NOS No.5 Buttpad Grunge (not cosmo)

Hey Bindi

Thanks for not including "soft" like this buttpad!

Seriously, thanks to WNO's suggestion, rubbing/scrubbing with white vinegar and an old toothbrush actually did remove almost all the whitish sheen. The pad is not quite "as new" black, but almost, so I'm well satisfied with the process. Took about 10 minutes total for two scrubbings with drying in between to check for progress. I might do it one more time, but maybe not as it's quite good already.

Thanks WNO!

Does anyone know whether these late-war/postwar buttpads were made from natural rubber or from synthetic rubber? It matters because it will dictate the type of surface protectant we use.

tj214
There are some things I don't need to say. :thup: But if the softness is there stop dreaming some things harden with age. :D No5 butt pads being one :lol:

Just to bump this a bit - I got a "NOS" pad from Liberty Tree, it was covered in the same white residue, which cleaned off quite easily with a toothbrush and dish washing liquid (Dawn). I compared it to the pad on my unissued/unfired No5 and it was an exact match, except that it was actually soft and pliable. I'm thinking that oil and/or cosmoline might speed up the hardening of the rubber pad, and using talc stops it from absorbing oil.

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Originally Posted by IanD

I'm thinking that oil and/or cosmoline might speed up the hardening of the rubber pad, and using talc stops it from absorbing oil.

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According to an old (around 2008) post by Peter Laidler armouries used to store the No5's muzzle-down to stop the oil attacking and hardening the Butt-Pad.

Here's my recently acquired NOS No.5 butt pad that came from Apex, after a clean up with white vinegar, and after installing on my rifle.

:)

Attachment 111616Attachment 111617

Looks good

Decreasing the area available to absorb recoil that is. Narrower too.

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Originally Posted by Bindi2

Looks good

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Shot it for the first time since last weekend, and it did feel a bit more comfortable to shoot. Wasn't a huge difference, but a noticeable one with the much softer squidgy rubber. I gave it a good coat of Gummi Pflege as well, and will keep using that on it periodically to preserve it that way for as long as poss.

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Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

According to an old (around 2008) post by Peter Laidler armouries used to store the No5's muzzle-down to stop the oil attacking and hardening the Butt-Pad.

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That makes sense, however in civilian life, everyone just racked them and what we get today is a hockey puck. Mine was bought from a collection and I can guarantee it spent at least forty years muzzle up in a rack. Which reminds me, I should order another pad.