Where does one start?

C

Centerfire

Member
A good friend of mine has a Ruger No.1 in 6.5 Creedmore. He has purchased a Harrell Tuner/ Brake for it to be installed at his gunsmith.
No instructions with the tuner.
Do you start at zero on the tuner or do you start somewhere higher and then go one way or the other?
Tried the search function but only found info for tuner adjustments for .22 LR.
Any info is appreciated.
Centerfire
 
I can tell you how I do it and maybe Mike Ezell, Gene Beggs or someone else will correct it or add to it. I start by screwing the tuner in as far as it will go. Next I take two full turns back out so that I have plenty of range. On another style of tuner I have done the opposite and started at the muzzle. If you have a zero or other mark etched into the tuner, pick a spot and fire a three shot group, looking for vertical. If you have no vertical, great. You are there. If you do, and you probably will, turn the tuner about 1/8" , being sure to tighten the set screws snug but not extremely tight. Also, be sure and tighten them the equally. Then do another 3 shot group. If the vertical is less, continue in the same direction. If it is more reverse, always turning a very small amount. If the rifle is accurate, you will get what you are looking for. There are those who have found that you can also adjust for horizontal. I only shoot 1-300 yards and have not found that to be the case in short range.

I just reread your OP and noticed that you are working with a Ruger. No offense intended but, good luck with that. :D

YMMV,
Rick
 
The problem with a number 1 is it is a break action..which means it comes
off the rest for every shot, which makes repeatability very slim.
Gunna be an uphill battle.
 
The purpose of a tuner on a Rifle with the accuracy capability of a Ruger #1, Browning Automatic, (their Boss System), and other factory offerings is to optimize the accuracy with a specific load by controlling barrel harmonics.

So get some top quality 6.5 mm bullets, and find a load that it seems to like. Then, while shooting 3 shot groups, turn the tuner, (no more than 1/8 turn at a time), until you see some positive results. Do slight adjustments from there, until you are statisfyed that it is as good as it will get.

I would suggest that for a load, pick a load that is within 20% of the loading manuals maximum, and look for pressure signs, mainly paying particular attention to the flattening of the primer and the amount of radius remaining on the outer edge. That primer "see's" the actual pressure.

Primer cratering can be an indication as well, but only if you have a close fitting firing pin. If it has as much clearance as many Factory Rifles exibit, it will crater with regular Factory Rounds.

Much of what is discussed about Tuners on this Forum is in relation to Rifles that are capable of the extreme accuracy and agging capability found in a Benchrest Rifle. While some of it relates to your delima, the way we use a tuner is probably a little different.
 
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Centerfire said:
Thanks to all for the input.
Much appreciated.
Centerfire
Click to expand...

Start with it all the way to the back of your thread. Then turn it forward very slightly and lock the jam nut against the tuner. With a benchrest rifle, I'll shoot two shots. If it doesn't go in the same hole, I'll turn the tuner. Since you are already at the back of the thread the only way to go is to turn the tuner out. The more accurate the rifle the easier it is to determine a place to set the tuner. I'd turn the tuner one mark on its scale at a time. Once I have two shots go in the same hole, I'll shoot another. If it goes in, then I'll shoot two more. Five in the same hole and I'll call it good. With a less accurate rifle, you may just be going from 1" groups to 1/2" or 3/8" sized groups. In that case, you're probably better off to shoot 3 shot groups for each adjustment. The biggest problem I've seen with the way people use tuners is to make too large a movement at one time making a 1/4 turn, 1/2 turn or a turn or two. That's too much movement at a time. In my benchrest rifles, I've never had to turn a tuner as much as a full turn from the rear position before the rifle comes into tune. Not sure I've ever had to turn it even a half turn. My tuners aren't marked except with a split where it clamps with the cross bolt. The two different types of tuners I've used, Jackie's type that I made and the Bukys are both 32 tpi. I make what amounts to 1/32 of a turn for each test which amounts to about an 1/8" going around the circumference of the barrel. The Harrell is marked so you don't have to estimate how much you turn the tuner at a time. Just go one mark at a time. If you find someplace that shoots well, then try with it splitting the marks on one side of the other. I'd suggest once you have a setting for it to lock it down and leave it alone. It takes a lot of shooting to learn how to adjust a tuner to compensate for different climate conditions. The set it and leave it alone method is simpler than adjusting it through the day. I've seen guys do very well who know their tuner and their rifle adjust their tuner throughout the day. But, I've also seen guys adjust their tuners during a match and get them completely out of tune. Shooting for your own pleasure is one thing, but competing is another.
 
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