That machine work brings to mind an Olympic rapid fire pistol that a kind owner let me shoot at a local range. As a standard feature the manufacturer had milled off slightly less than half the barrel for about a half inch starting at the tip of a chambered cartridge's bullet nose. The purpose was to reduce the recoil of standard velocity .22 Shorts. Competitors who are trailing first place by minute amounts will try anything the rules allow.
Big boys and our toys. Squandering more money on our toys is easier on our egos than admitting the other guy is ahead because he practices more.