better balance for Walther GSP

I had asked the question about a Match pistol in .32 with mag in butt for better balance. Guess there is nothing out there.
So I am trying to improve the balance of my old GSP .32.
I tried asking Dave Wilson for a barrel but he does not make them for the older GSPs.

As a start I am thinking of removing the bob weights on the cocking piece and making a false slide to go over the rear of the pistol, connected to the cocking piece to move the 61 grams weigh back.
Might even thin out the barrel to reduce another 30 grams weight and maybe I will have a better balanced GSP.

Would love any advice, thoughts before I set off tilting at windmills.

If you are lookimg to balance more weight to the back, but not necessarily reduce overall weight, then why not drill into the handle and fill with some lead? This will effectively balance the pistol, but increase overall weight.. However it will reduce "felt" weight.

What's the problem with the weight and balance of a .32 GSP? Too nose-heavy for you?

Not intended to be snarky; genuinely curious. I've had one for 30 years and it's one of my absolute favorite guns to shoot. I'd argue that I've done so with moderate success.

Yeah, if you're shooting ISSF Center Fire Rapid Fire (née "Duel"), some days you'll be "carrying your shoulder home in a paper bag," as my friend Daryl used to put it, if you overdo things. But that is more a function of the event than the gun, IMO.

john bickar wrote:What's the problem with the weight and balance of a .32 GSP? Too nose-heavy for you?

Not intended to be snarky; genuinely curious. I've had one for 30 years and it's one of my absolute favorite guns to shoot. I'd argue that I've done so with moderate success.

Yeah, if you're shooting ISSF Center Fire Rapid Fire (née "Duel"), some days you'll be "carrying your shoulder home in a paper bag," as my friend Daryl used to put it, if you overdo things. But that is more a function of the event than the gun, IMO.

Agree with all of the above but I have always found the GSP to be nose heavy for my build esp for Duell.
I am now 70 yrs and any perceived balance shift would help me, even if this is an illusion.
Sure it is a great gun I have had mone for over 42 yrs with nary a failure and shot excellent scores in Precision. Usually 280s
I have the old single stage trigger which works just fine for me

Nose heavy is beneficial.

I wouldn’t lighten the slide weights, you will have more slide velocity and will likely crack the frame.

I go one step better and put a rounded or de-horned 1911 shock buffer in the receiver under the recoil spring. Thin enough to allow full slide travel, cocking, and round pick up.

Hiya,
One alternative could be to turn the current barrel to a small round diameter, 1 inch back from the muzzle and see if that moves the balance back. If that isn’t enough, turn another 1/2” back and test. The 32 doesn’t have much pressure so the barrel can be taken down a lot. I do agree with you as I have a GSP (Interarms era) that has a 5” square profile barrel and is muzzle heavy for me now because it’s a lot of steel hanging on the end.

tomd999 wrote:Hiya,
One alternative could be to turn the current barrel to a small  round diameter, 1 inch back from the muzzle and see if that moves the balance back. If that isn’t enough, turn another 1/2” back and test. The 32 doesn’t have much pressure so the barrel can be taken down a lot. I do agree with you as I have a GSP (Interarms era) that has a 5” square profile barrel and is muzzle heavy for me now because it’s a lot of steel hanging on the end.

Thank you Tom. Great to know that the barrel can be turned down without loss of accuracy.

bruce martindale wrote:Nose heavy is beneficial.

I wouldn’t lighten the slide weights, you will have more slide velocity and will likely crack the frame.

I go one step better and put a rounded or de-horned 1911 shock buffer in the receiver under the recoil spring. Thin enough to allow full slide travel, cocking, and round pick up.

Thank you for this excellent tip will try a shock buff