Matchguns MG2 setup

[jbaumhauer]

Hello. Posting here for the first time from Germany. I own a updated MG2 pistol for the past year. It's really great and much easier to shoot well than my previous walther. I have just the standard MG2 model. I have an offer to buy a barely used aluminum rapid fire weight for €250. I'm thinking this might not offer any advantage over my existing setup and the steel version would offer superior recoil and recovery advantage??? I don't know of any aluminum standard or rapid fire MG2 guns in my circles. Does anyone use them? What counterweight setup do most of the top Matchguns shooters use?

[conradin]

Check back at the end of the month...then I will have the answer for you.

[jbshooter]

I have the aluminium counterweight and found it made the muzzle too light for me - even after filling the bottom holes with lead.

[jbaumhauer]

Check back at the end of the month...then I will have the answer for you.

Hi conradin. Can I ask you what counterweight you use?

[deadeyedick]

I also have both the Ergal and steel weights. For Rapid Fire the heavier RF steel weight has the advantage, however for Sport Pistol the Ergal weight with the optional tungsten weights ( two per side with springs inserted then weights ) does it for me.

[jbaumhauer]

I have the aluminium counterweight and found it made the muzzle too light for me - even after filling the bottom holes with lead.

Hi jbshooter. I'm not shocked that you say this. Rapid fire pistols usually must be front heavy for a reason.

[paulNZ]

I also have both the Ergal and steel weights. For Rapid Fire the heavier RF steel weight has the advantage, however for Sport Pistol and even Standard the Ergal weight with the optional tungsten weights ( two per side with springs inserted then weights ) does it for me.

This is quite a timely topic as I am planning on buying the MG2 soon. Do you know the weight of your pistol with the ergal and steel counterweights?

[deadeyedick]

My MG2RF weighs in at 940 Gm with the Ergal weight including mag.
From memory it weighs around 1104 gm with the steel weight.

[paulNZ]

My MG2RF weighs in at 940 Gm with the Ergal weight including mag.
From memory it weighs around 1104 gm with the steel weight.

That's great. Thanks. Visually can you tell the counterweights apart? Is the finish or surface texture different?

[ghostrip]

From a conversation with stefano i believe you can order the MG2 with the following front weights
standard steel weight (229 main weight + 2*28grams the side paltes = 285 grams)
standard alum weight (~ 70 grams from a conversation with stefano)
rapid fire steel weight (~300 grams)
rapid fire alum weight (~ 155 grams)
If you do not mention the specific weight i believe you will get the steel version.

I bought my MG2 sn4xxx 4years ago. it was the plain standard version. It's weight was 1065gr (285 the standard steel weight and 780 the frame/slide/grip assembly).
pistol was fine and got my scores high but i got involved with RF (i never liked RF with GSP but with MG2 is my favorite discipline) so
after a couple years i got the rapid fire alum weight (~ 155 grams). reason was i wanted the brakes and the tungsten weights but the steel weight plus tungsten would go be too much forward weight.

As a result i have now the alu rf weight 155gr plus 80gr of lead with the 780 grams of frame/slide/grip and 30 grams at the trigger guard. Total weight is (155+80+35+780) = 1050gr

Some more weights are grip (a Small to Medium cut to my hand) about 170 grams
Standard slide 98 grams

As an epilogue i must say the MG2 is perhaps the most versatile gun in weight distribution. You can even make it super light (with the standard alu weight it should weight 850-900 grams)

[deadeyedick]

That's great. Thanks. Visually can you tell the counterweights apart? Is the finish or surface texture different?

The Ergal weight is machined beautifully and anodised shiny black.
The steel weight is identical in dimensions however has been shot peened or glass beaded and then blued resulting in a more subdued matte finish.

[conradin]

Check back at the end of the month...then I will have the answer for you.

Hi conradin. Can I ask you what counterweight you use?

I can find out when I take official delivery of it at the end of the month.

