(Special thanks for the contributions of David Noreen, Walt Snyder & Daryl Hallquist)

Silvers, Jostam Hy-Gun, Hawkins 32 courtesy of Larry Frey




S.W. Silver's Indiarubber Works was established in 1864. "The Anti-Recoil Heel Plate-The Silver's Safety Pad" was introduced in the 1870s. Silvers pads were offered in the 1890 Henry C. Squires catalog. The first Parker fitted with a "Silvers Recoil Butt" was DH #56553 in 1891; the red rubber pad was not listed as an option in Hunter Arms catalogs until 1905.

Other pre-WWI pads included the D&W, Funkes, Huntley Shock Absorber (Omaha) and "Perkins" Recoil Pads (both advertised starting in 1915), Tryon #6, and the American Silver pad (sometimes called Grieb and after about 1915 Goodrich; possibly Ajax-Grieb Rubber Co.)
https://books.google.com/books?id=O1M-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA658&lpg

W.R. Jorgenson Patent No. 1,156,293 for the Jostam Anti-Flinch pad was granted Oct 12, 1915, and the company catalogues of the era say “Organized 1914.” JOSTAM was W.R. JOrgenson, W.D. STannard and A.H. AMmann.
Older Anti-Flinch pads have an Oct. 29, 1914 patent date for J.S. Day's Patent No. 1,123,180. Jostam acquired the Huntley Sponge Rubber Pad after WW I.

The Hawkins Model 25 Recoil Pad by the Cushion Pad Co. was first offered in the early 1920s. Hawkins’ Patent 1,538,990 is dated May 1925.
The NOSHOC pads have a June 6, 1922 patent date, but were not found in catalogs until the early 1930s.

In 1941, the most commonly seen Jostam pad, the Anti-Flinch, was listed at $3.25; the Jostam solid Air Cushion at $3.00; the Hy-Gun at $2.75; and the No-Kick at $1.75. Other pads offered in 1941 were the Hawkins 25 with the heart-shaped vents for $3.25; the White Line by Fray-Mershon Inc. in regular or Skeet style for $2.50; the Noshoc for $1.50; and the Ithaca "Bridge Trestle" pad for $2.25.

Parker SBT c. 1930 with a D-W pad



American Rifleman February, 1929 courtesy of David Noreen




Huntley Shock Absorber

S.A. Huntley was a well known trapshooter
Feb. 1915 Forest & Stream
http://books.google.com/books?id=lRMcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA115&dq

He was a Peters Rep at least 1907 - 1914
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1914/VOL_64_NO_12/SL6412024.pdf

Recreation Oct. 1915
https://books.google.com/books?id=SX07AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA153&lpg
Field & Stream 1916
https://books.google.com/books?id=LIblAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA502&lpg
Outing Nov. 1917
https://books.google.com/books?id=V4xQAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA124&lpg

Folsom Catalog No. 17 c. 1920. Jostam acquired the Huntley shortly after WWI




"Perkins"



Same Perkins?
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1088362




Funkes; possibly A.H. Funke in New York
http://www.landofborchardt.com/1906ahf_catalog.html


American Silver pad (sometimes called Grieb and after about 1915 Goodrich.)
https://books.google.com/books?id=O1M-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA658&lpg

Goodrich HRB is above with the Huntley.

What about �Fraymersion Inc� (sp?) recoil pads? I bought a early Fox A-grade that had one on it. The gun was circa 1910, the pad looked like it came on the gun, original or not, the vintage and age looked correct. Ever heard of this brand??

How about these from Jostam, we discussed them here a few years back. At that time they were a mystery to everyone.

The 'White Line' Recoil Pad was patented by Frank Pachmayr 1-28-35 #2091010, but made by Fray-Mershon of Los Angeles. It was offered by Hunter Arms in the 40s. Pachmayr manufactured the pad after WWII.

