My first deer rifle at the age of 12 was a bubba'd 98 Mauser in 30-06 with a solid steel recoil pad. My first shotgun at age 11 was a Winchester 1887 12 gauge with a solid steel and checkered recoil pad.
Dunno if any of that has anything to do with it but most calibers I've fired do not to me have much recoil. I disdain rubber recoil pads for any but the heaviest calibers. I have two 30-06's that have them but the stocks came with thin rubber pads and would look funny without them. None of my other rifles or shotguns have pads.