I do recall the painful recoil when first shooting my new Model 760 in the late 1950’s. I did not like the recoil and my larger father did not like it. He started looking for a used one in 257 Roberts. I did not buy into that because mine was a 270 Winchester and Jack O’Connor had a lot of good to say about the 270. A few years later I supplemented the M760 with a Savage 110CL in 270 Winchester. The metal butt plate on the Savage was worse than the M760 butt. Rather than being flat it had a slight “C” shape that sharply transfer recoil to the shoulder. Within a week I had my Miter Box and saw out cutting the stock back and installing a Pachmayr recoil pad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitre_A couple years later I earned enough to have the local gunsmith install a Pachmayr recoil pad on it. A very good investment and I have enjoyed shooting the rifle. Recoil was not an issue out deer hunting when wearing clothing heavier than a T-shirt.
I have to agree with PawPaw, the Pachmayr Decelerator is a good route to go. Far more painful at the bench was a Ruger 77 in 7MM Remington Magnum. The Red, Hard Rubber Butt plate is not a recoil pad. One of the many reasons the rifle has been a back shelve rifle is the painful recoil. After twenty some years I had a local shop install a Pachmayr Decelerator pad on it. It has made a world of difference. This spring I was testing loads over the Chrony and fired 30 plus rounds without discomfort. In the past I was done in by the time I fired a box of factory loads.
There are a number of good pads out there that not only reduce recoil but look good on the rifle.
The British must think that recoil must inflict pain on the shooter or? The best example of this is the hard rubber recoil pad they designed and installed on the Jungle Carbine. I would not be surprised that a good researcher could find secrete documents regarding the design. I believe it was design to enhance a crushing butt stroke to the enemy combatants face in close quarter combat.
I did not want to remove the old bone crusher from the stock, so I chose a Pachmayr Slip-on recoil pad. This resulted in the most dramatic recoil reduction I have experience in a rifle. I purchased the pad at Wal Mart and slipped it on the stock, a rather simple process. If you go for it like other pads be sure and measure the surface it is to fit so that you buy the correct size.
