In recent years, I've been sporadically updating my old Bob Long Signature Series Autococker using modern components. Some parts have been installed as performance upgrades while others have been for quality of life improvements. However, I continue to go further down the rabbit hole with it. In my latest dive, I've been working on reducing mass - both overall weight and reciprocating mass, all the while further improving overall performance without making any permanent modifications (all original parts are being safely stored).
Coming my way are an Inception Designs Trident bolt and Delrin pin as well as a Gunfighter 1.5 frame. These updates should shave about another half pound off the overall weight as well as vastly shorten the trigger pull.
This brings me to my next consideration - reciprocating mass. Between the original back block and the birdcage, these are adding a good bit of mass to the back end. On one hand, I could leave them as-is for aesthetic reasons, or remove and safely store away the birdcage. At the end of the day, how much does reciprocating mass contribute to overall performance? Is it just recoil (which I've been comfortably dealing with for nearly 30 years), or would lessening the mass provide any further improvements?
Coming my way are an Inception Designs Trident bolt and Delrin pin as well as a Gunfighter 1.5 frame. These updates should shave about another half pound off the overall weight as well as vastly shorten the trigger pull.
This brings me to my next consideration - reciprocating mass. Between the original back block and the birdcage, these are adding a good bit of mass to the back end. On one hand, I could leave them as-is for aesthetic reasons, or remove and safely store away the birdcage. At the end of the day, how much does reciprocating mass contribute to overall performance? Is it just recoil (which I've been comfortably dealing with for nearly 30 years), or would lessening the mass provide any further improvements?