i think my chrony has ADD

jcims · November 12, 2005, 09:12 PM

Hi all.

Got the chrony out for the first time this afternoon. It was probably 4:30...the sun was still above the horizon, and the sky was as blue as could be.

I fired a magazine of 22LR over it just to see how it operated, and everything looked good...it was fun watching the numbers pop up, and i was surprised at the consistency of cheap federal 22.

Anyway, on to the confusing part. I started firing my 45ACP reloads over it, and kept getting Err1 on the screen. Book said 'not enough light or you're not firing over the center of the front sensor'. The chrony was about 8' out, and i shot about 30 rounds over it...dead nuts down the center, and the same thing. Screens on..screens off...higher...lower...didn't matter.

My stepdad brings his .357 over...i put two round over the middle, 1480 and 1520fps. Fire my SKS over it, 2350fps...back to the 22...every time i got a reading. Put five more rounds of 45 over it, and Err1 each time.

It was pretty frustrating, as the 45 reloads were all i really cared to measure.

Any thoughts? Seems odd to me that the biggest, slowest round was the one it couldn't measure. I'm going to try again tomorrow in the brighter light to see what happens.

Thanks!

Bob

garryc · November 12, 2005, 11:08 PM

I had the same problem with 45 colt loads. I wonder if its the speed of the round. 22 is over 1000fps as are all the other rounds you fired. The only problem I ever had was 45 colt at book speeds of about 800fps. Too slow? doesn't sound right but who knows

Wrangler5 · November 13, 2005, 02:01 AM

I think Chronys are supposed to be able to clock an arrow, which is way below 45ACP velocity. My Chrony (Gamma Master, but I think their electronics are all the same) reads 230g bullets out of 45ACP down to the low 700s (that's where one of my starting loads came out) so I don't think your problem is in the unit's design.

Eight feet should be far enough from the muzzle to be past the effect of muzzle blast, although you might try moving it a few feet farther away just as an experiment. I think I read somewhere that if the unit is too close the muzzle blast can get there first and disturb the atmosphere above the sensor enough to trigger a false starting point (or something.) I wouldn't expect that to happen with skyscreens in place, but who knows? Anyway, it's an easy thing to try. All I can think of at the moment.

mtnboomer · November 13, 2005, 06:01 AM

Try using a felt-tip barker and color your bullets black. Sometimes the sensors get a light reflection back at them from highly polished bullets and that can cause an error message. May not solve your problem but it's worth a try.

jcims · November 13, 2005, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnboomer

Sometimes the sensors get a light reflection back at them

I had wondered about that a bit. The sun was directly behind us, and i'm using Rainier plated bullets...they looked like fireballs going downrange (we could even see the shiny tail of the 7.62 from the SKS at 2300+fps). I'm going to try again midday today and see if that makes a difference...and keep a sharpie handy!

Thanks for the tips everyone!

Thirties · November 13, 2005, 01:10 PM

"It was probably 4:30...the sun was still above the horizon, and the sky was as blue as could be."

That is part of the problem. Deep blue sky is not the ideal condition. That is why they have those diffused white "canopies" over the screens. In my PACT instruction manual, as bad as it is -- and it is indeed a badly written manual, they tell you about the blue sky problem (lack of contrast). Overcast is a better condition for the chronograph.

So, use the lids, or drape a white cloth over the triangles.

Let us know if this works.

Alaskee · November 19, 2005, 10:50 PM

The muzzle blast suggested earlier in the thread is one possibility.
Another condition that I have seen with my Chrony is that at times it will not work well if the sun is at a low angle and is shining on the Chrony. Set the Chrony up in the shadow of something (shade) and try again. Even someone standing in a safe position so that their shadow falls over it including the skyscreens will help.

dodgestdshift · November 20, 2005, 05:20 PM

My Chrony hates blue skies. I always wait for a cloudy day.

Robert M Boren Sr · November 20, 2005, 11:29 PM

The coloring of the bullet works. And so does Chronying the arrows too. But what it boils down to is try shooting at various angles over the sensors, another words, if you get an error, move just a smidgeon to the right with the barrel. or left or what ever, just do slight movements. and you want the chrony at full cable lengths out. 15' or so. I have the Gamma master so I have the printer with mine and that really is a nice feature. Anyway if you need more help just drop me an email and I'll try and explain a bit better.

