Gilson Lyceum is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Best Ar Recoil Pads of 2024

Lorin Nielsen
  Apr 19, 2024 5:42 PM

We spent several hours searching the internet for best ar recoil pads, reading reviews, and drawing on our own personal experiences to compile our list of the top 8 best ar recoil pads now available on the market.


Overview

The shoulder recoil pad is a weak spot that can get hurt easily. It's important to take care of it so you don't hurt yourself or feel pain. Recoil pads are made for this, but there are a lot of different kinds on the market that you should think about before you buy one.

This kind of pad reduces the amount of force each shot puts on your body, which can help you feel less tired over time. There are many good things about using this kind of pad, but there are also some bad things you should know about before you buy one.

We've put together a list of the 15 best shoulder recoil pads you might want to buy this year. They come in many different shapes, sizes, colours, and prices, so everyone can find something they like. Check out our article to learn more about them.


Compare Products

1
  • SCORE
    9.4
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    LimbSaver
2
  • SCORE
    9.4
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    Missouri Tactical Products LLC
3
  • SCORE
    9.2
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    Missouri Tactical Products LLC
4
  • SCORE
    9.2
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    TACBRO
5
  • SCORE
    9.0
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    Recoil Eraser
6
  • SCORE
    9.0
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    KEEPER MG
7
  • SCORE
    8.6
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    360 Tactical
8
  • SCORE
    8.4
    AI Score

    G Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts (people love working outdoors with people and plants). It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our team based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more

  • Brand
    TOURBON

Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API


Buying Guide

Shoulder pads are a great way to make shooting less painful on your shoulder. They are also a great choice for people who shoot rifles with a lot of recoil because they can help balance the force from both directions. The right pad will protect you without making it hard to move or making you less accurate.

Shoulder recoil pads are things that are made to protect your shoulder when you are using a gun. They are usually shaped like a kidney or a rectangle, and both right-handed and left-handed shooters can use them.

When you use a shoulder recoil pad, some of the tension from shooting a gun goes to the pad instead of your shoulder. This makes shooting less painful. Also, if you already have an injury to your shoulder from something else, a shoulder recoil pad will help relieve the pressure and irritation caused by shooting a gun.

If you're shooting a gun with "heavy recoil" or "power," you might not want to use one because it could make any injury you already have worse. If you're going to shoot a gun with a smaller calibre, like a.22 or.38, that should help reduce the pain and discomfort in your shoulder.

Some people think that all recoil pads will make things worse by blocking their view or making it hard to reach the trigger, but this is not true at all. There are a lot of different types of shoulder recoil pads on the market today that will work well for any shooter. Now all you have to do is pick one! Here are some tips on how to choose a good pad:

Material

There are a lot of different things that can be used to make these pads, like cork, rubber, or foam-rubber composites like neoprene. However, plastic is by far the most common material. Plastic makes a pad that is light and flexible so that it can bend with your shoulder.

Size

For best results, the size of the recoil pad should match the size of the rifle. If you have a hunting gun with a small calibre, like a.17 or.22, you should buy a smaller recoil pad made for these guns. The same goes for guns with bigger calibres like.30-.35; you should buy a bigger recoil pad made for the bigger rifles.

Weight

You might want to buy a lightweight recoil pad if you can't hold or carry your rifle for a long time. But if you are using your shoulder to hold up your rifle, it can be hard to hold it up with light materials like plastic. It is suggested that you buy a heavy-duty recoil pad so that you can use it without having trouble holding it up.

Shape

When looking for the best shoulder recoil pad for you, it's also important to think about the shape of the pad. Straight pads are flat rectangles that make a straight line along your shoulder. This makes it hard for some people to hold their rifles correctly.

Curved or contoured pads are curved or shaped to fit the natural curve, which can help you hold your gun better when shooting.

Grip Width 

How much padding is on the recoil pad tells how wide the grip is. For maximum comfort and effectiveness, the width of this padding should be the same as the width of your rifle's grip. If the grip is narrow, the recoil pad needs to be narrow as well. If the grip is wide, the pad needs to be wide.

Price

When you're looking for the best shoulder recoil pad, it's important to think about how much it costs. Even though there are a lot of different brands and styles, not all of them have the same features, which affects how much they cost. Before you buy a recoil pad, no matter how much it costs, you should think about things like the brand and the quality.

Type Of Rifle

If you have a bolt-action rifle, you will want a small, compact recoil pad like those on shotgun-style rifles because they don't kick as hard as other guns.

Caliber

How big your rifle is is another thing to think about when choosing a recoil pad. If your rifle shoots a smaller calibre (.22), you can use a heavier pad because it won't make as much of a difference as if you were shooting a larger calibre (.30).

Usage

Last but not least, you should think about how often you want to use your rifle. If you only shoot a few rounds on the weekends, you can choose to use the recoil pad that came with your rifle. If not, upgrading is always a good idea!


Faqs

Q. Are recoil pads difficult to install?

A. In general, no, especially when compared to the installation of optics, muzzle brakes, laser sights, grips, and other accessories. The slip-on pad is obviously the easiest to use because putting it on is as easy as putting on a glove. Screw-on pads are still easy to install. All you need is a drill and a sharp eye to make sure you don't split the stock. Grind-to-fit models are the most complicated, but the hardest part is not installing the unit; it's getting the shape of the pad to match your weapon.

Q. What other products can increase comfort during shooting?

A. The first thing to do. Whenever you use a gun, you should always have the right safety gear with you. This means safety glasses or goggles for the eyes and ear plugs for the ears (earmuffs or earplugs). Aside from that, tactical gloves can give you extra padding and weather protection to make shooting outside more comfortable. If you shoot from a prone or kneeling position, you should also think about knee and elbow pads. Lastly, things like suppressors that cut down on noise can save your ears in the long run.

Q. Are there other ways to reduce the amount of recoil I feel?

A. A recoil pad is a great way to lessen the kick you feel when you pull the trigger, but it doesn't actually lessen the kick of the gun. There are several ways to do that, though, if even with a pad or shooting vest the recoil is too strong. The most obvious way is to use less power to shoot a lighter projectile, but this isn't always possible. If not, you could use the gases that come out of the gun to your advantage by getting a muzzle brake or a compensator. The idea behind these products is that instead of letting these gases escape in the usual way, you can direct them in a way that pulls the gun slightly forward, reducing some of the recoil. You won't be able to get rid of all the energy by doing this, but you will notice a difference.


5
3 ratings