SSM arrived and XC's article read. Comments as follows.
XC - congratulations on a well written and informative article. Second, you have my admiration for having the integrity to do a repair when you could have done more costly work - well done!!
I find several points worth noting and possibly discussing.
- Buying an expensive gun assures neither proper fit nor proper handling; both are personal needs and may require adjusting.
If you are going to buy a gun, other than a bespoke one, you will need to address fit and handling.
- Every shooter should keep records of the fit and handling of as many guns as possible. It is important to develop a personal envelope of fit dimensions and handling numbers, whether you are buying a London best or an 870.
- Balance moves as the weight and/or location of weight changes for the gun. Further, balance can be in a location that is unsatisfactory for the owner and can negatively inpact both the shooters accuracy and enjoyment of shooting the gun.
- Balance can be adjusted in planned and measurable ways.
- A temporary adjustment should be checked with the shooter for suitability.
- If the shooter does not have a known envelope of preference, a temporary adjustment to known average values will be a good starting point. There seems to be considerability variability in sensitivity to balance among shooters. Some can detect a 1/4" move in balance point and others require much more for detection.
- Recoil pads often approach the 6 oz XC used to rebalance these guns. Beware of unintended consequences to handling when dealing with recoil pads/reducers, etc.
As I said, good article.
