A buttpad assembly for use on a firearm includes a base wall, a cushion body and a guard element. The top of the photoconductive element has an outgoing face formed with numerous microstructures. The absorbent polymers can be modified to obtain a faster vortex time by a method including providing an absorbent polymer having a first vortex time, absorbing water with the absorbent polymer, freeze-drying the swollen absorbent polymer to remove at least a portion of the absorbed water, and obtaining a modified absorbent polymer having a second vortex time.