Have a Simms pad on a lightweight magnum and felt recoil not an issue but the same applies to decelerators...I do like them they are very soft ..now long term wise not sure if they will hold up as well as a decelerator and that softness could be an issue shouldering a rifle when wearing heavy clothes... Gunsmiths at least the few I have spoken to about them do not like installing them since they are hard to grind..maybe why they came out with the grindable pads...