Chronograph Advise?

[The Blackhawk Kid]

:arrow: Hey, I need some input on what chrony to buy. I just need a simple to use for testing new loads. Anybody use the shooting chrony or the Pact like Brownell's sells? Thanks in advance. BhK 8)

 

[Cholo]

I think most chrono's do the job for the average shooter. I wouldn't buy one that has the guts attached to the screens. Buy one that had a cord where you can put the chrono on the table with you. I've had a PACT for about 20+ years, but other brands seem to get the job done. Unless you just like bells and whistles, a simple chrono is all you need.

 

[contender]

I bought my chrono many years ago. Oheler. NO complaints! Mine is a 35P and I love the printer option, as I test several loads at once.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Had my Shooting Chrony for a decade or more and have no complaints. It's readout is so splattered with bullet lube and powder granules from all that time of use that it is getting a little hard to read however. Guess I'll need to spring for the printer for it one day...

My bad as I've always used it 3' from the muzzle! :shock:

 

[Cheesewhiz]

I shared ownership of an old Shooting Chrony that ended up being blown up real good while not in my care. next was a shared CED (and expensive) with a ton of options and it was nice but fried during two days of use in a very hot summer outside of the city. I now have a Comp. Electronics Digital (not the same company as CED), it's all mine and it works well, also have the light system and that works very well indoors. I'm happy.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Get one with the sensors and readout/controls separate. Easier to turn off and on (to save batteries) easier to read, too.

My Chrony brand was easy to armor against stray bullets, as it has a flat top. A couple pieces of channel iron protect it.

Cautionary tale here:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&f=2511043&m=446105658

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

 

[Twoboxer]

Typical chronos set up about 10 yards from the shooter requiring one or more cease-fires to setup, and require aux lighting for indoor use . . . if you can get 10 yards down range in the first place lol. Their advantage is they will chrono any projectile fired over their sensors.

You've gotten good advice on these above . . . the most important "upgrade" to a very basic chrono is one that separates the display from the sensors. That makes the data easy to read at the bench, and avoids destroying the display when you or your buddy shoots the chrono . . . yes, it will happen.

All of the other features . . . calcs, recording data, printing it, transferring to a PC . . . can have real value if you value them. But pencil and paper plus free software can accomplish all of those without spending the money if you choose.

The second kind of chrono is the MagnetoSpeed. This bayonet attaches to the barrel of your firearm. It sets up in 2 minutes, does not require a cease-fire, works in any weather, does all the storage/calcs/transfers, and works in any light even at night. The downsides are price, it needs a barrel to attach to so pistol use is out, and it will most likely slightly change the POI of your ammo while attached. The POI change is relatively small, but it does mean you will want to develop loads without the chrono, and measure them with extra rounds made/brought for that purpose. The ease of setup and use is so substantial, I hardly use my standard chrono any more.

A third type is the Labradar, currently re-scheduled for launch "Fall" 2014. This unit sets up behind/alongside the shooter, looks downrange, and can be used with any firearm/projectile. No cease fire, much harder to shoot . I'm sure it will have SOME cons besides price, but only time will tell.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

+10 on this one and you can plug in an overpriced remote if you want.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph

Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph

 

[Cheesewhiz]

+10 on this one and you can plug in an overpriced remote if you want.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph

Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph

That's what I have and it works.

 

[Lost Sheep]

A third type is the Labradar, currently re-scheduled for launch "Fall" 2014. This unit sets up behind/alongside the shooter, looks downrange, and can be used with any firearm/projectile. No cease fire, much harder to shoot . I'm sure it will have SOME cons besides price, but only time will tell.

That's the one I have been waiting several years for. Ever since my shooting buddy centered my one-day old chronograph with a 22, he refuses to shoot over my replacement but makes me shoot his guns. I don't mind at all except for his S&W 500, sometimes.

I looked on the internet and found plans for home-built radar/microwave chronographs on the internet, but they are beyond my ken and I am not sure they have the speed range or accuracy for shooting purposes. (Mostly they are similar to the radar guns used to measure the speed of baseball pitches and such.) So, I wait until one becomes commercially available.

