My experience with static weights in the old days when 3 piece cores were the norm was different. In short, I saw very little, if any difference in the roll characteristics
among all the balls I drilled for myself and my customers in those days, irrespective of how they were drilled. The single most important factor affecting ball performance
then was , as it is today, the coverstock. When Brunswick came out with its "Grabber"
in 1970, its coverstock had a higher coefficient of friction than did the old hard rubber Ebonite Gyros or the Dick Weber Five Star balls. With the introduction of polyester balls around that same time (such as the Columbia White Dot), friction was kicked up another small notch. Static weight variances only showed their variations
when the ball was rolled EXTREMELY slow--much slower than most bowlers normally
throw--MUCH slower or when balls were illegally "do-doed" with lead, mercury, rolls of coins, etc. Otherwise static weights had no real effect on ball motion.
Also, balls were harder in those days and lane surfaces were softer in texture when compared with today's much harder lane surfaces. In addition, much less oil volumes were used 40-50 years ago than what is used today. The lane surfaces were the main friction source back then . Today, it's the equipment. Just the opposite.
However the difference in eras, ball (hooking action) is much more extreme in today's environment than in the rubber/plastic/urethane days. Those balls had
much longer, and MUCH shallower hooking motions. They never "jumped" off a spot like they do today. This is why targeting at the arrows (up front) was not a problem back then. On today's sport conditions, awareness of the "breakpoint" some 40 feet or so away, is critical in determining when and how, the ball reacts --counterintuitive for many of us old timers. In so many ways, we are being forced to re-learn the game by today's rules. Rules mandated by all of the changes that have occurred in bowling's physical environment since that time. But it's a worthy challenge.