Repro 4T / L42 - mounting pads, opinions needed.

[xa-coupe]

I am at the point I need to get mounting pads. There are a few choices and the price varies. Gunparts has the cheapest I can find ( $43 or so ) and a lot of others are in the $70-80 ball park.
The question is: which are the better pads? I don't mind paying more if I get something that is superior but I also don't want to spend more on exactly the same thing.
The only thing I really don't want is undersized pads. I can remove material without too much of an issue but I have limited resources and adding a shim or similar will be a problem I would rather not deal with.
Thanks

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[Peter Laidler]

In England, the poms have a saying. 'It's just like shopping at Marks and Spencers. You get JUST what you pay for. Nothing more and nothing less'. The MOST important thing about repro pads in my own opinion (and I confess to having never used or fitted a set) is the fit of the front mounting spigot in the bracket. It must be a PERFECT fit. If it's loose, regardless of how tight you do the bracket screws up to the pad, it'll still be loose and throw your shots up and down a vertical line

[xa-coupe]

Thanks for the thoughts Peter.
How to tell without actually buying them is the problem... being an antipodean and all they have to come from somewhere else. Our Govnment make it near impossible for anyone to get anything off the ground here.
Someone on the site here apparently sells them and the quality is reported to be excellent .. but they are a little thin. If they are the best quality and I have to shim them then so be it.
Though handy with tools and mechanical things I am a computer nerd by trade and I don't want to screw this up and ruin a good rifle .. or two.

[Hawgeye]

I bought Sarco mount and pads for my bubba'd 4T. The pads mounted with no difficulties and the mount with scope seems to collimate fairly well. I did have to lap the rings into alignment with a lapping bar. The mount seems to hold point of aim through repeated removals and mounting of the mount to the rifle. I originally mounted a Leupold 1 1/2 to 5 on it and managed a five shot group inside of an inch at twenty five yards but a range fire cut short that visit and I've not had the weather on my side since. I put a weaver K-3 on it this fall and it looks the part reasonably well. Just waiting for decent weather to give it a work out. Cheers.

[xa-coupe]

Thanks hawgeye. Did you follow Peter's procedure for the pads ? Sarco can be painful to deal with ( well, my experience ) but I can do it again if I have to.

[OxfordAndy]

xa-coupe......when I was looking there seemed to be a fair few available from "that site" for a gnat's under US$100. In the end I went with some from nobsdave but these needed shimming as they were a little undersized for my LB '44 receiver.

[xa-coupe]

Thanks Andy. Decisions decisions... If they all need shimming I would rather buy from someone on this site.