I agree with nOOdle. Pin over ring or under bridge are probably both good layouts. I guess it depends on what you're looking for the ball to do on if you go pin up or down.
I got a Reign 3 weeks ago. Pin over ring, stacked. This makes it roughly 4.5 x 4. My pro shop has demo balls so I got to throw a pin under bridge one for a couple of games before I bought mine. I'm guessing the demo one was 4.5 x 4.5 for me. Neither ball has an x-hole.
Either way you go(pin up or down) the ball will get length and an incredible back end. Oil does seem to smooth out the reaction on both drillings too, making the ball less snappy down lane.
For me the pin up was longer and stronger on the back but also more sensitive to oil. It gives me that skid/snap look on the lanes. I wanted this reaction to offset the mostly control drills I have in my bag right now. This ball seems to work best on blended/tapered patterns(not the huge wall or overwalled shots) and it works well once the pattern breaks down and you want to open up the lane. It also reads the dry very quickly but I have yet to see it roll-out from hitting too much dry. Over-read yes, roll-out no. Compared to an Agent I have with the same drill, the Reign goes longer, has more backend and can handle a little more oil. I did get the Reign with the intent of replacing the Agent(500 games), which I'd say it has.
Compared to the pin over ring Reign, the pin under bridge Reign still went plenty long but did read the midlane a little sooner, had slightly less backend and did a little better in oil. This drill may have been more versatile but I have other balls for that. I'd still call the pin under reaction skid/snap or maybe skid/very very hard arc.
Stats: 17-17.5@280-300rpm, low tilt, low rotation - 45* on a very very good day, usually 30* or less. PAP is 4.5 over and 1/2 up.
