[Bueno]

For all you geniuses out there, pun intended, what are your thoughts of proper and correct balancing of a shotgun.
A friend came to me the other day with a beautiful wood, and finely engraved shotgun, but the weight was
tilting to the butt, because he had installed an Isis recoil reduction system. I had previously asked pro's regarding drilling the wood out the stock and they have replied in unison that removing wood, does not significantly reduce the weight on a butt heavy stock.
The other solution would be adding weights to the front, but the caveat to this is a heavier gun.
The question is this:
Would a perfectly balanced gun, although a bit heavier, be preferable than a butt heavy or barrel heavy gun?
For target and competition use only, so please remove the extensive carrying factor, for sporting or field use. I am all ears.

 

[Tron]

I find it hard to believe that an Isis (with Isis pad) can can cause any noticeable effect on balance. They are more or less weight neutral being that the amount of wood removed is about the same as the unit weighs, depending on wood density of course.

Balance isn't nearly as important for Trap as it is the other, more livelier games such as Sporting Clays though.

 

[MTA Tom]

And some prefer a butt-heavy gun in any case. AverageEd has written about how aging may affect the balance preference.

 

[Tom Strunk]

I like the barrel to be responsive, therefore I always add weight to target guns stock. The added weight will also deminish recoil significantly.

An example is my Browning Citory it has light 32 inch barrels, it was choked full/ full from the factory. I sent it to Briley and had them install thin wall chokes from cylinder to full. Then I had my buddy, Phil Simms build me a new stock. I tried an 8 oz. Mercury reducer, but it wasn't enough weight for me. I then had Tom Wilkinson add a bar of brass weight , 19 oz. if I remember right. Sure it's stock heavy, but the weight really minimizes recoil.

With the gun stock heavy gun, you really don't notice that when the gun is mounted before shooting. I can't shoot a barrel heavy gun. My target shotguns all weigh around 10 1/4 lbs.

My bird guns are all around 6 lbs. And a slightly barrel light.

Tom Strunk

 

[stilltrying]

Suggest you try a wrist weight which are similar to an ankle weight. It would be worn on your forearm wrist. You could remove or add weight to get the perfect balance without ever having to modify the gun. If you are really well off you could wear large gold rings on your left hand or even gold bracelets to you get the perfect feel (balance) . Of course if you are left handed you must put the rings on your right hand. This of course is a Pun.

 

[EuroJoe]

It all depends on the game you're playing. Butt heavy for Box Birds, yoy need to be able to switch directions instantly. Sporting and Columnbaire, neutral and well balanced, weight between the hands. Skeet and trap, muzzle heavy to smooth out the swing, particularly skeet, stops you from stopping the gun.

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

Trapshooters shouldn't be monkeying with the prefect balance in trap guns as they come from the factories. I wish every trap shooter, cept me, would have to shoot those 8 pound wonders as they come out of the box!!

HAP

 

[Bueno]

Thank you guys, all of you (except eurojoe of course) made some fine comments.
Hey Joe, did you advertise your winnings, killing pests in Arizona yet? lol

 

[EuroJoe]

Stick with me, Mikey, you'll be wearing diamonds!

 

[Bueno]

Joe: "wearing diamonds"? Are you proposing? lol
I don't use ear bling, but thanks!