This ball is the HEAT! Provided you have enought head oil to keep it from burning up, you can bring it back from no mans land. The ball works very well on house conditions and longer sport conditions where you need recovery.

Don't be deceived by the naysayers ... if the ball is going in flat, then usually that means there is not enough oil in the heads.
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Righty
Speed: 17.0 (Quibica)
Revs: med-high to high (@400 RPM)
Axis: 5-3/4" 5/16 down

See Profile for arsenal

I'm a cranker, lots of revs, lots of speed, but I am the most versatile player I know, and I can stroke it up the boards as well. High track, within 1/8th inch of the thumb/fingerholes.

What I wanted with this ball:
Strong midlane read; aggressive move/face-up to the pocket; strong, continuous backend motion all the way through the pins.

How I laid this ball out to achieve this:
Pin under ring finger, CG kicked out 1.5-2", with a small weight hole to bring the ball back to legal, right on axis.

What I got:
Exactly what I bargained for, with one condition: Throw it hard, and put some juice on it. There is definitely a reason Sean Rash has seen success with this ball. It works when you throw a powerful, powerful shot. Great carry, great reaction, great hit, absolutely amazing. However, when I softened up, and made a move, I got an over/under reaction worse than I think I've ever seen, as well as solid 10s, 7s, and even a couple 7-10s flush in the pocket. The ball simply burned itself up in some instances...

Advice:
Keep it in the oil, and be prepared to put something on it; grip it & rip it.
Once carrydown starts comin' around, it'd be wise to go to a different ball (Radical Inferno, maybe?)...this ball cuts through carrydown like a spoon through solid concrete. Don't be afraid to grab this ball at the bottom, but only if you have the speed to compensate.

Finally, DON'T TURN IT!!! I turned to ball twice, experimentally, to about a 70 degree axis turn, and both times resulted in nasty leaves (surprise washout and pocket 7-10).

Overall:
Great ball for the powerplayer or someone who really needs a heavy oil ball. Not only huge volumes of oil, but long oil. Stay deep inside with this ball and keep it in the oil as long as possible, and it will probably serve you well. If you are a powerplayer (that means speed and revs, not just one or the other) you will probably be satisfied with this ball, though there are better ones out there. Buy it if you can find one cheap, don't pay a lotta money for one, because in all honesty, it's not really worth a whole lot of money (I paid 90 for mine, brand new.)

I will update after I get to throw on a couple different patterns and get a bit of a track burnt into the ball...
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For a game based on the principles of science and math, bowling sure does have a bad habit of being illogical.

15.3lb drilled for my stroker style. Rt. Hander. I typically bowl House/sport shots, wood and synthetic lanes. Avg 185, High game 278, 684 Series best. Roll 8-20gms a week Dec-Apr. Very little tourney experience.

I have been very impressed w how easy adjustments can be made. Strong pin carry, very low on splits. I typically roll down the trough 5th-10th board but thsi is the first ball I could get over to the 25th roll over to the 10th and come back to pocket and not leave the 7 or 10. Can't do that w either of my Rampages or the Jolt. I clean my balls after each time I bowl to keep oil build up to a minimum and it helps w consistentcy and I can typically find my spots within 4-6 frames. This ball likes Med oil but I was able to get it to read well even with broken down conditions w speed adjustments. Wasn't hard to figure it out as other balls have been and found it to be forgiving and get into pocket even if I missed by a board. I will or would buy another one.

Recently rolled my personal best 278 w this ball even though others went to less aggressive balls I stayed w this one and its read was good enough to drink free for the evening and win $$

My inferno's- total, scorchin, raging, blazing, smokin.

15lbs. 2oz. total weight

3.3oz. top weight

pin out 3 1/2in.

i had the ball drilled up with my typical layout----pin next to my ring finger and the cg swung towards my grip center. no hole was needed. i find this layout to be very versatile and can be used for any type of shot or line. i had the rough buff sanded off and the coverstock smoothed finer from 220 grit all the way up to 2,000 abralon. i had several coats of bean's secret sauce applied. besides the mirror finish on the ball i'm hoping this polish gives me length and some real pop on the backend.

i found the total inferno to be the most skid-snap ball i've had from brunswick----even more than my bvp rampage. this ball needs oil in the heads to perform at it's best and perform it does. it worked very well on my "a" game------down and in shot, appx. 20 degrees axis rotation, firm ball speed, etc. good length and no lack of backend reaction especially on wood lanes. on playing a swing shot with appx. 45 degrees of axis rotation and medium speed i saw good length and great recovery on shots missed to the outside. again, very skid-snap reaction wise. on playing the deep inside line i saw no quit on this ball with slightly slower speed, appx. 60 degrees axis rotation, and again great recovery on shots missed to the outside. speed control was very important as this beast wanted to hook early. we'll see how this ball performs in my mixed league against plastic ball carrydown but for now this ball really looks impressive.

Layout:
4 1/4" Pin Below the Ring Finger. CG kicked out 1.5" with Weight Hole 5" from mid-line.

Picture: http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5279290
Video: http://media.putfile.com/MPs-Total-Inferno

First Impressions:
The Total Inferno gave me a big first impression because I was in need of something that could work in heavy oil and still have that angularity and this ball fit the bill.

