I was curious what you guys think makes a bowling ball hit hard or weak.  I've had a couple of bowling balls that hit really hard and you just get one of those feelings, and then there's those others that hit really weak and leave all of these funky pin counts even though you know it's the ball and not you.  So I was wondering if there was something special to look for in a ball in it's specs that would determine if the bowling ball would hit hard.  2nd question, how do you know what ball will hit the pins and make them fly around on the ground and not in the air to get better carry.  and it also might be in the drilling so I'd appreciate it if you tell me what you think might be the cause of these 2 things that I've mentioned.

ok sorry, any plastic besides the lane 1 plastic
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15 years and still going strong! 15 years old that is! The names Warrior Princess, Xena..Warrior Princess
AM not A CHICK OF BOWLING but I wanted to be in Manda's clique And why would I "saw" pins in half, THATS A WASTE OF PINS! I'd rather blow it over with my storm, and 21mph ball speed on dry shots.

i will agree that lane conditions and ball matchups do dictate, for the most part, how "hard" a ball hits.  but some balls are more consistent than others...they roll more consistently, drive better thru the pocket, and maintain a similar breakpoint on whatever condition youre bowling on.  these balls are the ones we say "hit" harder than others.  but i will say that i do think there are microscopic differences that do affect the way a ball hits, i just dont think anyone has come accross them yet.  im not exactly sure what they could be, but there has to be some differences that we dont know about yet that do affect the hit power of different companies.  as far as leaving lite 10's and 2-pins and 2-8-10's, that all has to do with ball reaction, and is in no way a part of determining how hard a ball hits.  i wish they would make a machine that could test this(maybe they already have) by rolling different balls through teh pocket at teh same angles and speeds and see how the carry changes.  thats the best way to see if there really is a difference...because if it has to do only with roll and angle of entry, every ball should carry the same.
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Erik Olsen - e13ez85@hotmail.com

Actually, I do think that different balls provide different pin reactions for different bowlers.  If that is too many differences, let me put it this way:  I can see where a ball reacts well to the condition for which it is designed, whether it can be played from normal angles and store energy and how it causes the pins to fall.  Some balls make distinctive sounds when they hit the pins, others are almost silent, but the key in my view is whether the ball drives or fluffs for my style on the conditions for which it is supposedly created.  And, for some reason, some balls just match up better with certain styles, leading to better reactions, better angle, better energy storage and more carry.
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"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them on long winter evenings."

It also differs from bowler to bowler. A ball that I think might hit hard someone else may think that it hits weak. Or vice versa. From my latest equipment that I have my Buzzsaw Carbide C Pearl hits harder then my Scream R and my TKO. However there are nights when my TKO hits harder and nights when my Scream R hits harder. It depends on how well they are throwen and also how well they also react on the lane. So who is to really say what hits hard and what hits weak.
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I was drunkk in publick