[SamEEE]

I've shot a steel fronted one loaded to the gunwales with weights quite a few times. Enough times to learn that if you press the lever on the magazine accidentally it is both hilarious, and awful during the 1m load command.

Shot nicely, better than a 497 average RF shooter (me)! Go as heavy and as nose heavy as you can handle - all else being equal the additional moment of inertia will only do you favours.

[jbaumhauer]

From a conversation with stefano i believe you can order the MG2 with the following front weights
standard steel weight (229 main weight + 2*28grams the side paltes = 285 grams)
standard alum weight (~ 70 grams from a conversation with stefano)
rapid fire steel weight (~300 grams)
rapid fire alum weight (~ 155 grams)
If you do not mention the specific weight i believe you will get the steel version.

I bought my MG2 sn4xxx 4years ago. it was the plain standard version. It's weight was 1065gr (285 the standard steel weight and 780 the frame/slide/grip assembly).
pistol was fine and got my scores high but i got involved with RF (i never liked RF with GSP but with MG2 is my favorite discipline) so
after a couple years i got the rapid fire alum weight (~ 155 grams). reason was i wanted the brakes and the tungsten weights but the steel weight plus tungsten would go be too much forward weight.

As a result i have now the alu rf weight 155gr plus 80gr of lead with the 780 grams of frame/slide/grip and 30 grams at the trigger guard. Total weight is (155+80+35+780) = 1050gr

Some more weights are grip (a Small to Medium cut to my hand) about 170 grams
Standard slide 98 grams

As an epilogue i must say the MG2 is perhaps the most versatile gun in weight distribution. You can even make it super light (with the standard alu weight it should weight 850-900 grams)

This is really great infos. Bookmarked.

[jbaumhauer]

Check back at the end of the month...then I will have the answer for you.

Hi conradin. Can I ask you what counterweight you use?

I can find out when I take official delivery of it at the end of the month.

Understood.

[deadeyedick]

The Ergal weight with extra weights seems to be a good all round compromise, however for Standard Pistol I prefer the steel weight loaded with optional tungsten. In fact it has improved my 10 second series by 15-20 points as a result of the lessened movement and quicker sight recovery.

[Tycho]

IMO, the steel barrel shroud is too heavy for almost everybody. Remember that you also have the option of putting weights into the slidecover (the blue alu rail that goes on top of the slide). Shooting RF with the steel shroud is, IMO, YMMV, almost impossible, because you can't stop the muzzle fast enough once you got it moving sideways. Same issue we used to have back in .22 short times, almost nobody shot the Pardini GPS with the original steel block, because nobody had that kind of strength in the wrist to stop it from swinging over the target. Might be an option for Standard Pistol, though, if your shoulder is up to it, as there you only have movement in one direction. Back when I shot the MG2, I found that matching slide weight, spring strength and ammo and having a proper grip (go as high as possible to the bore axis) does more to speed up recoil recovery than pure weight. Also, remember that the bigger the distance between your weights and the barrel axis, the more the pistol starts to swing during recoil, so putting weights close to the barrel (like the slidecover) is preferable to placing weights in places far away, like the bottom of the barrel shroud.

[jbaumhauer]

IMO, the steel barrel shroud is too heavy for almost everybody. Remember that you also have the option of putting weights into the slidecover (the blue alu rail that goes on top of the slide).

Very interesting Tycho! Two very different points of opinion on this issue. Do Matchguns make weights for the slide cover or are the weights customized? And how much weight can be placed there?

[paulNZ]

If only you could walk into an Apple Store equivalent for Matchguns and try all of these variations. I would love to try the ergal standard counterweight to see just how light it is, and whether it would be suitable for standard and sports pistol. I appreciate the role of weight in the muzzle dampening the fine tremor in my extended arm, but don't see any point in unnecessary weight.

Why doesn't Matchguns have more detailed data on their website? Someone should suggest they put together a technical sheet for each of their products.

[David Levene]

Someone should suggest they put together a technical sheet for each of their products.

Someone?

You can either contact them through their website or email them at info@matchguns.com or cesaremorini@matchguns.com