Chronographs

[KevinS]

Who makes an accurate and reasonably priced chronograph. Thanks, Kevin

 

[ronlaughlin]

Competition Electronics ProChrono LTD Chronograph​

 

[Ninering62]

Who makes an accurate and reasonably priced chronograph. Thanks, Kevin

I'm not sure what your version of " reasonably priced " thats subjective. Chronys that are worth the money they cost, that you can count on are Lab Radar & Magneto SpeedV3 or the Oehler 35P . I have a Caldwell & it acts up constantly in several diff ways, along with the app not communicating with it a lot. I would not recommend it.

 

[KevinS]

Okay thanks, I see a Cadwell for sale, but I’m too new of member too buy anything right now even if they had a one of the better ones on here.

 

[KevinS]

Competition Electronics ProChrono LTD Chronograph​

Thanks for the input.

 

[ElDiablo]

I’ve got a Magnetospeed sporter that works great. Super easy to use. The only thing with the ones that strap on to the barrel is they can alter the poi.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I'm not sure what your version of " reasonably priced " thats subjective. Chronys that are worth the money they cost, that you can count on are Lab Radar & Magneto SpeedV3 or the Oehler 35P . I have a Caldwell & it acts up constantly in several diff ways, along with the app not communicating with it a lot. I would not recommend it.

I agree.

Chronographs are worthy of checking velocity. Unless using a LabRadar, you're shooting just to obtain velocity. Doesn't matter rather you're shooting at a target or just out into a field, its velocity you're looking for. You won't use it every day and/or every shooting session.

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I have used an Oehler 35P chronograph for years. The 35P is a pain to setup but how accurate do you need to be. I even measure from the muzzle to the start screen to get a TRUE muzzle velocity. Many people use what is recorded at the screens for muzzle velocity, but that is the instrumental velocity. I also use the Oehler Ballistic Explorer program. This program has a function where you put in the screen distance from muzzle and the program will calculate the muzzle velocity. I have a tool made to make sure the bullet goes straight through the screens for the most accurate time measurement. This chronograph has two oscillators for comparison of velocities and checking of errors at screens. I purchased mine in 1987 and have not had a problem with it. The system is costly but Mr. Oehler says he builds the chronographs to work and not to sell. I used my chronograph to develop my range loading procedure for muzzle loaders. I have measured several 10-shot velocity with standard deviation of less than 10 ft/sec using my procedure. You can see how I have my test worksheet setup. If you have any questions about my chronograph or test results, please ask. Everything has worked good for years.

 

[Squint]

Who makes an accurate and reasonably priced chronograph. Thanks, Kevin

my vote goes with THE pro Cron. I've had for one for several years and it never gave a problem, easy to set up on a tripod and wILL record arrows as good as muzzleloader bullets. it doesn't hook up to my phone or anything, but at 15 feet I can walk up there once in a while and see what it says if I can't see it with my field glasses. It records all the in full and it's still on there after all these years and I think it only uses 1- 9 Volt battery. I have posted below me what they are right now, and that's about what I paid for mine. This was on Amazon.
Squint

Competition Electronics Prochrono LTD Chronograph, Gray (CEI-3825)​

Brand: Competition Electronics
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

| 9 answered questions

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Lowest price in 30 days
-10% $135.49$135.49

 

[earlwb]

I much prefer the LabRadar radar chronograph. It works on cloudy overcast days too. The regular optical chronographs are OK but only work on clear sunny days and are really easy to accidentally shoot them too.

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I have never had problems with over cast sky. The diffuser is orange in color and suppose to create an over cast condition. I have nicked one of the side supports holding the diffuser. That is extent of my damage and I have own the 35P since 1987. The 35P has a printer and the ink wheel needs to be changed every 30,000 lines and that has been replaced. I have had shooters setup their chronograph behind mine to compare results. My chronograph has always won. I get to the range at opening time. Most of the time there is no one there and I have plenty of time for setup. I designed the pictured tool to aid in setting up and making the readings as accurate as possible. I even measure the distance from the muzzle to the start screen so I can calculate the muzzle velocity using the ballistic program. I take great care in setup for accurate results. For my usage this chronograph has been perfect.

.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I had Caldwell and didn't really like it. It started giving me readings that were insane.......... 25,689fps ???
Long story short, I believe it was the plexiglass lens guards I had on them. Caldwell even sent me a new one free. I posted them here for sale and Michiganmuzzy purchased them. I suggested to him that maybe slots in the plexiglass would correct it. It did. He was very happy. FOR SALE - Caldwell Chronographs

I'm using a Magnetospeed V3 now. There's no correction for the distance from the barrel. LOL As I mentioned earlier, a chronograph's worth is accurate velocity. I use the V3 to check the velocities of different bullets or charges and other than that, it sets on the bench. I see no reason to always setup a chronograph with every shooting session. IMO, its silly.
I will mention that the V3 presents a slight....... slight ...... issue with loading. Once you realize how to do it properly, its a piece of cake.
Could I have bought a LabRadar? Yes. However at that time they were impossible to find, unless you wanted to pay $2000 on Gun Broker.
My V3 was 1/2 the cost of the current prices, which allowed me to purchase bullets and such.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Ninering62]

I have never had problems with over cast sky. The diffuser is orange in color and suppose to create an over cast condition. I have nicked one of the side supports holding the diffuser. That is extent of my damage and I have own the 35P since 1987. The 35P has a printer and the ink wheel needs to be changed every 30,000 lines and that has been replaced. I have had shooters setup their chronograph behind mine to compare results. My chronograph has always won. I get to the range at opening time. Most of the time there is no one there and I have plenty of time for setup. I designed the pictured tool to aid in setting up and making the readings as accurate as possible. I even measure the distance from the muzzle to the start screen so I can calculate the muzzle velocity using the ballistic program. I take great care in setup for accurate results. For my usage this chronograph has been perfect.

