What is a barrel tuner?
First of all, let’s clarify what a barrel tuner is, because even here a lot of questions can arise.
In very simple terms, the barrel tuner is an adjustable weight that is placed on the barrel. Mostly at the end of the barrel and by setting it slightly forward or backward, we influence the movement and swing of the barrel during shooting.
But what makes the barrel move/swing?
Apart from the obvious reasons, of course. Because obviously the shooter’s uncertain movement/posture is another problem. Therefore, the marksman’s errors must be minimized in such tests. As much as possible, you should strive for the most precise support.
Very simply. During shooting, the increasing pressure in the rifle barrel, whose path is blocked by the bullet still in the barrel, starts a small wave as it moves forward in the barrel, and this wave ends in a small whiplash-like wave as the bullet leaves the barrel. This tiny harmonic wave is just enough to increase the scattering pattern by several cm at greater distances.
Some non-exhaustive examples of pipe movements. Of course, these movements and waves are greatly magnified in the animations below, but they show the process well. And also that it really doesn’t matter at which moment of the wave movement the projectile leaves the barrel.
Many types of waves can be generated. It depends on the length of the barrel, the draw, the charge (pressure) of the ammunition, the weight and material of the projectile. So there are a million small factors that influence it and we can’t even eliminate them. All we can do is somehow reduce its detrimental effect on accuracy.
The role of the MitaPoint barrel tuner is precisely to coordinate this wave with the given ammunition and dampen that tiny whiplash. And preferably the projectile leaves the barrel at the same point in the wave motion. This can even vary from ammunition to ammunition in a given rifle. Therefore, an ammunition with as stable a performance as possible is necessary. Fortunately, such ammunition can also be found among cheaper brands.
The point is that by adjusting the barrel weight mounted on the end of the barrel forward or backward, we can synchronize this wave. Or at least minimize its impact.
I inadvertently proved this to myself during testing. After all, with an adjustment of 0.1 mm (I tested it every five divisions), sometimes the scatter pattern changed completely and sometimes the center of the scatter shifted by several cm. In fact, it was the case that after an adjustment, the shot groups were transferred from one side of the target to the other. I usually shot groups of 3 or 5. I will also post here from these pages. And also in the video.
When might MitaPoint barrel tuners be needed?
Mostly for precision shooting. For F-class competitions. Or in all cases where we want to achieve an accurate hit at a greater distance. These are mostly prop shots. Lying or sitting with the weapon supported. But in several cases, it turned out that it also helps the shooter in a stable position in a standing position. These are the obvious cases, but there is also a much more common and understandable reason.
For example, when you want to get the maximum performance out of a certain cheaper and easily available but fundamentally stable ammunition.
That’s why I did a little research on the Internet for barrel tuners, what solutions exist and where they can be purchased.
So I searched the net for available information, then sat down at the drawing board and drew the first sketches for the MitaPoint barrel tuner. I discussed it with a cutting specialist, after which I modified the drawing again. So, the barrel tuner went through a lot of small modifications until the first prototype. Unfortunately, the specialist was quite saturated with work, so the first testable copy was completed slowly. But when it was finished, I was able to receive a very correct and precise part.
And I finally got to try it.
The test took two days and took place at the Proshooting range.
The equipment was a Tikka T1x 22LR rifle.
The ammunition was SK Standard Plus, Blazer, SK Rifle Match, CCI Standard.
The scope was a Discoveryopt LHD 6-24×50 SFIR FFP-Z.
The tuner used for testing was a prototype. Even the division of the scale was glued on by me and it was just a paper self-adhesive sticker, but it served the purpose perfectly. Mainly because it turned out that the first circular scale was not easy to use. After all, I couldn’t read the tiny numbers on the shooting range. So I changed the numbering a bit. Which I modified again during the final smoothing. 🙂 The final engraved numbering already took into account the feasibility.
From the basic setting, I started to roll the weight inwards. The tuner moved 1mm with one full turn. The scale was 50 divisions. One division corresponded to an adjustment of 0.02 mm. I adjusted the tuner every 5 divisions, i.e. 0.1mm after each group. But even such a small statement brought about a visible change in the groups. Sometimes the center of the hit group moved by several cm between two statements, and there were narrower and very large standard deviations. So it was clear that the barrel tuner had an effect on the results.
In the end, it took two days for the test because the first day of testing fell on a Saturday, I got to the shooting range late and I had barely an hour until closing time. On this first day, I only had the opportunity to do one basic test and I shot at the shooting range targets. There were only dots on the shooting range cards. So I shot them. And on this Saturday, I was only able to shoot 16 rounds with the SK Standard Plus ammo, which is a full turn and 5 major divisions. This adjustment range is approx. half. I wasn’t even able to make a video recording, but this day was already very promising. I made an appointment for the next test on a Wednesday. Here, I have already used my own firing plates and a video recording of the tests was also made.
Then I started the test with the Blazer ammunition, which was promising because at 50m I could shoot nice tight groups without a tuner, but unfortunately at 100m the dispersion completely fell apart. I was hoping that the tuner could change this.
I was wrong. Unfortunately, even the tuner could not help the Blazer’s dispersion at 100m. After about 130 shots, I gave up testing the Blazer. It was not possible to shoot an appreciable spread on any of the settings. I shot 5-shot groups, after each group I adjusted a little (5 divisions, i.e. 0.1mm) on the tuner. At 50m I was able to shoot a narrower group than without the tuner, but at 100m I did not manage to shoot a good spread. Although the spread was narrower than without a tuner, it was far from what was expected.
