Bryn
New member
My trip to the Texas tunnel
I just spent three days in west Texas with Gene Beggs at his tunnel. Well let me start by saying, “What an awesome facility”. I went there thinking my gun was perfectly tuned and my main purpose was to understand what powder charges and seating depth do in regards to vertical strings in my groups. I was hoping to also understand what his tuner was capable of doing and if it was repeatable throughout the process.
My first day started out by shooting my pet load. I quickly realized that I had about two bullets width of vertical. I made the necessary powder adjustment to reach one hole groups. Gene took the time to explain the theories of tuning by powder charges. I proceeded to load by his recommendation. I quickly realized that I was seeing a pattern with my groups, very small groups in two different nodes. During this session Gene did notice that I was over working my brass due to an improper sizing die. We decided this was a good point in time to shoot one of his rifles with his tuner mounted on it. He took the necessary time to explain how his tuners work and my first thoughts were, this is too simple. I proceeded to shoot his rifle and make tuner adjustments throughout this session. I again quickly realized that I was seeing the same patterns with these groups as I was seeing with my rifle, very small groups in two different nodes, with only tuner adjustment. I was able to repeat this several times. We decided to get back to work on my issues and turn some new brass and start fresh. While we were at the shop I had Gene install a tuner on my rifle, then back to the tunnel to fire form the brass according to Gene recommendation.
The second day we started off with some good brass and proceeded to shoot some groups with my new tuner. I shot my pet load and tuned it in with the tuner, less than a quarter turn and I was shooting zeros. I proceeded to move the tuner to identify the two nodes going from zeros to two bullets worth of vertical and then back to zeros, definitely a repeatable process. At one point Gene pulled out his other rifle with a tuner also installed on it for me to shoot. I remember thinking if this rifle shoots like the others, that I would be satisfied that Gene had found the answer to the vertical stringing issues in regards to load development. Sure enough, his two rifles and my rifle, shooting different powders, bullets and even cartridge designs were shooting the same, with the same repeatable patterns.
I believe that this tuner design and tuning technique will surely improve my shooting. I can make proactive adjustments at the bench without changing my load or going to the bench with two different loads. What I learned the three days in West Texas, out weighs the cost to get there. Only time will tell, stay tuned!
Bryn Borras
I just spent three days in west Texas with Gene Beggs at his tunnel. Well let me start by saying, “What an awesome facility”. I went there thinking my gun was perfectly tuned and my main purpose was to understand what powder charges and seating depth do in regards to vertical strings in my groups. I was hoping to also understand what his tuner was capable of doing and if it was repeatable throughout the process.
My first day started out by shooting my pet load. I quickly realized that I had about two bullets width of vertical. I made the necessary powder adjustment to reach one hole groups. Gene took the time to explain the theories of tuning by powder charges. I proceeded to load by his recommendation. I quickly realized that I was seeing a pattern with my groups, very small groups in two different nodes. During this session Gene did notice that I was over working my brass due to an improper sizing die. We decided this was a good point in time to shoot one of his rifles with his tuner mounted on it. He took the necessary time to explain how his tuners work and my first thoughts were, this is too simple. I proceeded to shoot his rifle and make tuner adjustments throughout this session. I again quickly realized that I was seeing the same patterns with these groups as I was seeing with my rifle, very small groups in two different nodes, with only tuner adjustment. I was able to repeat this several times. We decided to get back to work on my issues and turn some new brass and start fresh. While we were at the shop I had Gene install a tuner on my rifle, then back to the tunnel to fire form the brass according to Gene recommendation.
The second day we started off with some good brass and proceeded to shoot some groups with my new tuner. I shot my pet load and tuned it in with the tuner, less than a quarter turn and I was shooting zeros. I proceeded to move the tuner to identify the two nodes going from zeros to two bullets worth of vertical and then back to zeros, definitely a repeatable process. At one point Gene pulled out his other rifle with a tuner also installed on it for me to shoot. I remember thinking if this rifle shoots like the others, that I would be satisfied that Gene had found the answer to the vertical stringing issues in regards to load development. Sure enough, his two rifles and my rifle, shooting different powders, bullets and even cartridge designs were shooting the same, with the same repeatable patterns.
I believe that this tuner design and tuning technique will surely improve my shooting. I can make proactive adjustments at the bench without changing my load or going to the bench with two different loads. What I learned the three days in West Texas, out weighs the cost to get there. Only time will tell, stay tuned!
Bryn Borras
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