Chronograph

[1100winger]

Basic Q - which one? I've used high end and the lesser expensive ones. What's the recommendation for $300 and under?

[markg]

I dont want to sound elitist but I would not buy any for that price they are not relaible enough to produce useable data. Maybe think about going 1/2's with a friend and by something better and share it. Its not like a person uses there chrono every shoot trip.

[DiabeticKripple]

I use a shooting chrony. Works pretty good.

[andy1]

Following

[markg]

I recommend using a Labradar or magnetospeed. These are both very accurate. I have used the traditional rabbit ears style chrony's. They are very twitchy and half the rounds you send over them are unregistered. The only rabbit ears chrono i recommend is the Ohler they are very accurate and dependable. Here is an article about the 3 I recomended

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...ed-oehler-35p/

[Ruby76]

I like my magnetospeed sporter. Fast setup, easy to use and good price.

[schreyer]

I use a Magnetospeed V3. I really like it. We used them on the RFMA courses and on my personal rifles.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by markg

I dont want to sound elitist but I would not buy any for that price they are not relaible enough to produce useable data. Maybe think about going 1/2's with a friend and by something better and share it. Its not like a person uses there chrono every shoot trip.

You may not be an elitist but you are completely wrong. I have tested several Shooting Chronies against Oehler, Pact and CD3 in side by side tests. As long as the Shooting Chrony is setup right, and has fresh batteries it is every bit as accurate as Chronographs costing ten times as much. That said I love the ease of use of the Labradar but they are 700 dollars versus about a $100 for a Shooting chrony.

I personally don't care for the Magnetospeeds. They are accurate but you have to put them on the barrel and they compromise allow shooting for group while speed testing as that extra weight messes with the barrel harmonics. I like to measure velocity on every round while load developing so the screen type or Doppler work better for me.

Depends on how deep your pockets are and much you are going to use them. If you do a lot of loading for different guns definitely go with the Labradar. You will use it every time you shoot because it is so easy to set up.

[Scott N]

I still use my old Shooting Chrony - it's from the 80s, and it still works. While it's the only chronograph I've ever owned, it seems to always have given me the velocity readings that I've expected, with a few surprises of course.

[IMG][/IMG]

[qwert]

Originally Posted by Dean2

You may not be an elitist but you are completely wrong. I have tested several Shooting Chronies against Oehler, Pact and CD3 in side by side tests. As long as the Shooting Chrony is setup right, and has fresh batteries it is every bit as accurate as Chronographs costing ten times as much. That said I love the ease of use of the Labradar but they are 700 dollars versus about a $100 for a Shooting chrony.

I personally don't care for the Magnetospeeds. They are accurate but you have to put them on the barrel and they compromise allow shooting for group while speed testing as that extra weight messes with the barrel harmonics. I like to measure velocity on every round while load developing so the screen type or Doppler work better for me.

Depends on how deep your pockets are and much you are going to use them. If you do a lot of loading for different guns definitely go with the Labradar. You will use it every time you shoot because it is so easy to set up.

Like Dean2, I personally don't care for the Magnetospeeds, and recommend a Shooting Chrony as a first chrony for any shooter getting serious about learning load development.

I suggest a Shooting Chrony F1 Master, (with remote display), securely mounted on a Manfrotto 190 or 055 tripod (Kijiji used ~$100). My old eyes have trouble reading the small display of the standard units. Optical chronys can have problems in some lighting conditions, cold weather, and with resetting from nearby muzzle blast. All but cold can be easily managed.

Enter results data in Excel or Open Office spreadsheet to calculate ES, avg, & SD,
Nodes can become easily seen after graphing MV / charge weight, & POI drop or group size / charge weight.

I had doubts about reliability and consistency of results until I mounted 2 Chrony Masters in tandem, (poor man’s Oehler 35). This clearly showed difference of calibration between the 2 units, but also that the difference was VERY consistent.
Few of us require extreme accuracy of measurement (if error is consistent), as results are mainly used comparatively, and accuracy can be verified by POI drop. IMHE, errors are VERY evident and easily disregarded.
Like new IFR pilots, we must learn to trust our instruments; they are much more accurate than we fear.

Good Luck, YMMV.

[beauvalkid]

I also like and use the magnetospeed. I usually check velocities once l find an accurate load. It is fast and easy to set up.

[markg]

My experience has been very different than the ones you guys describe. It seemed like every second shot I took using the Rabbit ears type didn't register. Maybe I only tried it on cloudy days or in the evening but I found the two I tried to be incredibly frustrating. I was always worried about shooting the dam thing as well. I think my blood pressure went up 10 points from using it.

I had a friend bring his out and we put them together and our velocities varied by as much as 100 fps. For some people that is close enough but not for me.

As stated by someone much wiser than I, your mileage my vary.

[1100winger]

Thought this might stir some interest. Chrony F1 seems to be the starter, better than not knowing.

[James 1]

Why not throw the superchrono in the mix.

[elkhunter11]

I have owned two of the Chrony units, and I now use a magnetospeed. I much prefer the mqgnetpswpeed, as it is not light sensitive like the Chrony units. The Chrony units can be very accurate, but I have see the velocity change 100fps when the light changed. And if you use an actual range, a magnetospeed can be set up quickly, and taken down, without requiring cease fires. When I change lot numbers of powder, I often run out to the range, and do a velocity check on a few test loads, before loading up a large amount of rounds. As for measuring velocity while shooting groups, I don't bother, I do my initial load testing and then measure the velocity, before settling on my final load. And when I am shooting groups, I don't want the extra distraction of having to shoot through chronograph screens, especially when shooting multiple targets.