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Author Topic: Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage  (Read 1934 times)

pjr300

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Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage
« on: June 01, 2006, 02:27:50 PM »
I picked up a Smoking Inferno for conditions in my Wednesday league... synthetic lanes, and the mid lane really burns up by the middle of the 2nd game. Third game is toast.

However, the Smokin is a great ball, but for this shot the backend still is too strong. Length seems OK, but it is too angular. Layout is 4 x 4.5 and no x-hole, by the way.

Someone mentioned to me that a Rampage may be a good option.... then again, the specs per the brinswick site seem very close to the Smokin. Should I really bother with a Rampage? Or should I consider a Punisher? Or something else? thx!


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Edited on 6/1/2006 10:25 PM
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laner7pin

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Re: Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2006, 10:32:27 PM »
Rampage with a similar drilling would probably be the key. PK18 pearl coverstock will pick up a bit sooner, but will not be as drastic on the backend.

I have a Rampage driled 4 x 3 1/4" and had a Smokin' drilled 4 x 3 3/4". Smokin was a couple of feet longer and very snappy, the Rampage is smoother and not as big on the backend. Great 1-2 combo at the time (I sold my Smok earlier this season and of course drilled another one todya completely different).


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Edited on 6/1/2006 10:29 PM
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Wallshot

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Re: Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2006, 12:44:21 AM »
This may sound crazy but an Ambush drilled with pin over the middle finger 6 + inches from your pap makes for a great control ball. The low load particle won't jump off the dry and the low/no flare drill pattern tames the reaction creating more of a hook set.

Don't get hooked (no pun intended) on the layouts that you see on 99% of the balls used in league. They typically have the pin starting from inbetween the fingers and going right from there (5 inch pin to pap; 4 inch, 3 3/8th's, etc). On lanes that are hopping you want to take most of the flare of the ball out of the equation. So, why not just go with a power groove or some other weak coverstock? Well, you can and should under the right conditions, but even a flared down Vapor Zone is going to roll and hit better than most weak coverstocks.

I've drilled Vapor Zones 6 plus inches from my pap that reacted better on light conditions with semi burn heads than alot of equipment specifically designed for such a condition. I place the MB 1/2 to 2 inches right of the thumb.

Just my two cents.











Edited on 6/2/2006 0:42 AM
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2006, 06:04:39 AM »
A friend of mine has a Si and a Punisher, both drilled pin under ring and CG stacked. They make a nice combo for medium-oily to medium-dry shots and have a comparable breakpoint shape and overall reaction, just on different conditions. IMHO, the Rampage is too aggressive to be handy "under" the SI, unless you drill it weaker and maybe get the base grit before polishing it much higher. If you like the SI performance, go for the Punisher or even consider MoRich's Sahara - same coverstock as Punisher, but a more powerful core. But it's more expensive, though...
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pjr300

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Re: Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2006, 09:08:16 AM »

Thanks folks for all the feedback. The heads hold up pretty well in this house but the midlanes burn up and the ball just want to start turning at 40 feet... even for the straighter players. The back end are pretty live as well.

sounds like I should really go to the Punisher for a big difference in look.... or Rampage with a weaker layout that would tame the back end.


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BallsDeep

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Re: Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2006, 09:17:08 AM »
Yeah either of those are good options, but unless you are strictly brunswick, the Sahara is probably a better option.  It has the N'Control Power boost cover of the Punisher, but a stronger, asymetric motor.  I found that my punisher was really pretty weak and at times would struggle getting around the corner.  Most of the time bowling on later blocks where one would need a tame piece, there is also alot of carry down, and unless you have something that will cut a bit on the back it can be weak ten city.  The Sahara provides a slightly greater hook potential than the Punisher but alot more on the backend (with the proper drill).
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Length & Backend: Smoking Inferno vs Punisher & Rampage
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2006, 01:17:56 PM »
quote:
What you are describing is a solid powerkoil shell, factory polished and wrapped around a low rg core, with low flare potential. Currently there isn't anything like that out there.  Alternatively, drill a Scorchin up with a pin axis drilling, and put a pretty high polish on it.  The pin axis layout will dampen any skid flip from the highly polished shell, and give you a remarkable amount of push in the midlane, due to the low flare.  The drawback is that layouts of this nature tend to magnify small errors in a release.


Maybe Lane#1 Tsunami could be this ball? I am not an expert on Lane#1 equipment, this ball is a solid low RG ball, asymmetrical core and with a rather low differential under 0.04, and the coverstock is, as far as I know, a PK18 or a close derivate?
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