The pad on the Parker Bros. SBT is the D - W pad by D - W Manufacturing Co., 360-L Sixth St., Elyria, Ohio. Huntley was taken over and added to the Jostam line after The Great War. Fray - Mershon also had their "Blue Line" recoil pads. There was a pad called "Black Diamond" I found an ad for in the April 1930 Field & Stream, and a while back someone posted pictures of a Philip S. Olt pad which looked much like the 'Black Diamond.' Then there are numerous "trade branded" versions of the Red Head Pad. I'll email you a few pictures Drew.

Many thanks to Researcher who provided these images

"No Jolt" is a tradename variant of the Red Head; for whom is unknown.



Many tradename pads were made by Red Head including 'Trustworthy', 'TruSport' (for E.K. Tryon), and 'Whippet' (for Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.)
Red Head pads first appeared in the 1936 Burkhard catalog and the pad was used on the Marlin Model 90 introduced in 1939.

Black Diamond from April 1930 "Field & Stream"



Philip S. Olt

An Anti-Flinch ad from American Rifleman 1-1-1929 with a list of patents



Neat Jostam brochure courtesy of Daryl Hallquist









Jostam Three Ply





Jostam Hy-Gun September 1928 Hunting and Fishing

GREAT post Dr. Drew!

No luck identifying this pad shown in the 1915 Baker catalog courtesy of Researcher



BTW: Researcher previously explained that JOSTAM was W.R. JOrgenson, W.D. STannard and A.H. AMmann.
Information on W.D. Stannard is here
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/f-p-w-d-stannard-and-montgomery-ward.424145/

From a historical book about Peotone, IL 1856-1956 provided by RocDoc
The Jostam Manufacturing Company was founded in 1914 by Standard, A. H. Ammann, and W. R. Jorgenson, for the purpose of manufacturing gun recoil pads for shotguns and rifles. These pads were shipped all over the world. James Kruger, who started with the firm when founded, made the first pads in his garage at his home.
They later moved to the Ammann Building, now owned by the Sportsmen Club, where they remained for approximately 41 years. They operated all that time with the exception of two years during World War II when material was impossible to be had. The business was sold April 14, 1955 and moved to Dallas, Texas, where it is being operated by Buddy Schoellkopf Products, Inc.

A.H. Ammann in Sporting Life 12-27-1913



I found some more Ammann patents
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1822875
https://books.google.com/books?id=gjHk6UlrD7YC&pg=PA609&dq

1931



1942

This is interesting. Paul J. Krueger pad
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1209726
The chamber is provided to accommodate the rubber or other pneumatic tube, which has a filling valve, and may be placed in the chamber through the opening formed by the flange of the inner casing. This pneumatic tube, in connection with the leather, forms the cushion or pad to absorb the shocks of recoil.

Another Jostam "NO KICK COMING"

Winters Pneumatic Pad
"Sporting Life" 9-1-1900
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/43056



Winters' Patent



Winters' Pneumatic Recoil Pad, June 1898 Sports Afield, with an endorsement from Fred Gilbert who was arguably the best of the best at that point



Gilbert at the 1904 GAH and his Parker looks to be wearing both a "recoil boot" and a Heikes Hand Guard

Don't forget the Grieb, from a circa 1915 H & D Folsom Arms Co. catalog --



In the 1937 Jostam catalog they were also marketing the B.F. Goodrich recoil pads --



In addition to their White-Line recoil pads, Mershon also had their Blue-Line pads --

A custom English pad from the late 1890's, a Rockard, Shulder-Buster.

They also did the grip checkering...

The curved leather covered Jostam that James-l pictured is a beautiful pad that I have not seen before. I have one of those Jostam "No Kick Coming" that Drew pictured. It appears to be one piece rubber with no base. I have one unused that I would like to use but don't know how to mount it. It is also one good looking pad. I think we have all had old Grieb pads on guns and thought they were Silver pads.

I have one of those too, Bill, NIB. I'm thinking it would look much better mounted with a 1/8" - 3/16" black spacer. Haven't decided what to put mine on, yet.

SRH

What is known about a Montgomery Ward WesternField red ventilated pad?

Manufacturer?

Last known date offered?

Thanks, SRH

Drew, Dave, Rob, thanks for the input/info on this thread. Very helpful.