General Thoughts:
The ball works great in the slick stuff and still has enough energy retention to give me an angular reaction shape on the backend. Once the heads start to burn up and carry down becomes problematic, it is time to put the Total Inferno back in the bag.

Comparison and Contrast:

Total Inferno vs. Smokin' Inferno

One being dull (Total) and one being polished (Smokin') is the key difference. The Total can handle a higher volume of oil while the Smokin' gives a clean read through the heads and gets more length. The similar characteristics these two have is the same angular reaction shape. As I said in the beginning, I was greatly impressed with how the Total handled the heavy oil and was continuous instead of losing all energy on the backend.

Final Conclusion:
If you are in need of a ball that can handle the slick stuff, look no further than the Total Inferno.
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McCorvey's Pro Shop Staff
http://www.mccorveysproshop.com/

--TRACK & TAG TEAM COACHING--
"Building Success Stories, One Bowler at a Time!"

Evolution Tag Team Member # 1

Layout:

Pin 5” from PAP, below ring finger
CG ¾” to right of grip center and ¾” below midline
No XH

Initial Surface Preparation:

Box finish, with two coats of Doc’s Magic Bowling Ball Elixir.

Purpose:

To fill the cavernous gap in the tournament bag between the Scorchin’ Inferno and the Red Zone. More specifically, for use on heavier mediums where I need to open up the track.

Why this ball?

I’ve seen a number of bowlers use the Total with effectiveness on longer patterns where there is dry to the right, and I was impressed with its ability to recover strongly even when thrown with some head belly, as well as carry when played through the oil. I was also amazed at how well it keeps pins low, and how many corners it kicks out just when it seemed that the ball had blown all of its energy.

I had heard that the Total was pushy through the front part of the lane, even in box finish, so I chose a pin-under layout. I went with a 5” pin-to-PAP distance to try to keep it from flaring out too quickly.

Observations:

The first time I threw the Total was in the first block of a tournament on lanes with synthetic heads and old wood in back. The pattern was longer, but the fresh strip and oil made the dry parts of the lane more pronounced. I was able to go at the condition with a tight swing, and the Total would recover strongly when I missed right, and hold in the oil when I got it left of target. As the oil pushed down the lane, though, the Total started to bog a bit at the breakpoint. However, I was able to get the reaction and the carry back by moving to the right and using a release with more forward roll.

I also used the Total at a center with AMF synthetics, on a flatter pattern with less free hook and free skid than the typical house shot. On this condition, the Total seemed to labor a bit, and I had to be very careful with the speed. When I made good shots, the Total did open up the back part of the lane. However, like the Radical, the Total was very sensitive to transition, so I found myself moving my feet frequently over the course of the set.

Most recently, I used the Total at a different center with AMF synthetics, on a house pattern after a head run. The Total was a bit skittish at the start because of how tight the front part of the lane was playing, but when the shot opened up, I could get my feet to the left and send the ball to the dry and it would recover and carry, or I could square up and fall back from inside and still get the corners out.

Conclusions:

The Total has been advertised as an “Absolute on steroids.” To me, though, the Total seems to me to be more like an updated version of the Ultimate Inferno, in that it seems to work best on fresher wet-dry patterns. The Absolute has always been most effective for me on tougher patterns, while the Ultimates I’ve owned have needed help from the lane condition in order to be most effective. However, the Total differs from the Absolute in the way it hits the pins. Like the Radical, the Total does a better job of carrying corners on off hits than either of the Infernos with the Activator cover did.

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...formerly "The Curse of Dusty," and "Poöter Boöf" before that...

THS - synthetics

line: 18(at the arrows) out to 5(at the 40'mark)
speed:16
revs: 350
avg: 215

OOB surface was a little too much and I wanted to be able to use it more often. I shined it up a little which allowed the ball to set up a little later down the lane.

Had it for 3 months and shot about 100 games with it. the reaction has(as I expected) smoothed out a little but this ball is still agressive coming off of the oil.

Got a couple of rings with it....(800 and 299). shot some really good 700s.

Not real sensitive to small speed changes.

I believe this ball needs the revs and speed to work on a your normal medium house shot. I know of a couple of people who have them and are all pleased with them.

I really haven't had any(I know I am going to regret saying this) pocket splits, solid 9 pins, solid 8 pins, or ringing 10s to speak of. (oh, you know the bowling gods are going to punish me for saying that!)

well, thats my two cents.

other equipment i have:
columbia 300 action(consistant, consistant, consistant)
hammer doom(waiting to take the place of the rule)
monster bruiser(awsome ball for the money)
track heat(still have not figured this one out)
track rule(my current boat anchor;-)

Keep it between the gray boards.
Lord Ditt

Conditions thrown on: Freshly oiled THS. Taken through all transitions.

Layout: Pin 3 3/8" from PAP, X-hole on axis. OOB Finish
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k80/poetryinsane/PIC_0076.jpg

Reaction Shape: L-shaped almost.

