[Customstox]

Crowbuster,
It does not have to feel like the "gun that is heavy right off the shelf" because you are not shooting that one. You are shooting the one you bought. It will feel heavier and the added weight will reduce the whippiness and the ability to stop the gun (good thing). You can reduce the weight and move the weight forward. You do not have to have the weight between your hands. The only way to do that is to have it almost at the hinge pin. Try some different positions but don't compare it to a gun you do not have, that is just counterproductive.

You already have the gun so experiment with the weights and enjoy it. If you install full length tubes you will want to experiment some more to find a balance between the regular barrel with weights and then without the weights but with tubes installed.

 

[Customstox]

Mike (P), the term you are looking for is the mass moment of inertia. The polar moment of inertia measures the ability of a structural member to resist twisting. The mass moment of inertia is basically the sum of the moments ( mass times moment arm) of a body rotation about an axis. There is no formula to set to zero to get the ulitmate result. If you are trying to add a set amount of weight though, like a pound, the portion further out has a greater impact on the mass moment of inertia as the moment arm is longer. So if you want to add,say a pound, you can put more than half in the butt and less than half on the barrel. It is still a matter of feel when you clamp the weights and experiment to find what you like. I do not see how this can be an exact science as one ideal situation for one person is not necessarily the best for the next guy.

In Mike M's case, it is obvious from what I have heard of his shooting skills that he adjusted to the gun or made subtle adjustments to it and with a gun that most would not consider as an ideal skeet gun. He shoots far better than I will ever be able to with my XS Skeet.