They have metal in the sides. You wouldn�t be able to grind much off before hitting metal.

Thanks, battle. That's good information.

I'm going to try to determine how far the metal extends by probing with a small needle in a pin vise/hand drill. If I can reach the metal in several places I can mark the base to reflect the edge of the metal.

Hoping Dave or Drew will know something about the Montgomery Wards pad.

I cannot show ya'll the most unusual recoil pad I have ever seen but I can tell you where you can see it. Recently, while watching "The Ghosts in The Darkness" starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas, there was a scene with Douglas as Remington, holding a sidelock double rifle. I noticed the recoil pad, and as best I could determine it must have been the first Pachmayr basket weave, black base model.

J.S. Johnson spring loaded pad, which looks to be a slip on

Stan: the Western Field pad mystery is complicated, but we gotta start with the Red Head pads.

Found this about the Red Head brand
E.C. Cook & Bro. was founded in Chicago c.1867 by E.C. Cook (b.1845) and his brother F.W. Cook. They were manufacturers of awnings, tents, waterproof wagon, horse and truck covers, flags, banners and canvas signs. Later they expanded range to include hunters' and tourists' outfits, including jackets, cartridge vests, hats, gun and rifle covers, holsters, belts, cartridge belts, rod cases, and boots.
The Red Head brand name first used 1908. In 1915, a half million dollar contract for boots for the British Army was rejected and the company was forced into bankruptcy. Former employee S. Theodore Anderson, who had been with Cook since 1885 became president of the new Alward Anderson Southard Co, formed along with Charles H. Southard and Edward Hendrickson (with Cook since 1897). The new company took over the closed factory, located at 925 W. Chicago Ave, hired 100 new workers, and resumed production of the defunct Cook's lines.
In 1931, Theodore Anderson died and the company was taken over by his widow, Alma Anderson. The company grew and flourished under her ownership and management, opening a new factory in 1940 at 4300 Belmont Ave. and expanding employment to over 500. Anderson died in 1956 and the company was taken over by Clarke F. Hine. Red Head was purchased by the Brunswick Blake Collender Co, of bowling ball fame, in December 1959. Brunswick purchased the DryBak company several years later, selling both company's similar hunting lines for a time in the 1960s.

So here is Alma's 1937 patent for the Red Head pad



We know many tradename pads were made by Red Head including 'Trustworthy', 'TruSport' (for E.K. Tryon), and 'Whippet' (for Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co., Chicago) and the Marlin Model 90 introduced in 1939

'Whippet' for Hibbard, Bartlett, Spencer & Co., Chicago with same patent date



Western Field but no patents date and different cut-outs. I'll bet it was also made by the Anderson Southard Co., also of Chicago







And a very similar J.C. Higgins for Sears

Red Head on the Sears "Ranger" DeLuxe Stevens 520 in the Fall 1935 catalog

Then there are the various Stevens pads

'T'pad found on the 5100 and others



Jostam "Anti-Flinch" but with 6 cut outs; on a 620 Deluxe.



And this pad

Thank you lots, Drew.

One more question .......... wouldn't one of those Montgomery Ward WesternField pads be appropriate on my MW "WesternField New Model 32" 12 ga."? It came to me with a cheap Japanese/Chinese pad with little duck and phez all over it. Butt ugly.

SRH

Interesting. There was a patent suit settled in 1926 between W.R. Jorgenson (of Jostam) and F.D. Hawkins over the J.S. Day patent #1,123,180 granted Dec. 29, 1914
https://books.google.com/books?id=JvrCPCCBSE8C&pg=PA471&lpg

This may be the first rubber pad in the U.S. - Charles Ritzmann "Red Rubber Recoil Pad" in Forest & Stream 9-2-1880
https://books.google.com/books?id=S0khAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA100&lpg



S.W. Silver's Indiarubber Works was established in 1864. "The Anti-Recoil Heel Plate-The Silver's Safety Pad" was introduced in the 1870s.
The first Parker fitted with a "Silvers Recoil Butt" was DH #56553 in 1891.