Reaction to ball: This ball is the answers to my prayers I believe. This ball is great of fresher med-heavy volumes of oil conditions. I haven't yet tried it on a Sport or PBA pattern, but will in the next 4-6 weeks once the league starts up. This ball gets into a skiddish movement in the midlane, which is a reaction not necessarily desirable, but it picks up harder in-between the midlane and backend. Once it hits the backs, it does not stop, and drives through the pins. I haven't had anything negative yet to say about this ball, only having 18-20 games on the ball, and never changing the cover. After 10-15 games, the ball's reaction seems to tame down quite a bit, and be more predictable at the breakpoint, which is a huge positive. I say, this ball would suit anybody wanting a predictable, yet strong and hard-hitting medium-heavy oiler. I'll update it once I throw it on something harder than a THS.

*UPDATE*

Well, after having probably 100-120 games on this ball now, I can say it isn't exactly a "WOW" ball, but it is not a bad ball by any means, once you take the cover to your liking. Well, after 30-40 games or so, the ball's reaction was annoying me to no end, as I wanted a real long and strong type of reaction, and it was just rolling out. So I took the ball to 600 grit and then polished it, and it was better than before. I get a real nice lengthy reaction, clearing the heads and midlane with ease, and making a hard driving reaction in the backend. I threw this ball on a sport shot, which was about 41' or so, OOB outside of the 10 board, unless you played real slow up the 5 board or so, with a lot of turn. Well, I started out swinging the ball from the 15 board to the 12 or so, and it just skid way too long, with the cover taken up now. So, I moved to standing on the 5 board, moved all the way back on the approach, and stayed behind the ball for more forward roll, and the ball rolled about 40-45 feet downlane and then made a hard-arc type of reaction as it didn't have the dry area, it was a lot more controlled, and if it left anything, it was a 7 or 10 pin. I'm starting to like this ball more and more, but I'm thinking I won't be able to use it after a little while until PBA Experience kicks up. Updates will be following soon!

Thanks for reading!!

17-18 MPH
350-375 rpm
PAP 4 7/8 over

PIN UNDER RING FINGER TO GET IT TO ROLL SMOOTH AND CONTROLED

17.5 MPH
300-350 RPM
LEFTY

15#
3-3.5 pin
3.04 top

I have had this ball for one month and i have put about 30 to 35 games on it cleaning after every use...The ball has lost its reaction. I have dulled it down but that has not helped it. Drilled a flare hole and still nothing. My ball sped is 17.7mph and about 350 to 380 rev rate. On 29' buffed to 40' oil pattern. Woundering if anyone else is haveing the same prob.

I just drilled my secong Total down at the Mini. I didn't match up well there because the ball was just too aggresive. I smoothed it out to 2000 abralon and it was still to early in Vegas.

Tonight in league they finally put out enough oil to use something new. If you don't have a ton of head oil this ball will burn up quick and look flat on the back. I used it for four games, kept moving left and I had a very good reaction with a strong continuous backend.

I am very happy with the way this ball rolls, but I will say again, YOU NEED HEAVY HEAD OIL to have the ball read properly.
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Corey Clayton
Brunswick Amateur Staff
Turbo Grips Staff
Team Canada
Check out my arsenal in my profile.

Final thoughts: This is one of Brunswicks stronger releases in awhile. I can only imagine what the Fury will be like in a solid cover. I wouldn't mind trying this ball with a lower pin placement and a little more surface for control on longer patterns.
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Mike Craig-Columbus, OH

http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/wegner_09/?action=view¤t=TotalInferno2.jpg

Stronger layouts with the factory ruff-buff finish will be better suited playing deep enough to allow the ball a little "skid" so it hits and carries better.

Slower speeds, or those who want to play through less oil should lay the ball out for more length and probably will need to polish the cover due to the serious friction this ball generates.

The main complaint I hear is that the ball doesn't seem super strong on the backend. If this is your problem you probably should try 1000 to 2000 abralon finish, or even some polish. Move a little outside, if necessary, and let the ball do the work.

This ball revs up easily and is strong, but controllable. Great job Brunswick.
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Laneman

I've went to a 1500 grit polish and this ball got nasty. It went a little a longer but kept the strong arch. It rolled with so much more control that I think I want to buy another one but I want a prettier one now. This is is like all purple. I want the orangish one!

I didnt shoot 700 or 800 yet but thats because Im still learning how to be more consistent with my release and targeting but when I threw it well, it exceeded my expectations. Great ball by Brunswick!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zAQSNIrgyM

right handed
tweener

i'll leave a review after i go test the ball out. expecting a crazy snap from the ball specs and drilling, but can't say till i've thrown =).
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Bowl for yourself and yourself alone. Not for your dad. Not for your kids. Not for your wife. ESPECIALLY not for your coach. He's there to help. Your there to Bowl. SO bowl! And stop throwing gutter balls for Gods sake!

I love the way the ball rolls down the lane and finds the pocket, but the result is something I'm still working on. I've also adjusted my balls speed from 15 mph down to 12 or 13 due to a new oil pattern. So if anyone has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated.

Let me also say this, when this ball carries it carries like it is truly the total package. Bar none. I just need to make a minor adjustment somewhere in order for my TI to drive through the pins.

--Albany601