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Barrel tuning distance

Blanco

Private
Minuteman
Oct 17, 2011
29
0
75
I've just purchased an Anschutz 64 Sporter Benchrest rifle and am really loving it. I'm currently testing ammos, and I plan to bed it and tune the barrel. I've ordered a Harrell tuner from Killough. I have studied the Hopewell Method and understand it fully. However, I do have one question. What about distance? What distances have you guys used in your barrel tuning? I assume that the usual distance would be 50 yards. However, I read an article recently that recommended 20 or 25 yards to diminish atmospheric variations during the tuning process.

Cordially,
Blanco
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

i don't use a tuner, so i'm probably talking out my butt, but i i can only assume to tune at the distance you'ld usually be shooting at.

in otherword if shooting at 50 yards like the ARA benchresters, i'd concentrate on tuning to performance at 50 yards.

the silhouette standard rifle div. shooters use them, and that's at 4 different distances, so i don't know if they would "split" the distance of pigs and turkeys to find a neutral area.

there's alot of benresters here http://www.rimfireshooting.com/ and here http://www.rimfireaccuracy.com/Forums/ that realy know their stuff and could lead you on the right path.

interesting read also http://www.varmintal.com/a22lr.htm http://www.varmintal.com/atune.htm , also look to the left and click on some of the other barrel related stuff.
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

Yes TP is correct. Tune at the distance you are competing at. If you change distance, then re-tune.
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

Guys, I appreciate the responses. By the way, the guy that recommends barrel tuning at 20 yards or so (preferably inside) is Harry Deneen, the great benchrest shooting champion of past years.

Cordially,
Blanco
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

Just wanted to report on my tuning efforts at 25 yards at an indoor range and how those effort translated to an outdoor range with wind. I tuned my Anschutz 64 Benchrest rifle with a Harrell tuner at an indoor range as specified by Harry Deneen.
I then took it to my outdoor club range where the wind was around 3-7 m.p.h. I used Wolf Match Target to tune with, and so I used the same ammo for comparison. I'm extremely pleased to report that my improvement over pre-tuned groups was 20% for average group size and 27% for best group size. This was done at 50 yards.

Cordially,
Blanco
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Geno C.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you do any ammo sorting also? </div></div>

No, I haven't done any ammo sorting yet. I'm just experimenting with different ammos at this incipient point. The rifle appears to especially "like" Lapua Center X and the top three levels of Eley (red, black, and blue). I'm getting 0.3 inch average groupings outside at 50 yards. With the lesser ammos like Wolf, I'm averaging 0.5 inch groupings. I still want to experiment with torque settings on an indoor range in the future. I just have it arbitrarily set at 20 inch pounds (lubricated bolts). I may can squeeze out a little more accuracy through that avenue.

Cordially,
Blanco
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

When I was shooting IR50/50 several yrs ago, we weighed ea round and sorted them also by rim thickness. In those days the Lapua Midas L was the hot number. If Harry Deneen is mentoring you, your in good hands! He ruled the roost in my day. Good Luck! krw
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: krw</div><div class="ubbcode-body">When I was shooting IR50/50 several yrs ago, we weighed ea round and sorted them also by rim thickness. In those days the Lapua Midas L was the hot number. If Harry Deneen is mentoring you, your in good hands! He ruled the roost in my day. Good Luck! krw </div></div>

Yeah, Harry was a great champion. Since getting into shooting this year, I've tried to read everything I can find that he's written. I love the way he thinks and writes -- very simple but extremely insightful. All his recommendations that I've tried have proven true and effective in making me a better shooter and my rifle more accurate.

Cordially,
Blanco
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shooter65</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.border-barrels.com/articles/rimfire_accuracy/tuning_a_barrel.htm </div></div>

Shooter, I was just reading over the article for a second time and also looking at my own recent barrel tuning numbers. It looks like the study tuning resulted in a roughly 40% reduction in average group size, but then that rifle was producing really bad vertical stringing. My own rifle wasn't stringing badly out of the box, so my own tuning efforts gave me a roughly 20% reduction in average group size. I'm going to write this URL in my shooting journal for future reference.

Cordially,
Blanco
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

Shooter65, thanks again for the additional articles. All serious shooters should read these and carefully digest their contents. I especially enjoyed the articles on group statistics and group analysis -- abstruse but extremely enlightening. Shooters are always wondering what size groups to shoot when testing ammo, and these articles answer that query nicely.

Cordially,
Blanco
 
Re: Barrel tuning distance

No problem. Once your tuner is set for your barrel there is no need to ever change it. All the tuner does is move the "node / dead spot" to the crown. When the bullet exits the barrel there is no movement in it at that point.