Values in .shootval increase the range of -1 and -6 shots by a factor of log(abs(.shootval) / 2) / log(2).
The few bots I looked at in your sim are storing -1239 into .shootval. log(1239/2) /log(2) ~= 9.27.
You bot's shots are lasting 9X longer than normal. Since you have no shot cost in the sim, bot's don't get penialized for large .shootval values.
By Design.