More interesting stuff with a Chicago connection. Turns out that Albert H. Ammann was a well known trapshooter.

December 27, 1913 "Sporting Life"
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/57351/rec/37

He competed at the 1909 GAH in Chicago
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/31476/rec/1
and shot at the Chicago Gun Club with W.D. Stannard who was the 'st' of Jostam.



He was a Professional Trade Representative for Winchester, using a Winchester Repeating Shotgun.

In 1914 he was High Professional average for Illinois at .9510 beating W.R. Crosby, Fred Bills, Jay Graham & Homer Clark
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/25026/rec/47

August 19, 1916 "Sporting Life"
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/23377/rec/17



September 2, 1916
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/22505/rec/18



In 1917 he had the 7th Professional Average at .9667
https://books.google.com/books?id=U_I-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA222&lpg

The Jostam Anti-Flinch was made in 5-, 6- and 7-slot sizes.

From 1929 through 1935, the J. Stevens Arms Co. catalogs show their No. 330 double as coming with a Jostam Anti-Flinch recoil pad --



This continued with the No. 530 from 1936 through 1941. Beginning in the 1942 catalog the text says "Stevens Recoil Pad."

Likewise, the first variation Savage Arms Coro. added to their newly acquired Ansley H. Fox shotgun line was their Fox-Sterlingworth Deluxe which featured a Jostam Anti-Flinch recoil pad and twin ivory sights --



All this to show Savage Arms Corp./J. Stevens Arms Co. had large supplies of Jostam Anti-Flinch recoil pads on hand.

Similarly, Ithaca Gun Co. for 1931, offered a spiffy version of their Field Grade with a Hawkins Recoil pad and twin ivory sights --



They did the same with their Lefever Nitro Special and Western Arms Long Range doubles. In 1932 these guns got the Ithaca recoil pad.

Daryl just sent an image of a Red Head TruSport for Edw. K. Tryon, Philadelphia

The J.R. Caldwell pad; assignor to the Seamless Rubber Co., New Haven, CT appears to be the NOSHOC carrying the same patent date
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1418532

As your references lean towards Trap grade guns I'd like to note Frank Morgan's pad.
He made the adjustable "Morgan Pad" before WWII and it is still in production. I have purchased a number of old trap guns that sported his pad, one was on a Remington FE!
Not real old but quite an addition, I saw them used for many years on the trap line.

This is the earliest ad I've found for the Morgan pad Mike; from January 16, 1932 "Sportsmen' Review"



Morgan Adjustable Recoil Pad, 1932
Pat. No. 2,066,218 to W. J. Morgan issued Dec. 29, 1936 permits adjustment simultaneously both horizontally and vertically.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1847777A/en



and the Jenkins, made about 1930-1955. R.C. "Rock" Jenkins was President of the ATA, and the brothers had the Jenkins Brothers Gun Club, in Orleans, IN.

The Jostam story starts with another trap shooter, J.S. Day of Midland, TX. I have not found the original Oct. 29, 1914 Patent No. 1,123,180 which was acquired by Jostam. I also couldn't find evidence that he actually manufactured a pad.

May 30, 1908 is the first mention in Sporting Life, using Peters shells as an amateur
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/32807/rec/6

July 2, 1910 GAH at Chicago High Amateur Average
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/29552/rec/11
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/29559/rec/11

Won the 1910 Amateur Trap Shooting Average .9728
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/28806/rec/17
https://books.google.com/books?id=m0kcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA312&lpg
https://books.google.com/books?id=m0kcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA432&lpg
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/27746/rec/25



He was a Professional Representative for Peters Cartridge Co. starting in 1911

August 24, 1912 in Cincinnati, Ohio he won the "E.C." Cup, emblematic of the World's Championship at Targets (100 singles, 50 expert rules and 25 pairs)
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/26949/rec/61
https://books.google.com/books?id=nUkcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA277

Then at the 1914 GAH he won again, then lost to Homer Clark
https://books.google.com/books?id=hkkcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA375
J.S. Day vs. W.R. Crosby, won by Mr. Day.
Homer Clark (Marlin), as challenger, 182x200 then beat J. S. Day 181x200.