.

The 3.5mm cord that connects the chrony to the screen ( a tablet ) is 25' long. So I know that when I set it with the middle of the cord on the ground that its 20' away from my muzzle & all my sabots fall between 15'-18' from the muzzle. So I get as accurate of a reading as its capable of giving me & my sabots are not going through the chrony. It is very important to have the correct distance between your muzzle & the chrony plugged into your ballistics data. Also the elevation of it needs to be to where the bullets are 4"-5" from the chrony, much higher & it will not read them. The sun/shade absolutely does affect how it works too.

 

[rporter]

while the optical chronos are the cheapest they are a pain. especially at a range with other shooters shooting.

if you dont need to use a chrono often the cheap ones are accurate enough. keep an eye out for someone that just got a lab radar and is selling off their opticalf for a deal.

if you set one up often you will quickly come to like the lab radar or the magneto speed.

 

[sonny from st. louis]

I found put years ago, that magnum calibers will produce a shock wave that will trigger the chronograph. I try to use my range when on one is there. I have time for proper setup and no interruptions from other shooters. I want to get my testing done as soon as possible. If I have the chronograph still set up and shooters have questions I will help them. Some shooter do not like chronographs and I do not want trouble so I go the usage is light. I have seen shooters have a lot of trouble with there equipment. The old 35P just keeps on ticking a long.

 

[Squint]

My first chronograph was one called Tepeco, it was nothing but a micro measures in milliseconds that you had to space exactly so far apart and then shoot just so high above it and then look up the number that was given on a chart. It seemed as accurate as any I've seen, it was a Bearcat for set up as I had to build an adjustable length saw horse out of square tubing and metal boxes to put the timers in and then build my own runway about how high I was above the screens, but it did WORK. I would say this was probably about 1980, it was quite an advancement over the high-powered spendy ones as I think it cost maybe $75 at that time. Now I was never really interested in exact muzzle velocity where I would had to calculate back to the muzzle from about 15 feet. I'm not a gun crank or reloading crank but I was interested in knowing how my load compared to factory loads and the reloading manuals with different unmentionables. I started reloading in 1959 and the stuff available at that time was limited.
I've still got that old relic, but then I moved up a little better as I needed something that I could check archery on. My first one would only go down to 1000 feet per second and my bow is not quite that fast. In order to get down to 1000 feet per second I had to make the screens exactly 2 1/2 feet apart if I remember right. Once I achieved the loads I wanted in my hunting rifles, and the ones that other people were interested in, there wasn't much reason to keep on checking velocity. It does make more sense with a muzzle loader because you can vary the powder right at the range. It was all just for my personal enjoyment, never charged a single person.
Squint

 

[Savageman]

I'm not sure what your version of " reasonably priced " thats subjective. Chronys that are worth the money they cost, that you can count on are Lab Radar & Magneto SpeedV3 or the Oehler 35P . I have a Caldwell & it acts up constantly in several diff ways, along with the app not communicating with it a lot. I would not recommend it.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Caldwell.

 

[KevinS]

my vote goes with THE pro Cron. I've had for one for several years and it never gave a problem, easy to set up on a tripod and wILL record arrows as good as muzzleloader bullets. it doesn't hook up to my phone or anything, but at 15 feet I can walk up there once in a while and see what it says if I can't see it with my field glasses. It records all the in full and it's still on there after all these years and I think it only uses 1- 9 Volt battery. I have posted below me what they are right now, and that's about what I paid for mine. This was on Amazon.
Squint

Competition Electronics Prochrono LTD Chronograph, Gray (CEI-3825)​

Brand: Competition Electronics
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

| 9 answered questions

---

Checking Prices...



Lowest price in 30 days
-10% $135.49$135.49

Thanks

 

[sonny from st. louis]

The choice of chronographs depends on what the shooter wants to do. In my case I am into calculating trajectories. To do that the ballistician must have an accurate muzzle velocity. For muzzle loading, the chronograph can be used to determine a good loading procedure. If the shooter does not do each step consistently, the standard deviation will be large. My range loading procedure produces S.D. of less than 10 ft/sec. The shooter must decide the needed information and then the price range. Watching shooters use a chronograph at the range will help make up your mind. I have given classes on my setup and how the unit works.

Good luck

 

[rporter]

i had one of these also. we have came a long way.

My first chronograph was one called Tepeco, it was nothing but a micro measures in milliseconds that you had to space exactly so far apart and then shoot just so high above it and then look up the number that was given on a chart. It seemed as accurate as any I've seen, it was a Bearcat for set up as I had to build an adjustable length saw horse out of square tubing and metal boxes to put the timers in and then build my own runway about how high I was above the screens, but it did WORK. I would say this was probably about 1980, it was quite an advancement over the high-powered spendy ones as I think it cost maybe $75 at that time. Now I was never really interested in exact muzzle velocity where I would had to calculate back to the muzzle from about 15 feet. I'm not a gun crank or reloading crank but I was interested in knowing how my load compared to factory loads and the reloading manuals with different unmentionables. I started reloading in 1959 and the stuff available at that time was limited.
I've still got that old relic, but then I moved up a little better as I needed something that I could check archery on. My first one would only go down to 1000 feet per second and my bow is not quite that fast. In order to get down to 1000 feet per second I had to make the screens exactly 2 1/2 feet apart if I remember right. Once I achieved the loads I wanted in my hunting rifles, and the ones that other people were interested in, there wasn't much reason to keep on checking velocity. It does make more sense with a muzzle loader because you can vary the powder right at the range. It was all just for my personal enjoyment, never charged a single person.
Squint