tightly woven and "finished" that will hold up to hard scrubbing on a rubbery, sticky surface without leaving any of itself behind.

Soak the cloth in alcohol and start rubbing the item, working small sections at a time, keeping the cloth liberally wet with alcohol. If you try to do the whole item at once it makes a mess, and makes it harder to know when you're done.

Periodically dry your hands on a separate towel, wait a minute or two for any alcohol to evaporate off the surface, and recheck the small sections you've done for tackiness. You'll know when you're done.

Let us know how this works for you. I think you'll salvage it fine using this method.

 

[Rflshootr]

I had this problem as well. Limbsaver offered me the choice of 2 new pads or sending them the stock and they would replace and fit the pad. I took the 2 pads. They told me they had a bad batch of rubber that caused this problem.

 

[Wirefox]

I have several rifles that have limb saver recoil pads on them, and a couple of them are starting to get sticky. They are actually starting to stick to the bottom of the gun safe. Is there anything I can do to stop them from deteriorating? Thank you

Mine did the same on a model 7. Gravel agency (Remington warranty agent in Canada) replaced it no charge. Exact fit. Pad never exposed to heat, etc. Don't know if the new one will be any better.

 

[John Polk]

Not that big of a deal for one of them, but one is a grinder fit that I had to have a gunsmith do for me. I hate to have to pay for him to regrind another pad. Probably not a big deal to do by myself, but it is on a nice rifle and I hate to scratch up the stock

Buy the slip on version.

 

[ofbandg]

I had the same problem. I put limbsavers on a bunch of rifles. Keep them away from carpets. If you have carpeting in your safe stand them muzzle down. I alternate rifles in my safe that way regardless because I can get lots more in. If you keep them away from carpets they last much longer, (and I don't know why).

 

[misterc01]

I have saved some rubber degradation issues by lightly dusting the rubber with talcum powder.