Just for discussion, lets keep this to stock/production classes for most of the popular shooting competitions (other than bullseye), not one in particular.

Do you personally prefer a heavier or lighter gun? Why?

This is strictly for the range/shooting sports, not to carry.

I don't compete, but, if I were in competition, it would be a heavier gun, say, all metal instead of poly. Faster back on target.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
I don't compete, but, if I were in competition, it would be a heavier gun, say, all metal instead of poly. Faster back on target.

Same here as well as a nice SA trigger.

Me I like what I shoot the best within the rules that I have to deal with. Weight is a tradeoff, helps on recoil and followup, hurts on movement. There really is no pat answer that works for everything. In general its not a key criteria because in classes with an actual weight limit I see plenty of good finishers that have room left compared to the max.

I have shot carry optics, which is loosely optic counterpart of production, with Glock 19x and CZ Shadow 2 so I've some experience with both options.
A very simplistic answer is that after some absolute weight, say 30+ oz unloaded, I don't care. Heavy/Shadow is easier to shoot faster but there is more effort/tension/inertia on transitions. Glock is such a fast handling gun.
A more involved answer is that it is tough to really answer because it is impossible to have an "all else being equal". Heavy guns usually come with superb triggers, no aftermarket Glock or Legion trigger is anywhere near my Shadow's. Walther SF is a heavy gun with a decent trigger but grip is too small for me. Ergos are different, Glocks are easier to modify for a higher grip. Slide cycling and return are different. This is just the regular shooting part, without covering the draw, reloads, one handed stuff, and a bunch of competition specific special skills.
I currently shoot CZs simply because I've been on them for a good part of last 3 years but if I had to get a new set of guns, heavy vs light would be near the bottom of my decision making process.

For me, I prefer heavy, damps down recoil and small movements of the gun.