Plastic weight assembly for downhole perforating gun

A downhole perforating gun having a weight assembly formed of a plastic shell containing a weight material enclosed or encased in the plastic shell so that upon detonation of a perforating charge, the plastic shell may deform but will function to contain the weight material of the weight assembly preventing interference with formation fluid flow. In an alternative embodiment, the plastic shell is consumed by the detonation of the charges. In one or more embodiments, the plastic shell is hollow, forming a cavity into which a flowable weight material may be charged. The flowable weight material may be a granular material or a liquid, and may be selected based on the density characteristics of the flowable weight material and the weight requirements for a particular internally orienting perforating gun.