Tuner for Bergara B14R Carbon

[Krogen]

Searching the forum didn't offer much with regard to putting tuner on a Bergara B14R Carbon. Lots of tuner discussion, but I didn't find much applicable to my situation.

* Has anybody done testing with a tuner on the subject rifle?
* Do the barrel vibrations of steel vs. carbon fiber wrapped barrels vary and dictate a specific type of tuner?
* I'm considering Harrell's and PMA Tools' tuners. Any advice favoring one or the other? Or other brands?

Comments from real-world experiences will be much appreciated. Conjecture and guesswork, less so!

 

[longrange223]

I made an adapter to fit the 1/2x28 to fit my Harrell's Tuner and tried it out, It shot better with the Harrell's but it worked better with my steel barrel Bergara, not sure if that helps or not, They both shot pretty close to the same without the tuner with the steel barrel maybe having a slight edge

 

[xswanted]

Searching the forum didn't offer much with regard to putting tuner on a Bergara B14R Carbon. Lots of tuner discussion, but I didn't find much applicable to my situation.

* Has anybody done testing with a tuner on the subject rifle?
* Do the barrel vibrations of steel vs. carbon fiber wrapped barrels vary and dictate a specific type of tuner?
* I'm considering Harrell's and PMA Tools' tuners. Any advice favoring one or the other? Or other brands?

Comments from real-world experiences will be much appreciated. Conjecture and guesswork, less so!

Just so you’re clear on the B14r Carbon, the barrel is not wrapped.


It is a tension barrel.


The Carbon tube slides over a small pencil thin barrel, butting up to the shank of the steel barrel near the receiver and it is brought up to tension with the cap at the end.

This is a paramount reason as to why some people experience shifting POI with this rifle. I went through it with one and it was maddening.

Once the problem was solved (carbon tightened to spec) the gun shot fantastically well. It seemed as though a heavy suppressor I own helped the groups. However as it got dirty very quickly it wasn’t a full time accuracy solution.

I believe a tuner could work well with the carbon barrel as long as the rifle is setup correctly with proper tension on the carbon.


Here is a link to thread I wrote up after my learning experience.

FYIY I’m not bashing the B14r. I own three and would own another carbon against if the need arises.

Thread 'Bergara B14r Carbon…….Good Stuff To Know'

Jul 4, 2022

Hi guys,

I purchased a B14r carbon about a month and a half ago. Been having lots of fun with it. I’ve set it up as a NRL22 rifle and hoping to make a match yet this summer. I have my own private range so I get to practice that style of shooting at home.

The gun shoots very well. I tried some different ammo and settled on Eley Club. Mainly because it shoots good and I got a great deal on a couple cases.

Problems set in after I dropped it into a KRG Bravo chassis. POI was shifting dramatically as I would shoot. Especially in the heat. Groups were still good, they’d just move 2 MOA up...

• xswanted
• Replies: 8
• Forum: Rimfire & Smallbore

• 

 

[Krogen]

Thanks for the info @xswanted. I had no idea it was in tension. It seems it's like the old Dan Wesson Revolvers where the barrel shroud put the the barrel in tension. Looks like I might have yet another "knob to turn" with barrel tension.

The rifle shot rather poorly when new. It took about 300 round to settle down. At that point, it shot well, but threw flyers now and then until suddenly it quit performing altogether. A serious deep cleaning rectified that problem, except the random flyers persisted. I don't believe the flyers are due to the ammo - Eley Match. I expect it will continue to shoot well, throwing occasional flyers until it quits again. Then it's time for another deep cleaning. As you may have gathered, I'm not a proponent of cleaning 22's. They're like dogs. Give them a bath and they're upset with you until they get dirty again. The difference is that no dog I ever knew was unhappy when covered in too much dirt.

The occasional flyers started my interest in tuners. I may be thinking wrong, since tuners affect barrel resonances. I really don't see how a tuner could affect random wacko shots, but I'm grasping at straws. Ammo or ignition, I suppose, could cause random flyers. Or, as I know now, if that tension nut is getting loose, maybe it's causing flyers.

 

[xswanted]

Thanks for the info @xswanted. I had no idea it was in tension. It seems it's like the old Dan Wesson Revolvers where the barrel shroud put the the barrel in tension. Looks like I might have yet another "knob to turn" with barrel tension.

The rifle shot rather poorly when new. It took about 300 round to settle down. At that point, it shot well, but threw flyers now and then until suddenly it quit performing altogether. A serious deep cleaning rectified that problem, except the random flyers persisted. I don't believe the flyers are due to the ammo - Eley Match. I expect it will continue to shoot well, throwing occasional flyers until it quits again. Then it's time for another deep cleaning. As you may have gathered, I'm not a proponent of cleaning 22's. They're like dogs. Give them a bath and they're upset with you until they get dirty again. The difference is that no dog I ever knew was unhappy when covered in too much dirt.

The occasional flyers started my interest in tuners. I may be thinking wrong, since tuners affect barrel resonances. I really don't see how a tuner could affect random wacko shots, but I'm grasping at straws. Ammo or ignition, I suppose, could cause random flyers. Or, as I know now, if that tension nut is getting loose, maybe it's causing flyers.

Agreed the tension is most likely not causing the fliers BUT the only thing I know for certain is that I don’t know everything.

The carbon barrel I had took about 1000-1200 rounds to get consistent, also had fliers occasionally but after it broke in, it shot pretty well in the same hole all the time with Eley Tenex or SK Match

Tenex was better at longer distances.

I’m in the same boat for cleaning, I don’t do it very often. They seem to prefer to be fouled for sure.