Barrel tuner - lot testing still relevant

[45cal4life]

Picked up a barrel tuner and started messing with it. Using non-lot-tested Center X, I was able to see the groups open and close with the different settings. With only 1 range session, I do think tuner did made an improvement over my base line. Again only 1 session. I'm sure the answer is yes, but with a tuner, is lot testing still relevant?

 

[littlepod]

Picked up a barrel tuner and started messing with it. Using non-lot-tested Center X, I was able to see the groups open and close with the different settings. With only 1 range session, I do think tuner did made an improvement over my base line. Again only 1 session. I'm sure the answer is yes, but with a tuner, is lot testing still relevant?

Which tuner? What rifle?

 

[justin amateur]

Barrel tuners can only compensate for a limited mv spread.
Exceed that spread and gravity and time of flight will overcome any compensation generated.
Tuners can not fix cartridge defects such as canted seating, damaged drive bands, asymmetric projectiles.
Those will produce problems with external ballistics and aren't corrected by exit timing/harmonics.
Lot testing is not just about mv spread, but finding well made, uniform cartridges

 

[littlepod]

Barrel tuners can only compensate for a limited mv spread.
Exceed that spread and gravity and time of flight will overcome any compensation generated.
Tuners can not fix cartridge defects such as canted seating, damaged drive bands, asymmetric projectiles.
Those will produce problems with external ballistics and aren't corrected by exit timing/harmonics.
Lot testing is not just about mv spread, but finding well made, uniform cartridges

I went through Lapua and got my Vudoo tested and found a great lot of CX. I assume a tuner will still improve it further?

 

[45cal4life]

Which tuner? What rifle?

Adaptive Tuning Solutions on a Don Smith built CZ455

 

[littlepod]

Adaptive Tuning Solutions on a Don Smith built CZ455

I was looking at that one, are you required to also buy a muzzle brake?

 

[45cal4life]

I would say yes. A thread protector, muzzle brake or suppressor. The tuner snugs down pretty good but I'd still want something to lock everything in place

 

[littlepod]

I would say yes. A thread protector, muzzle brake or suppressor. The tuner snugs down pretty good but I'd still want something to lock everything in place

I just have a standard threaded muzzle with a thread protector. I currently don't run a brake or suppressor but wanted to try out a tuner.

I've been looking at the EC Tuner.

 

[Gunfighter716]

I just have a standard threaded muzzle with a thread protector. I currently don't run a brake or suppressor but wanted to try out a tuner.

I've been looking at the EC Tuner.

I ordered an ATS, but couldn't get past the looks on the end of the barrel. I could tolerate the blended look of the EC tuner though. Just need to get the barrel threaded for it.

 

[natdscott]

Tuners are for the last 10%. Funny thing is, the winners always seem to congregate in that same point range.

 

[littlepod]

I ordered an ATS, but couldn't get past the looks on the end of the barrel. I could tolerate the blended look of the EC tuner though. Just need to get the barrel threaded for it.

Wait how does the ATS differ from the EC tuner in terms of threading?

 

[Gunfighter716]

Wait how does the ATS differ from the EC tuner in terms of threading?

The ATS uses your existing muzzle threads and is then secured using your thread protector, brake, or suppressor. The EC Tuner requires specific barrel threading.

EC Tuner Installation

 

[Adam B]

The problem I found with my tuner on my 22 is that it did great at the distance I tuned it for but didn’t do that much at other distances.

 

[Dthomas3523]

The problem I found with my tuner on my 22 is that it did great at the distance I tuned it for but didn’t do that much at other distances.

Tuners need to be done at either A: your zero range or B: the distance you intend to shoot

Use zero range if doing PRS/NRL and intended shooting range for F class/BR

As far as the OP, if you’re looking for optimal performance, you’ll need to lot test and sort. Tuner will change the “harmonics” but at distance, velocity consistency is king.

 

[Shooter J]

I completely agree Dthomas3523. I have used a tuner and spent a ton of time and ammo trying to shrink down the groups. In the end I ditched the tuner and stayed with the normal setup.

It may also be useful to keep track of what velocity your barrel shoots the best with in a particular brand of ammo...say Center X. If given the choice between several lots numbers at a store, yeah I am talking a while ago, select the lot that is close to your previous lot velocity. Take the first two numbers of the lot number, place a 3 in front of the first two numbers, and this is your "average" velocity in meters per second. So if your lot number is 24455/50421, place a 3 in front of the 24, and the factory tested average velocity should be close to 324 mps. Take 324 and either divide it by .3048 or multiply 324 by 3.280. The end result is 1062 feet per second. I prefer to multiply personally

I have found this to be fairly close, however this is using their test rifles at their facility.

I am going to try this out to see how accurate this is over several lots. I will let you know what I find. Hope this help in some way.

 

[justin amateur]

Tuners help with minor variations in mv spread.
They can't fix actual cartridge defects.

Chips, dents, dings, damaged or deformed drive bands, variations in crimp tension, canted seating,
asymmetric bullets, irregular transition from nose to drive band and the worst problem in that image,
bullet material compressed down over the crimp onto the brass.
That interferes with case mouth expansion and leaves an irregular bullet heel.
Any irregularity of the heel will produce strays due to uneven pressure release as it exits the muzzle.

 

[Adam B]

Tuners need to be done at either A: your zero range or B: the distance you intend to shoot

Use zero range if doing PRS/NRL and intended shooting range for F class/BR

As far as the OP, if you’re looking for optimal performance, you’ll need to lot test and sort. Tuner will change the “harmonics” but at distance, velocity consistency is king.

While I agree with you, my comment was that it worked great at my 35 yard zero but but change much with the tuner on past that.

 

[Dthomas3523]

While I agree with you, my comment was that it worked great at my 35 yard zero but but change much with the tuner on past that.

That’s going to be an ammo or mv issue then.

That’s the only way the bullet is going to deviate and create larger groups.

 

[Adam B]

it didnt create larger groups nor did it make smaller ones thus the reason for taking it off my rimfire.