Drilling:  Pin to pap 3 1/2 (pin placed next to ring finger); mb to pap 5 1/2; mb placed at 90*

For me this layout gives me more midlane roll and a snapping back end reaction.

As for results my high game with this ball is 297, and my high set is 797. (238,297.262).

The ball chips really easy. I got my ball the 13 of January 2007 its been almost a month and i have had to get it plugged 9 times It has not left the bowling ally in three weeks. If it doesn't chip you can put up good numbers. Brunswick is Going to replace my ball so I hope every one has better luck than I did.

Ball:  Brunswick Red Zone

Layout:

Pin 5” from PAP below fingers
60-degree locator line angle
XH on PAP, 7/8” by 2” deep

Initial Surface Preparation:

Box finish

Purpose:

To serve as the cornerstone of my new tournament arsenal;  â€œfirst ball out of the bag”
 
Why this ball?

In general, I’ve had success with the asymmetrical Zones on blended house-type patterns (which constitute the majority of what I see in competition), as well as on conditions where there is some wet-dry from front to back.  Also, if I’m not getting the right reaction, I can usually get a good enough read with the Zone to where I know which way to go in the arsenal.  The Red Zone was particularly intriguing in that it was billed as being cleaner in front and sharper at the break than the Vapor and Strike.

As for the layout, I’ve had a great deal of success with the 5”-under-by-60 in a Vapor Zone and a Strike Zone, so I opted for this layout in the Red, despite the fact that the CG on this particular ball was about 1” to the right of the locator line.

Observations:

I first threw the Red Zone at a center with a synthetic surface, on a more blended pattern after a fresh strip.  So while there wasn’t the usual amount of free hook to the outside, there was plenty of friction in back, and no matter what I threw, I got a hard change of direction at the breakpoint.  I had to grind out several frames until the middles started to push, but at that point, the Red opened up the track area nicely.  I did have to watch the speed, though;  if I got it going a hair too fast, it would shoot through the pin deck and leave a late 10.  However, the Red was very user-friendly in that it didn’t want to go crazy at the break when I softened up my speed.

I used the Red Zone to great effect at a tournament on a synthetic surface with a pattern that was more blended, both from front to back and from side to side.  The Red gave me the ideal reaction for this longer pattern where I had to play a straighter trajectory.  It held well when I got the ball going more up the lane, and recovered nicely when I leaked it to the right.  Again, though, I had to watch my speed, or else I’d leave late 10s.  Once the track started to go away, though, the Red started to run for home in the midlane, and on moving left to give the ball some room, it didn’t exhibit the recovery that I needed in order to get a good look at the lane.

I have also tried using the Red on conditions with less of a blend, and while the reactions that I’ve gotten were serviceable, there were better choices in the bag.

Conclusions:

This ball is true to form as far as the asymmetrical Zones go.  As long as the ball path through the front part of the lane is clean, and there is some volume in the midlane, I can use the Red Zone with effectiveness.  However, once the track starts to go, the Red will react too quickly to the dry, forcing me deeper on the lane, and out of the “comfort zone” for this ball.  Also, if the front breaks down more quickly than the midlane does, the Red Zone will start up too quickly and then hang down the lane.
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...formerly "The Curse of Dusty," and "Poöter Boöf" before that...

Drilled close to 5.5 x 5 (Pin x MB). This ball was excellent on transitioning longer patterns, and medium patterns with a little carrydown. It was very touchy off of the friction so I had to make sure I had a condition to throw it on where it wouldn't jump on me. On Cheetah, this thing was very angular off of the breakpoint, but could carry the world. I was playing 15-3 or so to start with, and was playing in front of the ball return by game 4, and then made the switch. On Chameleon, it didn't seem to get the length I needed on the pattern to be able to score efficiently. Scorpion was pretty much ideal for this ball. Medium in length, heavier in the heads...

Basically, the Red Zone is a good ball for your medium-slightly longer patterns with the right matching up. Decent ball.
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Colton Coan

Arsenal:
Total Inferno
Ultimate Inferno
Red Zone
Mystic
Plastic

http://www.absolutebowling.com

This ball is more even arching than the Zone Classic.  The more even arching characteristic allows this ball to be a little bit better in carry down in my opinion.  It doesn't have he violent backend like the Classic.  This might be the most versitile ball you will ever throw, and the hit isn't bad either.  It does lack some of the hitting power in the Classic, but if it's versitility that you need, this is a great ball.

