Weight distribution

[SqHunter]

All else equal, if you were going to add 10 oz to your rifle, would you rather add lead shot to the forearm or rebarrel? Why?

I think the further the weight is from the shooter the slower the arc of the barrel movement, but I can't prove it. If this is true then lead shot in the forearm will not help much.

[No1_49er]

Moment of inertia.

Check out what running target shooters did (rules prescribed the limits) with weight added to the muzzle end of their barrel.
When the rifle is moving to track the target, the swinging motion is stabilized.
Equally, that added weight slows any unintended movement/oscillation.

I'd add the weight as far out in front as you can get it.

49er

[Emietenkorte]

Barrel weight can be beneficial for stability, but only to a point. In my experience, there’s a diminishing return, and other factors come into play when balancing a rifle. I’ve experimented with a barrel-heavy setup on my smallbore standard rifle, and while it works well in ideal conditions, I’ve found that excessive weight at the front can be a drawback—especially in the wind.

When external forces, like wind, act on the barrel, the extra forward weight can cause more movement. The heavier the barrel, the more it swings, and slowing that motion down becomes more difficult—similar to a heavy pendulum. In these conditions, I find it much easier to shoot my hunter rifle, which has more of its weight distributed closer to my support hand.

For my high-power silhouette rifle, I’ve added about 9 ounces of lead to the stock, in an area that provides the best balance for me. To determine my ideal weight distribution, I experimented by securing different amounts of weight to various points on the rifle using a Velcro strap, then testing the setup on my practice targets. Over time, I found the placement that gave me optimal balance.

If you're fine-tuning your rifle’s balance, I’d recommend trying a similar approach to see what works best for you. Hope that helps!

[SqHunter]

Thank you both. Very useful information.

[Grantmac]

My small bore rifle is quite under weight, the 1712 barrel isn't particularly heavy. I've mostly run almost a pound in the fore end.
I find that much weight forward make for slow but wide float.
My previous rifle (T1X) has a lot less barrel and I added weight to the butt. It's a little faster float but far tighter.
I'll be moving weight rearward on the Anschutz I think.