Anyone try a Starik Tuner / Tube?

[Canuck65]

I'm shooting an Anschutz for BR 50m, and after 10 years of it, I feel like I've reached the potential for this rifle and the ammo I'm using. I'd like to try and squeeze a few more Xs (consistently) out of it before I think about upgrading the barrel (or rifle).

I've never really been sold on the value or benefit of tuners - too many people think they'll fix their bad rifle or technique. But now I think I'd like to give one a try.

Anyone have any experience with the Starik tubes that Nordic sells? Interested in an honest review.

To be clear, my rifle shoots amazing - I'm just looking to tighten groups up that last little bit, or add a few more Xs each week.

I'm not interested in a debate about the use of tuners in general - I'd like to hear from people who have used them, especially this one in particular.

 

[grauhanen]

I have had three and still have two Starik tuners. They will work on Anschutz rifles with barrels that have suitable dimensions. There are two basic and essential requirements that must be met, both of which apply to all tuners with .22LR rifles.

The first is that they work with consistent ammo. That is to say, the ammo used must be able to produce good results consistently. If tuner setting testing is not done with consistent ammo, it's impossible to know when results are due to a tuner setting or vagaries due to ammo.

The second is that the correct tuner setting must be found. The correct setting is rarely found through a quick testing period. There are a variety of ways to find the best setting, some of them more effective and straightforward than others. Whatever method is used, testing must always be methodical and repeated for verification. And it shouldn't be done in the wind unless wind is accounted for by applying good wind reading skills.

For readers in general, tuners are not a shortcut to accuracy performance. They never turn poorly shooting ammo into something else. Lousy ammo is always lousy ammo. It probably is not a stretch to say that many shooters who have a tuner don't have it near the best setting, and the main reason for this is that it hasn't been adequately tested and verified.

Before any shooter gets a tuner for his rimfire, he would be well advised to find good and consistent ammo and learn when to shoot.

 

[Canuck65]

Thanks grauhanen. Like I said, I'm not expecting miracles. This is already a great-shooting rifle, and I use the ammo that it likes best. I'm not trying to turn 9s into 10s - I'm just trying to squeeze a few more Xs out of it week over week. I can read wind flags, but I'd like to reduce any minor vertical spread due to inconsistencies in the ammo.

 

[250-25X]

I use the long one (32cm) on my Benchmark barreled Anschütz and I like it a lot.

With this tube, using the Hopewell method (http://newbrunswick-benchrest.########.com/2016/01/the-hopewell-method-of-barrel-tuning.html ) I was able to reduce the average size of a very good lot of Eley Team from 14,5mm to 12,1mm (for 5, 10-shot groups averages). From past experiences with other barrel tuners (Uptagrafft, Hoehn, Harrell) this improved accuracy is excellent.

To be clear, my rifle shoots amazing

Which ammo are you using and what kind of accuracy do you get now with your Anschütz ?

One last point: if you are not shooting position (3P or Prone) with your rifle, the added sight radius of the Starik is not very useful. Instead, you might want to consider a fat and short benchrest tuner such as a Harrell.

Hope it helps,

Paul

 

[Longstud]

I have had three and still have two Starik tuners. They will work on Anschutz rifles with barrels that have suitable dimensions. There are two basic and essential requirements that must be met, both of which apply to all tuners with .22LR rifles.

The first is that they work with consistent ammo. That is to say, the ammo used must be able to produce good results consistently. If tuner setting testing is not done with consistent ammo, it's impossible to know when results are due to a tuner setting or vagaries due to ammo.

The second is that the correct tuner setting must be found. The correct setting is rarely found through a quick testing period. There are a variety of ways to find the best setting, some of them more effective and straightforward than others. Whatever method is used, testing must always be methodical and repeated for verification. And it shouldn't be done in the wind unless wind is accounted for by applying good wind reading skills.

For readers in general, tuners are not a shortcut to accuracy performance. They never turn poorly shooting ammo into something else. Lousy ammo is always lousy ammo. It probably is not a stretch to say that many shooters who have a tuner don't have it near the best setting, and the main reason for this is that it hasn't been adequately tested and verified.

Before any shooter gets a tuner for his rimfire, he would be well advised to find good and consistent ammo and learn when to shoot.

LISTEN!! He knows what he speaks and so does anybody that shoots competitively. Like me

 

[grauhanen]

I use the long one (32cm) on my Benchmark barreled Anschütz and I like it a lot.

View attachment 752942

One last point: if you are not shooting position (3P or Prone) with your rifle, the added sight radius of the Starik is not very useful. Instead, you might want to consider a fat and short benchrest tuner such as a Harrell.

Starik makes tuners with different length tubes, including a short tube tuner. It has a 19cm (about 7.5") tube. There's also an extra long Starik that has a 36cm (about 14.2") for rifles with barrels under 55cm (about 21.5").

Given the utility of a tuner adapted for a front sight (as shown in Paul's picture above), Starik-type tuners are used more often in 3P (international Olympic-style) shooting. Tuners such as Harrell and similar clamp-on models are used more often among serious benchrest shooters and are easily available to American shooters.

Below is a short tube Starik tuner.



A note on availability. Starik tuners may be more straightforward to buy than the clamp-on Harrell-type of tuners because Starik tuners are usually stocked by Nordic Marksman and can be purchased directly from the manufacturer in Israel. They can be ordered to fit certain rifle models, including a number of Anschutz models.

American tuners are subject to ITAR regulations and, like many other firearms products such as scopes, can't be easily purchased by individuals directly from US suppliers. Indeed, to make things simple many suppliers just don't sell outside of the US. As a result Canadian retailers with the paperwork in order must import them. In the past I have obtained Harrell tuners from Big Horn Sales. Clamp-on tuners usually come in a certain minimum size and need to be bored larger to fit the particular muzzle.

Many PRS-style shooters have rifles barrels with threaded muzzles and often prefer to use tuners that screw on. Serious benchrest shooters typically prefer clamp-on tuners so they don't have to thread their barrel muzzles and risk disturbing the performance of the barrel. Starik tuners are clamp-on.

 

[Canuck65]

Thanks again grauhanen. Thanks Paul.