Hi All,
I am putting this out here and it might create controversy, although it is not my intent to do so at all.
I am an analyst by profession, and as such strongly believe in the scientific method. I recently read the article on this site by Jim Fisher titled “Barrel Tuning Factory Ammo?” with great interest. Still, I am not convinced of the validity of tuners, nor if the effects of harmonics (a bad term) are even important. I do know that there are very good ways to prove the harmonics theory once and for all. High speed video and optical shock wave imaging are two of them.
These days digital video can be pushed to 100,000 frames per second! and the Shock wave imaging is also very revealing.
Enter the slo-mo guys. Below is a link to an interesting video. Not because of the video's premise, but because it shows some really interesting things. In the video they shot an AK and a Barrett 50 Cal. The AK barrel flexed like a wet noodle, while the Barret's flex with a heavy, fluted barrel is imperceptible. Heavy barrels? Fluting? Is that's all that's needed? If the AK always spits out the bullet with the same flex is a tuner needed?
Then I saw something that caught my eye. In the video they also shot 9mm and .45ACP handguns. The .45 1911 was the only subsonic firearm in the video. If you watch really close during the frame by frame portion, the explosion shock wave catches up with the bullet (the explosion shock wave is many times supersonic) and literally changes the angle of the bullet! I now see clearly that when a bullet exits the barrel it is basically "uncapping" an explosion and once uncapped, albeit for a short distance, it is allowing the explosive shock wave to expand very rapidly - at supersonic speeds, overtaking the subsonic projectile....
The links:,
Slo-Mo Guys Video:
In another link below there is some really interesting high speed high-speed shadow and schlieren images of gunshots (bottom of the article). Does this happen to all subsonics? 22 LR? Short barrels worse? Are suppressors and muzzle brakes better than tuners? They might be for subsonics if they slow down or deflect the explosion shock wave.
https://www.americanscientist.org/article/high-speed-imaging-of-shock-waves-explosions-and-gunshots
All the best!
JAS
I am putting this out here and it might create controversy, although it is not my intent to do so at all.
I am an analyst by profession, and as such strongly believe in the scientific method. I recently read the article on this site by Jim Fisher titled “Barrel Tuning Factory Ammo?” with great interest. Still, I am not convinced of the validity of tuners, nor if the effects of harmonics (a bad term) are even important. I do know that there are very good ways to prove the harmonics theory once and for all. High speed video and optical shock wave imaging are two of them.
These days digital video can be pushed to 100,000 frames per second! and the Shock wave imaging is also very revealing.
Enter the slo-mo guys. Below is a link to an interesting video. Not because of the video's premise, but because it shows some really interesting things. In the video they shot an AK and a Barrett 50 Cal. The AK barrel flexed like a wet noodle, while the Barret's flex with a heavy, fluted barrel is imperceptible. Heavy barrels? Fluting? Is that's all that's needed? If the AK always spits out the bullet with the same flex is a tuner needed?
Then I saw something that caught my eye. In the video they also shot 9mm and .45ACP handguns. The .45 1911 was the only subsonic firearm in the video. If you watch really close during the frame by frame portion, the explosion shock wave catches up with the bullet (the explosion shock wave is many times supersonic) and literally changes the angle of the bullet! I now see clearly that when a bullet exits the barrel it is basically "uncapping" an explosion and once uncapped, albeit for a short distance, it is allowing the explosive shock wave to expand very rapidly - at supersonic speeds, overtaking the subsonic projectile....
The links:,
Slo-Mo Guys Video:
In another link below there is some really interesting high speed high-speed shadow and schlieren images of gunshots (bottom of the article). Does this happen to all subsonics? 22 LR? Short barrels worse? Are suppressors and muzzle brakes better than tuners? They might be for subsonics if they slow down or deflect the explosion shock wave.
https://www.americanscientist.org/article/high-speed-imaging-of-shock-waves-explosions-and-gunshots
All the best!
JAS