I was having problems with getting the ball to carry strikes when I had 10th frame grips in.  I had my local pro shop put in new grips and this ball is a totally different ball.  It's still even arching, but it seems like it doesn't roll out.  It's a lot like the Ebonite Tornado Tornado on drier conditions.  Both balls can hook early, but they keep turning at a nice steady, predictable rate and drive through the pins very nice.

If anybody has thrown an Ebonite Vortex III TPS polished, the reactions between these 2 balls are about the same.
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Brandon
Owner of a Vertex Mold 1/2 HP.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bowling_tips_group

I'll give it a shot!

Not a lot of games on this hooker but so what...

Me....Lefty, softer speed, strong side roll, high tracker, and more revs than speed....say 300 at 15 mph.  Pap 5 1/4 up 1/8.

Ball drilled essentially length and backend from Brunswick's new drill sheets!
Pin above ring(5 inch pin to pap) and mass bias 2 inches out from thumb.
Weighthole on a line from grip center thru the up cg on my VAL. 59/32 and angled out 1 inch lateral out pitch!
(this drilling is a clone of my AWESOME....awesome REVS a strong mass bias pearl particle).

Surprisingly the reaction is much different than the revs.  Started out with the ball illegal(no weighthole and the ball just went near straight! on an oily shot!)  

Went put in the angled weighthole to match the Awesome revs and voila!  BAckend!

However instead of supplying strong midlane like my Awesome revs this ball has a very similar look to my well worn pin over ring and cg in grip center Icon 2.
In other words a lot of length and a penetrating pretty straight ball roll until the sharp angular backend!  This coverstock now appears strong when it decides to bite hunker down and attack.....but it waits a long time before it hunkers down and grabs.  

In fact the more I think of it the reaction is not than different from a lot of Black Widows I've seen.

I put the Icon 2 with its modified label leverage drill against the Red and only saw subtle differences that such as the Icon two with it's light load particle coverstock got me a touch deeper with my feet and had a slightly smoother backend off the dry in comparison to the richochet dig grab and snap of this solid coverstock.

I was not looking forward to a copy of my Icon2 so I will come back after trying a subtle dulling of the coverstock.

In a way I was surprised at the lack of midlane from this ball but I did find a way to make it work on a wet dry 10 to 10 that I believe my Awesome would have killed on a 14 to 8 line this shiny looking pill finally wanted to strike once I went 9 to 5 with a slightly bent back wrist(rarity for me!).

Summary, if you want midlane don't hesitate to use one of Brunswicks two drillings that speak about lots of midlane.  Both with the pin down a touch,,,,one with a 4 inch pin to pap the other with a 5 inch pin to PAP.

If one wants a piercing Black widow length and backend....this may be your secret cheap and hot looking winner!

I may take this surprising piece over to my center that supplies all the midlane one wants (due to the lane friction in the 15 to 40 foot area) and couple it with this core that in its out of box condition
supplies little very little midlane from the internal powerhouse trapped inside!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS my Icon2 was often a choice and maybe this pill may be even better!  
Oh yeah....it hooks and hits when one finds the line....and its breathtaking to watch.  Bowling tightwire act!
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Open the door...see what's possible...and just walk right on through...that's how easy success feels..

Well to start off I hate brunswick!!! This is the exception to all though. I love this ball. mine is drilled pin about 5 inches from my pap and above the bridge and my mb is about an inch right of my thumb. When i first got this ball I had alot of trouble getting it to move thinking it was gonna be a dud like my smoking inferno was but after about 5 to 6 games and getting a track into the cover i found it came to life and what I mean is it is clean in the front part of the lane and when it reads the dry it makes a predictable move twards the pocket and it is one of thoes balls that off your hand you know it. The other really shocking thing about this ball is the hitting power. This ball hits like a mack truck and I have found that corner pins are a thing of the past.

revs 450+
speed 17-19
pap 4 7\8 1\4 down
   thanks for reading