Am I addicted to barrel weight?

[Cubano]

I have a Steyr LP10. I shoot with two barrel weights for awhile now.

I am shooting much better with barrel weight and a narrow alignment sight.

Once I take the barrel weights off, I am not shooting as well.


Am I addicted to barrel weight? Is barrel weight making me a better shooter than I really am?

Keep training with barrel weights on? or training with weight off and train to make myself truely a better shooter?

[Lovee]

If barrel weight is making you a better shooter, keep it on. It is all about confidence.

[David Levene]

Is barrel weight making me a better shooter than I really am?

Probably more a case of the barrel weights making the gun more suitable for you.

What do you thing the purpose of barrel weights is?

[cubano]

Barrel weights make my pistol more front heavy, some what more balanced.

With barrel weight, sight alignment seem to wobble less right after trigger shot off. Without it, alignment seem to wobble more. Or at least that is what I think. Without barrel weight, even if I can't see the the post shot-off wobble, the result is just not as good compare with barrel weight on.

So train with barrel weight on or off?

[David Levene]

So train with barrel weight on or off?

Assuming that you are taliking about the normal Steyr barrel weights then I would suggest training and competing with the barrel weights on.

Why would you even think about taking them off?

[luftskytter-]

It's a matter of what you can handle.
Amount of training/shooting and your physical condition.
You don't want longterm strain that leads to injury.

I also get a lower score with a lighter gun, because I miss when doing something wrong. I believe it's good for me to try this every now and then to "remind" me of the importance of good shooting discipline!
But most of the time I train with the same gun I use for competing.

[JamesH]

Does it wobble 'more' or just seem to because it wobbles faster?

[A74BEDLM]

I have weights on all my Pistols - MG2E, MG4, MG1E, Toz-35M and SW686. Some are are pure Barrel Weights (686, MG2 and 4) and then some are adjustable (Toz-35M - on Centra forend, MG1E on adjustable rods).

I like the weights and use them to achieve pistol static balance. When I raise the pistol I adjusted the weight in order that the Fore sight and Rear Sight are aligned vertically (horizontal alignment controlled by grip). This means less time adjusting pistol to get sight alignment on raise.

On the 686 I'm sure it reduces Muzzle flip.

[lastman]

It's a matter of what you can handle.
Amount of training/shooting and your physical condition.
You don't want longterm strain that leads to injury.

They weigh like 20 grams each... What kind of long term stress injuries can an additional few grams cause?

I don't want to sound insulting to anyone, but saying although this does sound pretty insulting (I don't mean to be.) "Am I addicted to barrel weights" is about as non-sensical as saying "Am I addicted to moving my sights."

To put it real simply, if barrel weights improve your shooting why in gods name would you want to take them off.

Barrel weights are not a training tool, they are available so that you can configure the balance of your pistol to your own personal liking.

So if they improve your shooting put them on the gun, maybe have a play around and find the optimal position for them and relax in the knowledge you have done something so simple that will improve your scores.

Good luck

[JamesH]

I did find weights work for a while, then the effect wears off, not sure if my tendons stretch or what.