Of course, there could be several reasons for this. Perhaps one of them is that the muzzle velocity of the Blazer is above the speed of sound and approx. It falls below the speed of sound at around 50m (depending on the rifle and the barrel length) and maybe this interferes a lot with the 100m groups. I don’t know, but I’m not looking either. I believe the CCI Standard is at a similar price, but it performed excellently.
The SK Standard Plus was excellent.
Since Balzer did not live up to expectations for approx. After 130 shots, I continued testing with the SK Standard Plus ammunition.
For the SK Standard Plus test, I returned to the setting where I had to finish in the very first test (on Saturday). After a couple of test shots, I started testing and with this ammunition I was able to shoot significantly better groups at 100m than before with the Blazer. Of course there were better and worse groups, but the difference was very visible.
On the shooting map on the right, you can see 6 groups that I shot at 100m with the above ammunition. On this day, I shot several such sheets, but I only put this sheet here because it also has the best group of the day. 🙂
I changed the tuner after each group. I also evaluated the best group.
The best group size is 0.32MOA. At least this is the best group so far and this is the best group I have ever shot at 100m with this rifle. But maybe it will be even better than that. 🙂
This group was the 21st series in the test. In other words, I had to shoot A LOT until I got here. But it was worth it. :-). And this can still be fine-tuned, because we set the barrel tuner every 5 divisions. So, you can still set 1-2 divisions to the right and left and thus further refine the setting, if necessary. It’s not that important to me. 🙂
For me, it has been perfectly proven that the MitaPoint barrel tuner is a very effective aid for precise and accurate shots. 🙂
But of course I was curious to see what the results would be with other ammunition. Thus, with the above barrel tuner setting, I also tried SK Rifle Match and CCI Standard ammunition. And I was able to shoot excellent groups with these as well.
In particular, with the SK Rifle Match ammunition, it was not possible to shoot a group like the Standard Plus ammunition, but now it went even better and with the same settings as in the case of the SK Standard Plus. So I might switch to using the red SK. 🙂 Although the yellow ammunition is cheaper and the difference is negligible.
The tuner will soon be available in my webshop (by pre-order, because the adapter of the tuner must be manufactured for the thread at the end of the barrel. On my rifle (Tikka T1x), the thread at the end of the barrel is 1/2″x20.
MitaPoint Barrel Tuner for the exact match
But I really only recommend getting a barrel tuner for perverted shooters. The first setting requires quite a lot of shots (up to 100-150 shots) and this should probably be repeated with another type of ammunition. That’s why it’s worth choosing a cheap, but preferably stable performance ammunition that’s easy to get. I have three of these ammo. One is the SK Standard Plus, which is basically good ammunition for my rifle at 50m, but nevertheless, for some reason at 100m the groups completely fall apart without a barrel tuner. Another such ammunition is the CCI Standard. It also performs well at 50m (even better than the SK), but at a distance of 100m the scattering with this ammunition is downright catastrophic. Of course, I also tried the barrel tuner with CCI Standard ammunition. The dispersion at 100m was very good, but it did not reach the dispersion of the two SKs. With a little tweaking, I think CCI Standard ammo can shoot a group similar to SK ammo. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough CCI ammunition during the test, so I couldn’t shoot a full test with it.
However, if you have managed to adjust the barrel tuner for 3-4 ammunition and note down the correct setting for each ammunition, then later you only have to adjust the barrel tuner for the ammunition you want to use.
Of course, then I can no longer refer to the error of the technique if I shoot badly. 🙂
Can be ordered
€180
MitaPoint Barrel Tuner for the exact match
What is the barrel tuner for?
During shooting, the increasing pressure in the tube, the path of which is blocked by the bullet still in the tube, starts a small wave as it moves forward in the tube, and this wave ends in a small whiplash-like wave as the bullet leaves the tube. This tiny harmonic wave is just enough to increase the scattering pattern by several cm at greater distances.
Adjustability:
- number of divisions: 50
- numbering: 0-9
- full turn: 1mm
- one division: 0.02mm
- main (numbered) divisions: 0.1mm
Who do I recommend the tube tuner to?
Mainly for sports shooters or those who want to shoot very accurately at long distances. Of course, the skills of the shooter are also important in terms of accuracy, but technique will no longer be the bottleneck.
If you want to shoot accurately with a cheaper or easier to obtain ammunition This way you can save on much more expensive ammunition. In other words, you can shoot MUCH more for the same cost. :-). In addition, the price of the tube tuner pays off.
For example, I tested it (in 22LR caliber) with SK Standard Plus ammunition, which costs a third of the Eley Tenex. And there is no difference in standard deviation. I also tested it with CCI Standard ammunition, which is almost a quarter of the price of Eley Tenex. So, in the case of 22LR ammunition, the price of the barrel tuner will pay for itself in about 500 shots. For larger calibers, it is much sooner.
How it works
The barrel tuner adapter must be screwed onto the end of the rifle barrel. You have to pull it. Due to the threading, the indicator line on the adapter may not be at top dead center.
The barrel weight, which is screwed onto the adapter, can be adjusted without rattling against a spring. For the first adjustment, it is worth setting the adapter and the front of the barrel weight diagonally and start shooting there.
Purchase details
The adapter part of the barrel tuner is manufactured after the order, because the thread at the end of the barrel can vary from weapon to weapon. Therefore, the delivery time is longer than for other products in stock. This is usually an extra week, maximum 2 weeks. We will clarify after the order. When ordering, be sure to write what thread is on the end of the rifle barrel, because we manufacture the adapter for this.
