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Author: Frank Ross

We began the experiment with the De-Resonator at the forearm.

Some time back I bought my youngest son a .243 Howa. The rifle was priced right and the early reviews were good, so I picked it up and we hit the target range to set up the scope.

The initial setup went smoothly, and we got some tight groups using inexpensive South African ammo with 55-grain bullets. The choice of ammo was based on his getting some experience shooting prairie dogs, and his tendency to go through a lot of brass as long as he's not paying for it. My theory was to step up to a premium grade of ammo and reset the scope when we got closer to antelope and deer season.

That was the theory anyway.

When the time came to ratchet up the level of bullet performance, we sprayed lead all over the target and couldn't get a group tighter than several inches. I cleaned the barrel several times, and started over, trying three different brands of premium 100-grain loads, but got the same results. In frustration, we switched back to the original ammo in a heavier 100-grain load and had improved but still marginal success.

Since I was scheduled to attend the shooting industry trade show in a few weeks, I put the rifle back in the safe, hoping to find a solution. On my way to the Howa display I passed by the Sims Vibration Labs exhibit and stopped to chat with an old friend. I mentioned my dilemma and was led to a display of their new products. That's when I first cast eyes on the Sims LimbSaver Barrel De-Resonator. After using their archery products with great success, I left with renewed optimism, hopeful that I had found a solution.

I took it home, put it near my gun safe, and since hunting seasons had passed, I promptly forgot about it. Months later, my son asked me what I was going to do about his rifle's accuracy, and suddenly the light came on. I quickly retrieved this simple rubber device and knew the roll of his eyes meant he was a skeptic. It was good not to be pressed for time when we returned to the shooting bench because we tried a lot of variations.

The first thing I noticed is rubber doesn't slide well on dry steel. So I applied a small amount of oil, and that made it much easier to install.

Knowing that barrels resonate differently, based on their thickness, taper, length and load, we began experimenting with the De-Resonator pushed all the way to the stock's forearm. The effect was immediate and dramatic, producing three rounds in a group that measured 7/8 inch. After cooling the barrel and trying it again at a distance of 2 inches from the stock, the group dropped to a half inch. Farther out on the barrel produced less favorable results. The sweet spot we finally settled on was about 2-1/4 inches from the forearm. Several of the groups at that distance formed a cloverleaf, with edges touching or overlapping.

The Barrel De-Resonator is manufactured with Sims Labs' proprietary NAVCOM® (Noise and Vibration Control Material) and is engineered for optimum performance using their DTMS (Decay Time Modification System). The De-Resonator is also available for bull-barrel rifles as well, so there's one that will work for any scoped rifle. However, due to the large diameter of the device, it won't work with open sights.

It's such a simple concept, and remarkable that no one thought of it before. I'm certainly thankful that Sims has lots of talented people thinking about things that vibrate. While I can't guarantee that you'll enjoy the same results, I feel very confident that any rifle's shot group will improve with this product. It's that good. And for the price, how can you not try it?

Check out the Sims LimbSaver Barrel De-Resonator..