November 12, 2005, 09:12 PM	#1
jcims Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2005 Location: Ahyah Posts: 290	i think my chrony has ADD Hi all. Got the chrony out for the first time this afternoon. It was probably 4:30...the sun was still above the horizon, and the sky was as blue as could be. I fired a magazine of 22LR over it just to see how it operated, and everything looked good...it was fun watching the numbers pop up, and i was surprised at the consistency of cheap federal 22. Anyway, on to the confusing part. I started firing my 45ACP reloads over it, and kept getting Err1 on the screen. Book said 'not enough light or you're not firing over the center of the front sensor'. The chrony was about 8' out, and i shot about 30 rounds over it...dead nuts down the center, and the same thing. Screens on..screens off...higher...lower...didn't matter. My stepdad brings his .357 over...i put two round over the middle, 1480 and 1520fps. Fire my SKS over it, 2350fps...back to the 22...every time i got a reading. Put five more rounds of 45 over it, and Err1 each time. It was pretty frustrating, as the 45 reloads were all i really cared to measure. Any thoughts? Seems odd to me that the biggest, slowest round was the one it couldn't measure. I'm going to try again tomorrow in the brighter light to see what happens. Thanks! Bob

November 13, 2005, 06:01 AM	#4
mtnboomer Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Location: Oklahoma by birth. America by the grace of God. Posts: 635	Try using a felt-tip barker and color your bullets black. Sometimes the sensors get a light reflection back at them from highly polished bullets and that can cause an error message. May not solve your problem but it's worth a try. __________________ Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati (If all else fails - play dead!) Support the Second Amendment. Join the NRA > http://www.nra.org < Oklahoma State & Big 12 - #1 GO POKES!!!!!

November 19, 2005, 10:50 PM	#7
Alaskee Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2002 Location: Nelchina Alaska Posts: 131	Sun Angle The muzzle blast suggested earlier in the thread is one possibility. Another condition that I have seen with my Chrony is that at times it will not work well if the sun is at a low angle and is shining on the Chrony. Set the Chrony up in the shadow of something (shade) and try again. Even someone standing in a safe position so that their shadow falls over it including the skyscreens will help.

November 20, 2005, 05:20 PM	#8
dodgestdshift Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2002 Location: Marilla, N.Y. (outside Buffalo N.Y.) Posts: 113	My Chrony hates blue skies. I always wait for a cloudy day. __________________ The shortest distance between two politicians is through your wallet. Don N.

November 12, 2005, 11:08 PM	#2
garryc Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2005 Posts: 2,536	I had the same problem with 45 colt loads. I wonder if its the speed of the round. 22 is over 1000fps as are all the other rounds you fired. The only problem I ever had was 45 colt at book speeds of about 800fps. Too slow? doesn't sound right but who knows

November 13, 2005, 02:01 AM	#3
Wrangler5 Senior Member Join Date: September 18, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 326	I think Chronys are supposed to be able to clock an arrow, which is way below 45ACP velocity. My Chrony (Gamma Master, but I think their electronics are all the same) reads 230g bullets out of 45ACP down to the low 700s (that's where one of my starting loads came out) so I don't think your problem is in the unit's design. Eight feet should be far enough from the muzzle to be past the effect of muzzle blast, although you might try moving it a few feet farther away just as an experiment. I think I read somewhere that if the unit is too close the muzzle blast can get there first and disturb the atmosphere above the sensor enough to trigger a false starting point (or something.) I wouldn't expect that to happen with skyscreens in place, but who knows? Anyway, it's an easy thing to try. All I can think of at the moment.

November 13, 2005, 01:10 PM	#6
Thirties Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2001 Location: Where the Red Sox meet the Black Bears Posts: 561	"It was probably 4:30...the sun was still above the horizon, and the sky was as blue as could be." That is part of the problem. Deep blue sky is not the ideal condition. That is why they have those diffused white "canopies" over the screens. In my PACT instruction manual, as bad as it is -- and it is indeed a badly written manual, they tell you about the blue sky problem (lack of contrast). Overcast is a better condition for the chronograph. So, use the lids, or drape a white cloth over the triangles. Let us know if this works.

November 20, 2005, 11:29 PM	#9
Robert M Boren Sr Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2004 Location: NW Montana Posts: 269	The coloring of the bullet works. And so does Chronying the arrows too. But what it boils down to is try shooting at various angles over the sensors, another words, if you get an error, move just a smidgeon to the right with the barrel. or left or what ever, just do slight movements. and you want the chrony at full cable lengths out. 15' or so. I have the Gamma master so I have the printer with mine and that really is a nice feature. Anyway if you need more help just drop me an email and I'll try and explain a bit better.