The first prototypes shown above were a test of the theory/premise and were integrally non-adjustable (one piece if you will). The 'adjustment' was crude, with 'shifting of weight' movement accomplished by slightly repositioning along the muzzle end of the barrel. Since we didn't 'know anything', the hole through was of one diameter to accomodate positioning anywhere along the end of the barrel. As you know, with the screw adjustable (think micrometer scale) models that evolved, it does not take much movement to have an affect on vibration 'waves' (nodes). We would simply put temporary markings on the barrel (tape) as a 'gauge' to the movement and position, and then clamp to barrel with the 'split collar' and two set screw arrangement. Once we noted how minor were the movements of weight shift required to get a 'result', it was decided to make the units with internal adjustment threads, allowing the permanent positioning of the devise on the barrel. The first adjustable models were not scale indicated and were held to position by locking ring. Then came scale markings.
I'll shift here for additional 'history' that affected the progression to the final product. The St. Louis Benchrest rifle club was formed in 1955 (Col. Townsend Whelen was a member, and shot there regularly during his final years while living with his daughter), and it sat on the Missouri River in St. Louis County, across the river from St. Charles, MO. The 'great flood' in the spring of 1993, where the rains had both rivers, Missouri and Mississippi, at such high levels the Missouri really had no place for it's water to go. (A slight 'history diversion', for a moment; If any of you are 'hoarders' of old catalogs, a number of years ago Midway featured a photo of Whelen on a catalog cover, seated at a bench, shooting a rifle at the benchrest club in the late '50's. The elevated railroad trestle in the photo background is still in daily use today!) At the time of the flood in '93, I was on the Benchrest Club BOD with Ron Hoehn and competed with him in Hunter Benchrest and 22 Rimfire Group Benchrest sanctioned by the NBRSA. Because of our club proximity to the Missouri River, the Board Members were keeping a close eye on the conditions. The club had the rifle and shotgun ranges, along with the clubhouse and materials storage building, on the 'dry side' of the levy, with the pistol, multi purpose and rimfire, and plinking ranges on the 'wet side', with an access road over the top of the levy. I stopped by to 'check on things' one evening on the way home from work. I unlocked the gate and drove to the rifle range firing line, and then waked up the road to look at the water level on the 'wet side'. As I neared the levy top, I was startled to see the water level was about six inches from coming over the top. I 'beat it' back down to my car out the gate and locked it! Next morning, Wife and I watching the tele news telling and showing the breaching of the Missouri River levy at several locations. While not shown on the TV, our levy breached directly behind our club house, storage building, and rifle firing line. The force of the water dug a 30' deep 'lake' with the buildings and firing line at the bottom of said lake, while flooding the entire valley. The Army Corps would not repair the levy to it's original position, opting for the lesser effort (and cost) to reorient it around the new lake. We limped along for a while using the old 100 yard target line as the new firing line. We were able to sell the now virtually useless (as a Benchrest Club) property to a Las Vegas casino developer. With those proceeds, we Board Members went on a property search to relocate the Club. We purchased 700+ acres north of Wright City, MO and developed that timbered property into what is now the current St. Louis Benchrest Rifle Club.
With that backdrop, back to the tuner evolution. Ron Hoehn was the owner of the already well established Hoehn Sales. The Board agreed to sell Ron 4 acres of the new property along side the road just outside the gate to the club. Ron built his personal residence and Hoehn Sales shop on that land. That gave club members ready access to all items offered by Ron any time they came to the range. Ron had already been deeply involved in advancing the overall benchrest game, and 22 rimfire became a serious interest of his. He even (with his industry connections) was able to obtain a large supply of primed empty 22 rimfire cases for his experimenting with loading his own bullets and powder charges, in attempting to improve over mass produced complete cartridges, in the same vain/thinking as centerfire benchrest improvements. During that time frame, my family moved into a new house with three acres, with enough work and distraction, that my competition days fell by the wayside. My involvement with the tuner project ceased at that time too. With Ron's interest in the doings, the friend that was doing 'all the work' partnered with Ron, who had the established connections in the benchrest community worldwide through Hoehn Sales and a basically repetitively 'captive audience' with his new range proximity location. They combined their ideas into what became the Hoehn 4000+ tuner. While both that friend and Ron had excellently equipped machine shop capabilities, trying to 'mass produce' the final design product did not make sense for basically 'one man shops'. So, Ron took on the commercializing aspects and worked with a third party tool machine house for manufacturing the units to specification. I have seen talk on one other old forum thread, where someone opined that it was Harrell that manufactured the units for Ron...I do not know.
Unfortunately (for Ron and the RF community in general) Browning had been developing the BOSS, and had early enough patent applications, that their later claims of infringement caused enough legal issues for Ron that fighting was not in the cards (and Ron was a 'gambler's gambler', if anyone knew him, he would bet you on the outcome of a single group shooting casually against you.). I still don't know the patent subtleties that allowed others to continue to produce adjustable tuners while the BOSS patent was still in effect, maybe someone will come along with that answer(?).
I also don't know if the Hoehn 4000+ was the first commercially successful tuner available to the shooting public at large, but it was certainly 'in the beginning'.
I apologize for the lengthy diatribe attempt at 'history'.
