I've been bouncing around some ideas and thought I'd ask you guys about them. I've been thinking about making a weight to attach to the buttstock of my rifle. The original conception was to reduce recoil for long days at the range with 400+ projectiles. Later I began considering the benefits moving the center of gravity (COG) from the fore stock closer to the Butt. So here goes the theory.

All my ML's have a COG in the forestock, where I would grip the rifle in my left hand. I can balance them right at that point. It seems to be a natural place to put the balance of a rifle. What got me to thinking of moving the COG back, to say the pistol grip, is how that COG makes it difficult to sight while standing.

Here is the physics. Holding the rifle at the COG makes the rifle a teeter-totter with the fulcrum being located at the COG. ALL, that is ALL, of the weight of the gun is supported at the COG. Now it is possible to support some weight on either side of the COG, which can be done by gripping the rifle beyond the forestock. Of course, this just extends that weak arm that much further and little is gained.

So with conventional balance, we have the entire weight of the gun being supported by an extended weak arm. It isno wonder it is difficult to steady a rifle while standing. On the other hand, if the COG were at the pistol grip, then the strong arm, not fully extended, could support the weight. Furthermore, the shoulder and extended arm could share the load of the weight of the rifle. For example, 25% left arm, 25% shoulder, 50% right arm at the pistol grip. It may be possible for a rifle, twice the weight, to "feel" half as heavywhile sighting in the standing position.

I am curious as to what you guys think or if you know of anyone doing something like this. And if so, how well it worked.

Happy Hunting, Phil