I have the literal question possibly raised by eightbore above......how does one mount a pad without leaving holes in it from the screws?

I recently came across an old RedHead NIB pad at a gunshow and have a shortened 1940s Browning A5 I'd like to add it to.

While I seen plenty of photos of mounted pads, they rarely show any screw holes from attaching the pad to the stock.

Removed pads (as with some samples above) always show screw holes and sometimes the removed screws as well.

What simple idea am I missing here?

Be gentle.

Thanks in advance.

Traditionally, the way to have hidden screw holes is to pierce the face of the pad, at each hole, with something like a slender, pointed Xacto blade. The screw and the screwdriver blade are coated with a thin, clear oil, like Hoppes, which prevents scrubbing of the pad face. The screw is carefully inserted, on the screwdriver, into the cut. It enters the screw hole and is carefully tightened down, then the screwdriver is carefully withdrawn.

Done this way the little cut closes itself and is virtually invisible.

William Knight in Cicero, IL assigned to the Roth Rubber Co. 1-26-32
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1842528A/en



The patent # is on the Jostam No Kick Coming



Maybe Roth Rubber Co. was the actual manufacturer for the Jostam pads?

Another 5-31-32 by Roth Rubber Co.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1861234A/en

The old plant in Cicero is an Asbestos Mesothelioma Exposure Site

I've found a few of those over the years. Everyone I've encountered has been hard as the proverbial rock and as such has been a waste of both my resources and a gunsmiths time. I've had much better luck with other Jostam Pads.

Some pads do not have the rubber bonded to a hard plastic base for attaching to the stock with screws. This type of pad is glued on to the wood. I would mask the wood and finish carefully if attempting to install one on a finished stock. Recommendations for a good pad adhesive can be found in this thread:

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubb...3666#Post543666

This thread might be of interest - primarily recoil devices rather than pads
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/rec...7/#post-8567090

The 1916 Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. catalog listed the Jostam "Anti-Flinch" and 2 I have not heard of nor find with an internet search; Philadelphia Ventilated and Y.C. - Young & Cadwallader.
H.W. Cadwallader was a well known trap shooter from Danville and later Decatur, Ill who was active from the late 1890s to after WWI. He was a Peters Rep and competed as a Professional at the 1915 Chicago GAH
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/24997/rec/201

https://archive.org/details/HibbardSpencerBartlettCatNo611916/page/n1639/mode/2up

After a bit of searching, it is likely that the Young of the Y.C. pad was Jesse S. Young of Chicago. He had the High Amateur Singles Average of .9509 and tied 2nd Doubles High Average at .8500 in 1909
January 22, 1910 Sporting Life, p. 22
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll17/id/30303

He and H.D. Cadwallader competing at the Chicago Gun Club
November 15, 1913 Forest & Stream
https://books.google.com/books?id=yBwcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA632&lpg

That Pennsylvania Ventilated looks a lot like the pad shown on the Baker SBT back on page 1.

Good eye Dave - 5 holes

Have not been able to find any other catalog listings for the Pennsylvania Ventilated pad, but Pennsylvania Rubber Co., maker of Penn tennis balls would be a good candidate.

Pointer Pad
January 1949 American Rifleman courtesy of David Noreen

Mrs. W.A. Davis at the 1917 GAH with her Parker, Heikes Hand Guard & Jostam Two Ply Pad

South Shore Country Club, Chicago
http://books.google.com/books?id=Zd1JAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA462&lpg

Curved Jostam B&W pad from James on the 1st page.
I do not know when they were offered, nor if they carry a patent date



Babcock & Wilcox Co. was primarily a boiler manufacturer, went by B&W and in the 1940s produced synthetic rubber
https://www.babcock.com/about/history

1929 National Sportsman Jostam the "Largest manufacturers of recoil pads in the world."

January 16, 1932 Sportsmen's Review
"Comfortable Shooting is Straighter Shooting"