jnewell

I think that may be only on the "tactical" models

Agree with those above but FYI/FWIW I ordered a spare from Brownells so I'll have one on hand for that foreseeable occasion.

No...and the way things are going at work and home, it may be a while...

The Nova is a great bargain. I bought a new one with GRS for utility use last week for $325 OTD after $50 rebate. In either case, buy the one you want (stock config) up front. New stocks are so expensive that swapping stocks ona SN will cost you more than some shotguns unless you get lucky and find someone to swap stocks with on an even basis.

No...and the way things are going right now it may be a little while You're right - first, by factory standards, the SLP pad is actually pretty good, and obviously the gun's operating system helps a lot, too. But when it comes to recoil, less is always better.

I took a few pictures last night quickly. The two below do not give as clear a picture of the difference between the width of the SLP buttstock and the SVL 10301 Win 1300 pad. Note that as previously mentioned the angle at the toe is also a little steeper on the pad. None of this is a big deal IMO on a working gun but you should be aware of this if you do this mod. I'll try to get better pictures shortly.

Will do, but probably not till the weekend. I'd like to show the extent to which the SLP buttstock is proud to the pad. In my opinion, for a working gun, not an issue, but it might bother some people. It does not appear to present any functionality issues, especially since this LS pad has a full plastic backer (unlike many other LS pads).

The Limbsaver 10301 (Win 1300) arrived today. A quick inspection shows: 1. top/bottom (length) dimension is just about perfect 2. width is a small amount narrower than the SLP butt - functionally fine 3. toe angle is a little steeper on the 10301, but not disturbingly so 4. screw position on the 10301 has sufficient offset relative to the SLP buttstock that the screws holding the adapter plate in the buttstock do not interfere with holes drilled and tapped for 10-24 machine screws to attach the pad to the adapter plate

Yes. Mine needed a couple of hundred rounds to loosen up to full reliability with light loads.

If the SVL template is correct, it has a full-width hard plastic backer and no sub-size insert for a hollow syn-stock. It does show two teats that can be filed off. In theory...it should work. A 1300 pad is inbound at this time...we shall see. BTW, a Remington 870 for a wood Wingmaster is very close, just a hair undersized.

Here's an update on this. This one is still very much in process. The FN recoil pad isn't bad, but I really like the LimbSaver pads. Unfortunately, they don't make one for this shotgun. So... I printed out the LimbSaver templates on the SVL website. The Winchester 1300 pad looks like an almost exact fit on the outside dimensions, but the screw holes don't line up at all. What I've done is to make what's going to be an adapter plate from 1/8" sheet aluminum. It fits into the buttstock cavity and will be attached with screw in the OEM holes. I plan to drill and tap holes in this plate to secure the Winchester 1300 pad, assuming its outer dimensions do in fact match the SLP stock. I've got that pad on order from Brownells, so maybe this weekend I'll have more to report. Here's a picture of the adapter plate I made:

The other thing about GTF is that the sidewalls are usually thicker. Thinner is better for this purpose, in my experience. I have been fidding with calipers and the templates and my hunch is that the 10105/10102 is likely to be a slightly better fit. I have a couple of 870 Wingmaster pads (that's what those numbers are) in the basement and am going to check this. Edit: I think you're right - the 1300 pad is a better fit vertically. The 870 WM pad ain't a bad fit, by the way, if it's carefully centered. It's just a little thin and a little short, not very noticeable for a working gun. The Win 1300 may be better, however. If it works, it will be a much better installation with an adapter made from 1/8" sheet aluminum. Grind to fit inside the stock, drill to match the SLP's screwholes, then drill and tap to match the pad's screwholes. I'll let you know what I find, assuming I actually get this done.

There are a few people out there in internet-land who repeatedly post about broken SLP pistons. Have you ever had one break on your SLP? Have you personally seen one break? I've searched around a lot with Google and found exactly one first-person report of a broken SLP piston. This seems like the place to ask about this, since folks here run their guns a lot harder than most. Thanks for your answers.

My SLP came with two tubes, one marked CYL - Lead and the other IMP CYL - Lead. I have a feeling I may have answered your question on another forum also? If you really have a tube marked MOD - Lead, I'd call FN and get a replacement, which I would guess they would send you for free.