Barrel weights

[Beowulf]

I have a FWB P44 and I am wondering if barrel weights would help to improve my erratic scores ( sometime 93/100 often 87/100 occasionally 77/100 ) which I have convinced myself is due to barrel wobble.

[Rover]

Nah, it's you jerking on the trigger.

[v76]

A look at a few of your targets and past history would help pose a somewhat clearer diagnosis!

IMO, weights will probably mask the wobbling a bit but if you attribute it to it, it's probably because you're focusing on that during your shot process - I'd probably look at that first. Wobbling will always be present, it's a matter of everything coming together before, during and after the shot release that will make a good shot.

[rmca]

Nah, it's you jerking on the trigger.

+1

A decent follow thru will tell you more about your shooting than anything you hang on the gun.
Try to understand what happened when you have a bad shoot. Did you jerk the trigger, was your hold poor, here you gripping to hard, etc... follow thru!
And don't blame the equipment, it's ALWAYS you that's at fault... (and don't take this personally, we are ALL at fault when we have a bad shot, VERY, very, seldom is it the gun's fault...)

Hope this helps

[EdStevens]

I agree it's going to be your fault. IMO, barrel weight will usually help to dampen and stabilize natural barrel movement, which can make a good shot better once you settle in the middle of the black and break the shot properly (assuming a centre hold, of course). However, the extra weight also increases momentum, so if you anticipate the shot and begin a swing of the front sight before the gun goes off, the extra weight can actually make a bad shot worse. I consider my Model 41 (which has a very heavy balance towards the muzzle) a very "honest" gun in this respect. If I make a good shot, it's every bit as accurate as my MG2, and will give me tens all day. However, if I mess up, it's going to punish me more than the MG2, which is better balanced.

[John Marchant]

Good point Ed.
I found that when I fitted barrel weights to my LP1 with the idea that it should help to reduce barrel flip, it did reduce the barrel flip for a few shots and then my muscle reactions started to learn the new balance and promptly caused the shots to go vertically high.
After a couple of weeks, took the barrel weights off and accepted that the muzzle flip was down to poor timing and allowing the foresight to drop out of alignment.
Went back to basics and tried to think about the sights and getting the shot away in a timely fashion.

[Rover]

So you guys all agree with me?

[John Marchant]

Seems possible this time Rover.

[rmca]

There's a first for everything... ;)

[S44captain]

I've noticed that I have more "wobble" before, during ' after with a new compact than my heavy IZY. I'm wondering if maybe for some shooters & pistols the barrel weights help simply by adding additional weight?

[David M]

You might notice more wobble with a light compact than a heavier pistol, but it is a different wobble.
The lighter compact pistol will wobble at a faster frequency but smaller overall movement and the heavier pistol will be a slower wobble but greater overall movement.
The lighter pistol with good trigger control will give you a tighter group BUT poor trigger control will put the shot out further.
The heavier pistol has a larger group and tends to dampen poor trigger shots.
With good control the compact will give you the higher scores by a few points, it will help pull you 9.8's and 9.9's into the 10 ring. But a poor shot will push out into the 8 or 7 ring.