Weight
Rob
I'm manic on weight distribution and balance as a prime factor to aiding stability, and its much easier now with alloy stocks, wood stocks always were difficult to achieve good balance with.
This is compounded with "classic, or spring actions" as I believe yours is, as the weight of the system puts the balance naturally very forward, the classic match rifles are very difficult for this, with some such as the FWB 300 and Original 75 its near enough impossible to get perfect balance as you go over the weight limit before you reach balance with adding weight. This is further compounded when you shorten stocks, and I'm a disciple of short stock, 90% of shooters have the stock too long.
I'm old enough to have been setting up match rifles from the classic days, and this was the problem with the Original 75, my wife shot Internationally with one in the 1970's, she is short (5ft 3) and we took 2" off her stock and we could only get a little weight in the rear before we hit the max weight. It was big factor in her changing to a Walther LGR, but we still shortened the stock, although it then had a 500 gms of lead in the hollow rear stock! The balance was difficult as then the barrels were full length and solid, and often still had muzzle weights, the LGR we replaced with an alloy muzzle weight (it was factory supported and they wanted it to look original!). Interestingly we still have both, and she recently shot them at a demonstration, and declared how awful they sat compared to her modern Walther LG400 Special!
What I go for on modern set ups, on balance and weight, with modern alloy stocks the ideal is as basic, as light as possible, the steel barrels are all short now, little more than a pistol length, and what you see, the carbon tube is just to get the sight base. I start with getting the pull length (middle of butt plate to front of pistol grip) as a short as I can depending on the shooters build, to get an upright head, and compact hold triangle. The sight/barrel sleeve length I set to the maximum, (rear of system to end of muzzle 850 mm), then I start on building weight, in the rear, I add most in the rear, as its shorter from the balance point, just in front of the support hand, then add weight in the middle right over the support hand, and then some on the muzzle, my objective is to achieve a balance pole effect, heavy, and set the middle balance point just (marginally) in front of the hold, 5 to 50mm, and to achieve that by spreading the weight both ends and middle, to get to 4.5 to 5 kgs, that gives you another 0.5 to play with should you wish.
After many hours of work making weights and testing, and the shooter trying it until they are comfortable that is a good basis for rifle set up.
But if your position and technique is rubbish it will still sway like a willow in the breeze!
Have fun
Robin
Walther KK500 Alutec expert special - Barnard .223 "wilde" in a Walther KK500 Alutec stock, mmm...tasty!! - Keppeler 6 mmBR with Walther grip and wood! I may be a Walther-phile?
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Originally Posted by PhatMan
