Brass darts are wider than tungsten at the same weight. Not a quality issue. Physics. Brass is less dense than tungsten, so the barrel has to be physically bigger to reach the same gram rating. A 24g brass dart is noticeably fatter than a 24g tungsten dart, and that size difference changes how the dart behaves through the throw in ways most buyers do not account for when choosing a weight.
Most weight guides are written with tungsten in mind. The general advice to start around 22g to 24g is broadly right for tungsten. For brass, that starting point needs adjusting.
Why Brass Darts Feel Different at the Same Weight
Hold a wide brass barrel and more of your fingers contact the surface. The dart feels heavier than the number on the packet suggests. More controlled in a way, but more cumbersome too. Players switching from tungsten to brass almost always notice this and assume they have bought the wrong weight. Often they have just bought the same number they were used to in tungsten.
The release shifts as well. More surface contact during the throw means more friction to release through. A 22g brass dart does not leave the hand the same way a 22g tungsten dart does. The throw adjusts without the player realising, the dart lands shorter or higher than expected, and the assumption is that the darts are the problem. Usually the weight is simply off.
If you are still unsure where to start, our guide on choosing the right dart weight breaks down how different weights affect throw speed, control, and consistency for different playing styles.
Going Heavier Than Your Instinct Suggests
Go one to two grams heavier than your tungsten equivalent when buying brass.
The wider barrel spreads grip contact across more surface area during the throw. A slightly heavier dart moves through that friction more cleanly at the point of release. Players who throw 22g tungsten generally settle on 24g in brass. Players used to 24g tungsten often find 26g suits them better.
This is a starting assumption, not a fixed rule. But it is a better starting point than matching the gram number on your current set and spending two sessions wondering why nothing is landing right.
No tungsten reference at all? Go to 24g as a default rather than 22g. The extra weight makes the flight path more predictable, particularly for players still developing a consistent throw.
Weight Ranges and Who They Suit
Brass below 21g is more specialist than it looks. Getting anything under 21g to fly straight requires a fast, clean throw every time. For players still developing their mechanics, sets in this range wobble in flight and land unpredictably. The feedback you get is noise rather than anything useful.
The 22g to 24g bracket is the most forgiving for beginners and casual players. Enough mass to track reliably across the 2.37 metre oche distance, and forgiving of a throw that is roughly right without demanding it be perfect. First-time brass buyers should start here without overthinking it.
Above 26g becomes a deliberate choice for players with a short, compact throwing style where the dart's own momentum does the forward work rather than arm speed. Some older players with a reduced throwing range also prefer this end of the weight spectrum for the same reason.
How Barrel Width Affects Grouping
A treble 20 segment is 10mm wide. Two 24g brass darts, with barrels around 7 to 8mm in diameter, leave very little room for a third before the tip clips the previous dart rather than finding the board cleanly. Two 24g tungsten darts at 5 to 6mm diameter give you meaningfully more room in that same segment.
This matters to weight selection because heavier brass barrels tend to be slightly wider to accommodate the extra material. If practising seriously and grouping in tight segments is what you are working on, the lighter end of your comfortable weight range gives you narrower barrels and a bit more space around the treble 20. For pub play or social use, this distinction barely matters. For someone throwing regularly and wanting improvement, barrel diameter at a given weight is worth comparing between sets before buying.
What Grip Pattern Adds to the Weight Decision
Weight and grip pattern interact more in brass than in tungsten. A ringed grip on a 24g brass barrel feels noticeably more controlled than a smooth barrel at the same weight. The rings give your fingers a consistent landing point throw after throw, and that consistency is what makes the dart release cleanly each time rather than sliding out at a slightly different angle.
If you are comparing two sets at the same weight and one has a pronounced ring grip while the other is smooth, the ringed version will feel more controlled. Smooth barrels suit a very light, fast release. For most players, grip texture makes a bigger practical difference than the packet makes obvious.
Harrows mid-range brass sets use machined grip patterns that hold up better over time than etched finishes. The Vespa and Silver Arrows sit in the £10 to £13 bracket and are consistently finished. Unicorn's Core Plus brass range comes across multiple weights, which makes it straightforward to test the gram difference without changing anything else in the setup.
When to Move On from Brass
Brass darts are a starting point. Once you are throwing regularly and want grouping to tighten, the wider barrel stops being neutral and starts working against you. The step to 80% tungsten at around £30 to £35 is the single most impactful upgrade a player at this stage can make. And you do not have to go anywhere near the expensive professional-specification end to get there. Most professional players use tungsten darts for the slimmer barrel and tighter grouping, though the exact setup still varies depending on throwing style and release. Read more in our guide to what darts professionals use.
The steel tip darts collection has tungsten options at every price point from that entry level upward. The tungsten vs brass guide covers what the material change actually means for the throw, with the barrel width numbers that explain why the grouping difference is as significant as it is.
Browse the full brass darts collection at Tommy's, with sets from Harrows, Unicorn, Rob Cross, and more. Filter by weight to find the right starting point for your throw.