Dyno-Thane Vendetta 357 Magnum


First, I’d like to thank Billy and the boys at Dyno-Thane for sending me out the new Vendetta 357 Magnum.  Without a doubt, the strongest release from the Vendetta line and a great looking ball to boot.  Given the specs on the 357 Magnum calling for length with a medium flare, I wanted a reaction to maximize the ball’s strengths on medium-oil conditions as well as to accommodate my high ball speed and rev rate. This being said, I left the ball in boxed condition and went with a layout of 4 ½” from my PAP with the mass bias located on my VAL.  I left 1/4 ounces of positive side weight from the 15/16” counter-hole positioned 1” past my PAP.  To steal a cheesy line from the A-Team, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

I tested the 357 Magnum on both a medium-oiled Brunswick house shot and a typical AMF summer tour short oil track and found that it has length similar to that of the original Energy with a more controllable snap on the backend.  The one thing that continued to stand out from both locations was the pin action generated from the 357.  Pins bounced around the deck like lottery balls with rouge messengers taking out a multitude of stubborn 8, 9 and 10 pins trying stand tall.        

My evaluation broken down on a 10-point scale is as follows:

Length………………8
Backend……………7.5
Carry………………..10+
Overall………………10

The 357 Magnum offers Max Performance at a High Performance cost.  The Threshold and now the 357 Magnum—talk about your thunder and lightning.  I don’t believe I’ve ever given a ball a 10 overall rating but when you combine the surprisingly strong backend with the pin action (wow!) and its price tag, I have no choice but to give it a 10.  If you want to start your fall season off with a bang, put a 357 Magnum in your holster. Outstanding job Dyno-Thane!!
 

Ball Tested: Vendetta .357 Magnum
Pre Drill Specs: #16.2, 3.25” Pin, 2.48 oz top weight
Finish Specs: 15 lbs 14 oz , 5/8 oz pos side, 1/4 oz thumb, 1/2 oz top weight.
Drill Pattern: 4” pin to PAP, MB @75*
Bowler Specs: 15 mph, PAP 5-1/4”> ½ up, 17* axis tilt, 45-60* rotation at release.
Oil Pattern: Standard house crown, 50 units in the middle, 18 units on the 10, 42 ft buff. Fresh, squeaky clean stripped back ends.
Preferred line: 34-15-8 @ 42 feet.

I chose to use the same layout I used on my .44 Magnum, this would give me a better comparison between the two balls, the pin is located even with the ring the CG is in the thumb quadrant with the MB 1 1/2” right of the thumb hole, very strong angular position. Only difference being the .44 had a shorter pin.

I have never had much success with solid pearls, mostly due to my varying ball speed as I get loosened up. So I was rather skeptical based off of prior experiences using solid pearls. After a good warm up using another ball, “I jumped in the water”, first thing I noticed was how clean the ball is in the first 30 feet, getting a solid pearl to read soon enough for me had always been a nightmare, so the next 15 feet would make or break it in terms of if I could manage to keep this one in the bag. Well much to my surprise it read very similar to the .44, not once in the 3 games in league did it fail to give me anything different. Now the backend was what I was really looking for. All the talk of this coverstock would it be smoke and mirrors or is it fact? Well ladies and gentlemen it is awesome, more than the .44, more angular and I got the same look every time it was thrown, no over under, no roll out.

I managed to roll the ball all night, never adjusting more than 3 boards all night in a league with 100% high octane balls being thrown. Generally a 5-7 board adjustment during the night not being uncommon.

Recap: .357 Magnum is cleaner up front than the .44 Magnum, due to the polished pearl finish, mid lane read for this type of ball was extraordinary, the back end was phenomenal, very angular yet manageable and predictable. In a nutshell the .357 will be a must for anyone using the .44 Magnum; it is cleaner up front adding 3-5 feet of length when the .44 stands up to soon, more angular and more recovery on the back end. These are to be considered lethal weapons, make sure you have a permit to carry these in your bag.



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Steve
Leading Edge Pro Shop
512-755-2947
e-mail tekneek@281.com

www.dynothane.com

Capt Ramius "Vasili, give me one ping, and one ping only"

I recently drilled my 357 and have the opportunity to throw it on several occasions.  First of all, The layout is approximately 80 degrees with the pin 3 inches from my axis.  Compared to my 44 magnum this ball is cleaner through the heads which makes it very effective when the lanes start to break down.  Even on freshly oiled lanes I found the ball still very effective.  The hitting power of the ball is excellent.  Anyone looking for a great mid priced ball will not go wrong with this one or for that matter any of the other Vendettas.  Definitely an A+ ball.

M. Ferguson
Dyno-Thane Test Staffer
Gary James Bowling Supplies
281-855-8654

this ball is NO JOKE!! drilled mine up with a 4 inch pin and i put the pin above the middle finger and put the cg on my center grip and i have to say this ball is very clean threw the heads and very angular and the back end threw it in league the same night i drilled it up and shot 702 came back the next day and shot 690 in the early shift and 811 with a 299 in the late shift all on fresh shots this ball is a great addition to the dynothane line

This is my first Dyno, but doubt it will be the last.  Specs:

weight: 14 lb
pin: 3-4"
tw: 2 oz
drill: 3.75 stacked, small balance hole
speed: 16-17 mph
Lanes: AMF synthetic, THS, 38', medium oil, 7 units on 7 outside boards
Finish:  OOB

I love this ball and it's always in my bag.  On a fresh shot, usually play it up the oil line with just a little swing, where it revs up well, makes a decent midlane read for a pearlized ball (though doubtless influenced by this THS pattern), then makes a controlled yet slightly angular move to the pocket, where it has great roll and carries very well.  I've rolled some of my better games with this ball.  Nicest thing about it is how little I have to move from game one to game three.  This ball is also somewhat responsive to changes in hand position, though my best success with it is more straight up the back.

Ball: 15lb 1.5" pin
Layout: Not much to work with I laid this ball out based on a Columbia Professional I used in the past by putting the CG on my center of grip and kicking the pin out 45°.  This put the pin at about 2:00.  
Pattern: 42 ft on Brunswick Availane.
Reaction: This ball gets through the front part of the lane very well and is reving of the fingers.  Because of the layout it starts up a little sooner than advertised but the reaction is very strong.  The move off the spot is a very sharp arc that throws pins in all directions.

Another great weapon from the Dyno-thane Team.
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Steve
Strike It Up Pro Shop
www.strikeitupbowling.com

Surface of bowling ball: Polished
Likes: The ball is great when the lanes start to break down. I found it to be very clean through the heads and the hitting power is excellent.
Dislikes: None yet

My 357 Mag was drilled at approximately an 80 degree layout with the pin 3 inches from my axis. Compared to my 44 Mag and my Vendetta Solid this ball is cleaner through the heads which make it very effective when the lanes start to break down. Even on a fresh shot I found the ball to be effective, just had to move a little right. The hitting power especially for what would be considered a mid priced ball is phenomenal. I give the ball an A+. It is definitely a great addition to an already great line of balls