Barrel Tuning

[DIESEL TECH]

Is anybody using a barrel tuner on a benchrest rifle, I use one on my turbo action .22 with great results, Why don't more benchrest shooters use them on the 1000yds guns? Does anybody know a compony that sales them for .308 class rifles?

[82boy]

What kind of tuner do you have on your Turbo?

I use to have a tuner on a Savage MKII that I built for benchrest, but I was not happy with the end result so I pulled it off, and it is now on my short range IBS/NBRSA 30BR Savage rifle. Tuners are much more popular with rimfire shooters. The reason why rimfire shooters like them is they are set with factory ammo, and they can not tune it. Even with match ammo, different lots shoot better than others, and benchrest shooters will grab as many different lots as they can to test with when they find a lot that shoots great they buy a truck load of that lot. The tuners take out some of the changes found in ammo lots.

There is many different designs of tuners, and many different company's making them. The concept of a tuner is not a new thing it has been around for some time now. It is rumored that SGT A York use to tune his rifle barrels by placing rubber bands on them and adjusting them up and down the barrel to tune the gun to his taste. Wrapping layers of tape, placing magnets on the barrel, and having a screw in the stock that extend up and touches and places pressure on the barrel are all forms of tuners.

Tuners in centerfire guns is more of a novelty, the reason why is they can tune the ammo to the gun for changing conditions, or what ever the need is. Tuners are becoming more popular in the short range game, now that componets are getting lighter and they can pass weight with tuners installed. I would say there is several reasons why you don't see long range shooters with them. I looked in the rules and there is no restrictions on them, but it may come to the point that they don't want them to be confused with a muzzle break which would be illeagle in a heavy gun class. One thing that come to my mind is in short range shooting you get instant feedback when you shoot, so you can change the tuner and see a difference right away as you shoot pratice rounds. In long range unless the light it right you may not be able to see your target through the scope, (1000 yards you can not see your target) and you have to wait a long time to see your target as other shooters come in and out and targets get brough back. In that time conditions could change and moving a tuner could go wrong. In the long range game shooters are not like the short range guys that change there loads as the day goes one, and conditions change. Most long range shooters pre-load their ammo. The long range shooters that do load at the range have a hard time with changes, as mentioned before it is hard to see your shots to adjust for them, and it can be a scramble to wait until the target gets back and then load. Many long range shooters do not have a long range range to pratice at, so they set the gun up to do the best they can at the ranges they have. Once a gun is set it is very hard to make a change in the middle of a match not knowing what that change will actually do.

For 30 caliber rifles there is many tuners available.
This is the tuner I have on my 30BR
http://benchrest.com/timeprecision/SUPERTUNER/supertuner.html
This is another popular one.
http://shadetreeea.com/barrelTuners.html
This is basically the same thing as SGT York's set up.
http://rimfireshooting.com/index.php?showtopic=2653

[DIESEL TECH]

Thanks for the info, I use a Hoehn tuner on my Turbo also on my CZ, Cooper. I shoot short range compared to you. I have just got into 600yrd shooting and I love it. I just set up a New 6.5-.284 Savage 12F T/R it the same as my .308 Savage 12F T/R I put a 12x42x56 NIGHTFORCE BR with a CH3 Reticle and I like it better then Schmidt Bender. I saw a guy with a type of tuner on a 12F it was like that supertuner does it work at short range bench shooting?

Mike.

[earl39]

I just set up a New 6.5-.284 Savage 12F T/R it the same as my .308 Savage 12F T/R
Mike.


Before the vultures jump in and try to eat you alive, there is no such thing as a 6.5-284 F T/R rifle. F T/R is restricted to 223/5.56nato and 308/7.62nato.
I realize it was a slip of the fingers caused by a simple brain-fart. don't worry the older you get the more you have. i have them quite often.

Gary

[bluealtered]

Well theres a couple more things about brain pharts, when you start having them, you quit caring about what the vultures think. And when the vultures quit bothering you, it leaves more time to think about the things your sure you once knew about your rifles. blue

[bigedp51]

Barrel Tuning

There are two basic methods of barrel tuning that do not require "add on devices".

1. Tune the rifle to control barrel vibrations.
2. Tune the ammunition to control barrel vibrations.

A military Mauser rifle does not have a even smooth barrel contour, it has steps cut into the barrel at the vibration node points to control barrel vibrations and accuracy.

An British Enfield No.4 rifle has 2 to 7 pounds of up pressure at the fore end tip to control vibrations.

A standard Remington 700 ADL or BDL has 3 to 9 pounds of up pressure at the fore end tip.

On a standard weight rifle barrel a free floating barrel receives a lot of hype but it isn't always the the best choice to control barrel vibrations. My point being you are talking about adding a device to your barrel to improve accuracy when you do not need to "hang" anything extra on the barrel.

Up pressure at the fore end tip can be used to "tune" your barrel. ;)

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/RSbedding_0303E.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/RSbedding_0303D.jpg

Understanding Barrel Bedding
By Jon R. Sundra

Click on the link below

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/gunsmithing/bedding_0304/ (http://www.rifleshootermag.com/gunsmithing/bedding_0304/)

[DIESEL TECH]

I just set up a New 6.5-.284 Savage 12F T/R it the same as my .308 Savage 12F T/R
Mike.


Before the vultures jump in and try to eat you alive, there is no such thing as a 6.5-284 F T/R rifle. F T/R is restricted to 223/5.56nato and 308/7.62nato.
I realize it was a slip of the fingers caused by a simple brain-fart. don't worry the older you get the more you have. i have them quite often.

Gary
Gary I am sorry about the mis rep on the rifle
here is the link http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/models/ It is a 12 series BR NOT A TR. This is what happens when you get old..

[earl39]

Diesel,
Back to the subject at hand i belive it was last year that there was a lot of talk on benchrestcentral.com about tuners. Don't remember right now if it was short range or long range stuff they were talking about. might want to look around over there.

Gary

[DIESEL TECH]

Thanks earl39 I will look over there. The guys I saw at a match in SC was out shooting everybody there with his 12F in .308 at 100yds. That gun would shoot 5 round in almost one hole, It was the best shooting 12F savage I have ever seen. I looked the gun over and it "LOOKED" stone stock other then the barrel tuner I don't know?? He ask me to shoot the gun after the match and I was floored I am no pro by no means but I could shoot a 3 shot group almost in the same hole. I know the ammo was tailored for the rifle but amazing...