Steven Gabrielli said
There’s always the option of using an original pad that doesn’t do much for recoil, but at the range just use one of the slip over pads.
  

If you have Orangutang-length arms, that might work for rifles of less recoil. My experience with slip-ons was they needed a non-flexible butt to keep them from twisting off the line of backthrust. My very limited experience in that respect was with a 3" magnum 12 gauge I'd borrowed. 

I think Garrett has the right idea - one for show and one for use. 

One of these days - maybe even before I assume room temperature -- the Model 70 collector community may wake up to the post-63 African's unique qualities. 

The differences between the 1962 and 64-80 African do exist but they are minimal, the only mechanical difference being the 1964 action. The barrel length was reduced to 22" and an additional crossbolt was installed. The chief cosmetic difference i see most often is the wood becoming straight-grained and unfigured. I believe the reason for the crossbolt and straight grain wood was because the earlier African had a bad tendency to split or fracture its stock. 

The two-piece bolt does need to be pinned. 

The 64-80 African stock was a custom job, hand fitted, hand checkered and finished by a local stockmaker. It never suffered excessive fitting gaps and impressed checkering.and overall quality was at least as good as the last pre-64 Supergrades. Mine was made in 1980 and it is a fine example of what Winchester could still do when let. 

I'll let the late, great PH Harry Selby have the last word on the post-63 African. When his Rigby-built Mauser 416 wore out its barrel, he had an American client buy him a new post-63 African and used it to back up Safari clients for the several years it took Rigby to rebarrel his 416. When it finally came back from London, he sold it to a collector and continued using the African. 

His response to catcalls about the push feed action:  "Just don't shortstroke the bolt."  

About the supposed inadequacies of the 458 Winchester cartridge: "With handloads, the 458 is adequate for anything in Africa." 

Tom B.

Glshuck said
I can't say for sure whether the pad on it is sorbothane or not. About all I can tell you is that it is black with a white line. It is however an era correct pad, which was surprising beings I have always looked at pachmeyer white lines as a 70's thing. Maybe I am misguided in doing so. 
In this instance, I think the correct pad needs to go on the gun regardless of the comfort factor. I don't really intend to shoot this one, and if I do- it'll be with mouse-fart handloads, running at the approximate speed of smell. I have the dies and plenty of brass, as I already own a later model push feed .458 (everyone needs a spare, right?). I have shot full power loads through that gun and I expect this pad was replaced in attempt to help with the recoil. Not exactly a cartridge to be fired on white underwear days. 
  

The Pachmayr "Whiteline" ventilated pad goes back much further than the Nineteen Seventies. It was introduced by Mershon in partnership with August and Frank Pachmayr in 1935.  There was some litigation later when, about 1945, Pachmayr begin using the design under its own name. By 1950 the dispute was resolved and the pads were manufactured with "Pachmayr Whiteline" molded into the face of the pad.  The early Weatherby rifles sold in the Forties featured these pads, custom ordered with "Tomorrow's Rifles Today" molded in, but they were Pachmayr Whitelines. 

Although Browning installed a brown, Browning logo Pachmayr Whiteline on magnum caliber High Powers, the usual practice of Browning dealers was to install the same brown, but Pachmayr logo, pad at customer request, when the dealer installed a scope. My main deer rifle is a 1962 Safari Grade High Power (FN Mauser) .30/06 Springfield, with the latter such pad. 

Given the relatively high price  and overall quality of a Browning High Power in 1962, the cheap plastic buttplate was a jarring note and was uncomfortable to shoot in a major centerfire caliber. If mine hadn't come with a Pachmayr pad, I'd have had one installed. Like the pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherweights - the vast majority of which were chambered in .30/06 -- the High Powers look odd to me without a Whiteline. 

I confess I don't like the black versions. Red and brown look proper. They go quite well with Filson Cruisers. 

In this instance, I think the correct pad needs to go on the gun regardless of the comfort factor. I don't really intend to shoot this one, and if I do- it'll be with mouse-fart handloads, running at the approximate speed of smell. I have the dies and plenty of brass, as I already own a later model push feed .458 (everyone needs a spare, right?). I have shot full power loads through that gun and I expect this pad was replaced in attempt to help with the recoil. Not exactly a cartridge to be fired on white underwear days. 

I hope Steve is able to come through for you but, out of curiosity, is the Pachmayr pad presently on your African a Sorbothane pad? 

I have a 1980 African, the last of the breed before all gun production ceased. The 1980 style reverted to the solid red Winchester patent date pad, which, I'm here to tell you, is not as much fun as an ice cream social when actually shooting the gun. 

The African is not a heavy gun at about 9 pounds when it ought to weigh 11 or 12,  for a cartridge delivering recoil in the 65 foot pound neighborhood.

I suppose this is an extreme example of the difference between collectors and shooters. Anyone (except a masochist)  who plans to actually use your .458 for the purpose intended, would be very happy with a Sorbothane pad.

Limbsaver used to make a beautiful solid red Sorbothane pad that would keep the African shooter from losing 20 points of IQ every time he pulled the trigger. 

I realize this is a contrarian's opinion but I have the romantic notion these rifles are best enjoyed doing what they were meant to do.  In my case, it can only be ugly "Rooshun hawgs" although they can and will cut you wide, deep, and serious, if you mess up. And yes, I use handloads. 

Congrats on the sale of the 94/95 hybrid. I sure do like that one as it's in fine condition.

Thanks for offering it here to the members first.

Tony

You are right that Galazan is not making the correct repro Pre-64 M70 vent pad any more.  Best bet may be to find an otherwise wrecked take-off stock with the correct factory pad and cross your fingers it's fit is close enough...

I don't have anything suitable.  I do have a rough Featherweight-Westerner (with that pad) that I'm going to send to auction, but no take-off stocks.  I had one but I gave it to a WACA member who had a similar problem a couple years ago.

Good Luck!!!  You'll find what you need eventually...

Lou

 I find something I would like to buy  every day without futzin' around with auctions.