I am so pleased with my Tikka T3X Hunter. Most accurate of my rifles...hands down. But, it does pack a wallop when shot from the bench, so I decided to order the Airtech pad which is supposedly a direct changeout with the original pad...Not quite.
When the original pad is removed, a plastic (?) spacer remains firmly attached to the butt of the stock. The spacer has a raised rim and the Airtech sits beautifully on this rim, just like it was made for it.....HOWEVER...in doing so, this leaves a gap between the surface of the pad, and the top of the spacer. The only thing supporting the Airtech is the rim of the spacer....I did not trust arrangement not to result in a defaced, damaged spacer and or stock.
I contacted Limbsaver and after explaining my situation, and sended requested pictures to illustrate, I was offered a slightly more narrow, and slightly longer pad as a replacement at no cost to me....However, the slightly longer pad would have to have been modified in order to work.
I respectfully declined and offered that I would try a different solution to add support to the pad I had ordered. I went to Lowes and picked up a package of Fender Washers (size M 8 x 24 seemed to work)
I put a washer around each screw to fill the gap between spacer and base of pad, and feel much better about having installed my aftermarket pad.

How would you approach this?
Gary

Just curious, what caliber we talking here?

Pads and belt sanders are made for each other and that is my choice for modifications if needed.

Could you post those pictures here?

The Tikka is a left hand model .270.

I did not want to modify the rifle in any way so that I might restore it to its original configuration should I ever decide to sell the rifle,or simply not care for the limbsaver pad....That is the reason I didn't file or sand the lip off of the spacer.

Sorry, I havent kept up with how to xfer pictures onto this site.