Why I Stopped Using Tuners

In a former life I built, tuned and raced motorcycles… KISS is a universal approach to complex problems and “most” successful people employ it. Lower YOUR workload so you can perform better. Good video.

For those of us that can’t afford full custom rifles and spending endless hours at the loading bench & range, tuners are a god send and have saved me time & $$.

Great info. I really appreciate you sharing this clear info. There is so much information on reloading on the internet it’s overwhelming. You videos try to cut to the chase and it’s great.

ABSOULTY, feel the same, so much effort to do all you development and testing, then over with a tuner, I did put one on a 6.5 C, set on zero, it shot .20 groups, but did that before. Thanks for the update.

Words of wisdom! All the guys trying to sell stuff are not going to like this!!

Thank you for your thoughts on tuners, Keith. I'm just getting started in the short range benchrest game. A couple friends of mine who have been doing benchrest for a long while have tried tuners and no longer use them. I haven't gotten to the point where I pick their brains for the reason why. For now I'm not going to use a tuner but rather develop a load using Tony Boyer's approach to arrive at a powder charge weight and bullet seating depth.

Love the logic here. I've always said that shooters are a lot like golfers. When their game isn't up to standard, a lot of times they just throw money at the problem rather than focus self improvement. I'm at the extreme early stages of long range shooting and don't know what I don't know yet, but I can appreciate the mentality of just focusing on my skills rather than buying another tool to lug around. Saw a dude at the range with a full blown weather station and a laptop the other day. Come on man, really? Great content. Thanks!

Thanks Keith, that was very informative. I was considering a tuner but on the basis of your video I won't. Also, Bryan Litz did extensive testing of tuners with several calibres and after approx 800 rounds per barrel he concluded that a tuner will not come up with a REPEATABLE best load.

Thank you for the time to word the explanation so well.

Interesting video! I agree with what you say. I almost bought a tuner but for some reason just thought it SAS a mistake for me and my load development routine. You just explained what those reasons were better than I ever could. I never really considered the psych angle though. Thanks for that!

It is great to hear pure logic. This is exactly why I don't use tuners neither (FTR). There is enough variables at play, the last thing I need is another one, especially since its benefits are so easily outweighed by risk.

Sincerely, thank you. I have shot exactly seven 600 yard F-Class events. The first five with a .308 whose receiver dates to the early 1940s (an Italian heritage Mauser) average was 357.8, woo hoo. The next two events I was allowed to shoot my .260 Remington with EC Muzzle Brake/Tuner in the open class. Average score there 376.5. My immediate goal was to average 360 (or to keep everything in the nine ring at 600 yards). These are my hunting guns and the objective was to improve my shooting. I have shot a variety of projectiles to arrive at a suitable "target" load. I know that physics dictates that the greater the density, overall mass, and barrel length the higher the frequency and the less the amplitude. The tuner has made it possible to shoot a variety of different weight projectiles to achieve my less than one MOA goal. Just saying.

I use 3 tuner/brakes on 3 rifles same reamer cut chambers same twist barrels. Various round count barrels as well. All compete 1k VBR, load is the same across the board annealed, turned necks, trimmed, primer pockets uniformed, neck bushing fls, mandrel uniform, etc each firing less the neck trim of course. Custom bullets cnc turned and HBN coated. The load is the same and the tuner dials it in individually for each rifle. 6bra chambered, kreiger and brux barrels. Tuner/brake also kept my wife shooting with me, she had 3 shoulder surgeries and trying to keep her company at matches. So Keith I enjoy your podcasts and have applied to my own loading and shooting, keep up the good work. Thank you Ron Smith

Im not a competitive shooter, so the keep it simple approach is something I can relate to. Thanks for the information and honesty in your experience with these tuners.

This has been heavily discussed the last few days in a few forums I’m in. I do not use them the main reasons I stated you touched on in here. Very well made video

Interesting viewpoints. Thanks for sharing.

Great video especially covering the psychological effect also works that way with trapshooting ;little less technical with the Clay target game

So I had that happen to me on my 308 . The EC Cortina brake tuner combo got loose either in the case or on the ride to the range. Im taking it off and going to rely on powder charge and seating depth.

Very interesting presentation delivered, as always, dispassionately while presenting well thought of arguments. Personally, point #3 applies more than the other two due to lack of experience but my take, when it comes to technological matters, is that parsimony is desirable and something to strive for. The fewer things can go wrong, the fewer things to worry about. I think this was more a lab coat than a sports jacket video... 🙂

Great advise Thanks