Tuner Question as it relates to Short Range BR

[Mulligan]

I am very new to short range benchrest, at the three matches I have attended I have asked plenty of questions when folks are sitting around shooting the bull.
I have found that some of them adjust the powder charge with prevailing atmospheric conditions (temp and RH), others say they only adjust seating depth to stay in tune, some say they never change seating depth for the life of the barrel. A couple of shooters said they do not adjust anything except the tuner.
Most are shooting Lt-31 (50/50 blend of 32 and 30), straight Lt-32, or 133, it is hot and dry in Western Colorado during the summer. Last match the days finished over 100*F and RH at or below 10%.

My question is; is it really possible to achieve the same results by adjusting one of the three elements? If you can do it all with a tuner, why doesn’t everyone have a tuner? Appears to be the simplest process. What am I missing
CW

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Once a good load is established, I do maintain tune with the tuner. More and more tuners are being used all the time.

 

[BartsBullets]

Clay,

My advice to a new shooter would be to learn how to tune and how to keep a gun in tune the old fashioned way first with seating depth and adjusting powder. There’s a awful lot to be learned by seeing how your groups change from tweaks with powder and seating depth. The more you learn about tuning the old fashioned way the better off you’ll be.

New guys that jump straight on a tuner short-cut their education and it’s easy for them to get lost when their go to move is twisting the tuner and it doesn’t work. The tuner becomes more of a bandaid instead of the powerful tool it should be.

To answer you question can you do it all with a tuner? Depends on your load. A tuner cannot fix a load that’s too far out of whack ie too cold/too hot! It can make a good load much better.

Bart

 

[Texas10]

I just put one on my 6BR and it's quite a kick to be able to just give it a slight adjustment and watch the groups tighten up.

 

[Mulligan]

Clay,

My advice to a new shooter would be to learn how to tune and how to keep a gun in tune the old fashioned way first with seating depth and adjusting powder. There’s a awful lot to be learned by seeing how your groups change from tweaks with powder and seating depth. The more you learn about tuning the old fashioned way the better off you’ll be.

New guys that jump straight on a tuner short-cut their education and it’s easy for them to get lost when their go to move is twisting the tuner and it doesn’t work. The tuner becomes more of a bandaid instead of the powerful tool it should be.

To answer you question can you do it all with a tuner? Depends on your load. A tuner cannot fix a load that’s too far out of whack ie too cold/too hot! It can make a good load much better.

Bart

Makes perfect sense

Learning to load at the range has been quite the education. It is super fun and eye-opening to see subtle changes make significant changes to your groups.
CW

 

[Mulligan]

I just put one on my 6BR and it's quite a kick to be able to just give it a slight adjustment and watch the groups tighten up.

I have had the same experience with my dasher.
Might need to bite the bullet and get one installed on my PPC
CW