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Shotgun weight and balance


Ando

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Been thinking a bit a bit about shotgun weight and balance. Noticed there isn't really any good easily referenced thread, so thought I'd collect some data for discussion.

From http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202118&p=2244785

I have weighed all of the following with a 10 round tube capacity:

1301C: 7.3 pounds
M3000: 7.5 pounds
VersaMax: 7.8 pounds
JMPro: 7.9 pounds

24" on all except the VM which is a 26". All have been modified, so there is material removed from the Handguards, loading ports, etc.

from http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=81711&p=945427

My Benelli M2 field w/21" bbl, tube for 8+1, no bbl clamp = 6lbs. 15.5oz.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202118&p=2244843

26" barrel A5 with 12 round tube and opened loading port (I dont know how much weight that takes off) is 7.18 #'s

Stock its 7.05 w/ 26" barrel

Any other useful data points out there?

Lately my VM has been feeling very heavy to me, but the numbers show it's really right in there compared to the other guns.

I suspect the very long length of pull is putting a lot of weight out front. I think I will cut the stock back an inch and space it to where it feels best.

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The best balanced shotgun is the pistol grip Benelli M1/2 18.5 inch barrel rifle sights with a 10 tube ( yea that's an opinion). (pic 1 in burnt bronze).

Pic 2

The Browning A5 with 10 round tube, UNDER 7 lbs. Has everything the Benelli M2 does plus shoots faster out of box, 2 and quad loads easier, needs less custom work and has the auto-load feature. Yet the A5 still gets no respect on this forum except when someone points out Greg Jordan uses it.

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post-11850-0-37129000-1429924126_thumb.j

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IMG_3981.jpg

This is the balance point of my 26" VM with carbon tube and Nordic extension. The gun is balanced way forward on the rubber line in the handguard. This is why it feels so slow in my hands.

I guess I gotta try one of those benellis... or at least a 1301

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I got one of the cut down barrels and put it on the VM. I also cut ~.75 inches off the stock and drilled a lower hole in one of the cast plates to raise the stock way up high so it is almost parallel to the barrel.

Compared to a 22" gun and the original gangsta

2015-5-1%20004.jpg

The balance point of the gun is moved back 2-3 inches, combined with the shortened stock, makes for a nice lively gun in the hand. Now when I get my hands on a M2 I've got a good basis for comparison.

2015-5-1%20005.jpg

As a side note, the cast plate steel is some of the hardest that I have ever worked with. I dulled 2 high speed steel bits, and had to break out the Cobalt bit. I think Remington got this steel and the steel for the hammer mixed up.

Soft hammer and cam pin, hardened cast plate

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My Benelli M2, also with a 10 round tube and 24" barrel all set up for 3Gun weighs 7.0 pounds. There are things that I can do with the M2 due to balance and weight that I can not do with the VersaMax.

Also, the VM I quoted at 7.8 pounds has a 22" barrel.

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