Thanks for posting the name, Cheesewhiz. I will go search the 'net for more description.

Anybody want to buy a used, but like-new Chrony (I wears armor whenever at the range.)

Lost Sheep

 

[Lost Sheep]

OK, now this thread has got me on the hunt.

I found this so far:

http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Sensors-Inc-ASR362-Arrowspeed/dp/B000BZ1L66
which, in this test
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eEy5Ra-gYI
delivered a degree of accuracy acceptable to the bowman testing it. However, a 1% variation is not ore than I find acceptable. However, the technology is there, and on the shelf for around $100. Unfortunately, this particular one tops out at 450 fps.

Lost Sheep

 

[okie44]

This one works well. Download the app to your smart phone or pad, control, edit, email and print with the iPhone, iPad etc.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/628006/caldwell-ballistic-precision-chronograph-premium-kit?cm_vc=ProductFinding

 

[Rclark]

Mine is the simple F1 Chrony . Does the job for me.... I set it up at 10 feet from the muzzle ... not 10 yards as mentioned above. Put it on an adjustable three leg camera stand and good to go. Oh, and 'gasp', I use a notebook with a 'pencil' (remember those?) to write down the velocities after each shot. You can 'eye-ball' the average velocity and ES which is really the only statistics that means anything (besides the obvious... did it shoot accurately!) .... Go home and enter into spreadsheet for final analysis.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Mine is the simple F1 Chrony . Does the job for me.... I set it up at 10 feet from the muzzle ... not 10 yards as mentioned above. Put it on an adjustable three leg camera stand and good to go. Oh, and 'gasp', I use a notebook with a 'pencil' (remember those?) to write down the velocities after each shot. You can 'eye-ball' the average velocity and ES which is really the only statistics that means anything (besides the obvious... did it shoot accurately!) .... Go home and enter into spreadsheet for final analysis.

My first Chronograph was a Chrony, similar to your F1. It worked great all day long (on my first day with it) until my friend put a 22 long rifle right through the display screen. He is a better shot than I am and ultra-careful and there is no reasonable explanation for how it happened...except that it did. He was mortified.

My replacement wears armor (two chunks of channel iron that cost almost as much as the chronograph, but will take a hit from a 500 S&W with no more than a smudge on the surface). But a simple tripod won't support the weight.

Having the on-off switch on the bench (I shoot at a range where I cannot go downrange any time I want) is handy.

The F-1 is great, but I am willing to go the extra expense for the extra convenience of a unit with separate sensor and readout/control components. I don't need any of the sophisticated math I can do those calculations myself).

Individual preference, equally valid choices.

Lost Sheep

P.S. The ability to track downrange velocity loss is nice, that no other single chronograph does. The 100 yard limit would be OK for most folks. Getting readings beyond 100 yards would be even nicer.

 

[WESHOOT2]

I am still using my original PACT One.
Happily....

 

[wolfee]

Base model Shooting Chrony for me. If simple is really all you need, this one works well, but simple is all you get. After a string you can review each shot and then get hi, lo, average and standard deviation and that's about all. No permanet memory. When you turn it off EVERYTHING is gone.

Midway's new super low shipping makes it a bargain there.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Our lube bespattered old chrony in action @ 3' as then 12 yr old son Conner runs some .45LC through... 8)

Note powder burn on hood of jeep... :lol:

(12.0 HS6/275 gr if memory serves... :wink: )

 

[gundogs]

I have had other chronographs over the year and recently got The CED M2. From my experience this is undoubtedly the best for my needs. I: especially like the fact that the console for the unit sits on the shooting bench with you with only the sensors down range. It also has the ability to download all the information via USB to you computer when you get home. Having a record of everything is important top me. The CED M2 is one of the most if not they most accurate and at a reasonable price. The CED also has a number of other features and is used at a number events and matches to determine power factor.

 

[George Tucker]

Oheler 35P with Printer, I have a couple others, that work well, but for me it will always be Oheler, George.