This has become a very enlightening, or at least thought provoking, thread.
My two NID guns weight as follows:
NID, #4519xx, 12ga., 30", F/F , 7lbs 6.6oz.
NID, #4448xx, 12ga., 30", F/M , 7lbs 11.6oz.
Just for comparison, here are weights of earlier models:
Flues, #1752xx, 12ga., 30", F/M, 7lb 8.0oz
Flues, #2914xx, 16ga., 28", F/Cyl, 6lb 11.4oz
Minier, #1483xx, 12ga., 30", F/F, 8lb 0.8oz
Minier, #1459xx, 16ga., 26", F/M, 6lb 9.4oz
Lewis, #745xx, 12ga., 30", F/F, 8lb 1.6oz
Lewis, #1208xx, 16ga., 26", F/M, 6lb 9.0oz
Crass, #379xx, 12ga., 30", F/M, 7lb 9.6oz
The mention of the Flues models being lighter than the NID doesn't show up in these numbers but across the board in production they certainly could have. When discussing the 20ga models, the Flues was much lighter whether a duck or quail configuration.
Getting back to the discussion of balance and handling:
Rocketman,
I understand your numbers relative to carrying and mounting the gun, but once the gun mounts the shoulder the points of reference shift from the forward and rear hand to the forward hand, the shoulder, and to some perspective also the off shoulder. At this time all the numbers change. Handling/swing is changed drastically whether the gun is being held to the shooting shoulder with more effort from the leading or aft hand. Also the difficulty of the swing, and keeping line of sight, increases as the barrels approach 90 degrees to the shoulders. I understand the need to keep the center weight of the load between our two feet but, Do you have any numbers to put this into perspective? A generalization of applied physics to what is going on?
Interesting indeed,
John
