Chronograph

[traumajunkie]

What do you all use or recommend I will probably be purchasing from Cabela's as it is local and the only place I know of locally that ha them and I got a few gift cards from Cabela's


It's not an assault weapon it's a Modern Musket

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[hounddawg]

Just noticed Midway has the CE Pro Chrono on sale, that's what I use. Got the computer interface cable to go with it also. I haul the laptop up to the range, and just save the data. The interface also make it easy to change strings etc. Pretty durable, I dropped mine off a bench onto a concrete pad last spring, something in the case rattling around now but it still works. I use mine for three things, to see how constant velocities of my loads are, to make sure my pistol loads will make PF, and to get a number to compute plug in to the ballistics calculator for my match loads

[traumajunkie]

Good to know thank you like I said tho I'm planning on using Cabela's gift cards and from some quick research they carry shooting chrony are these decent chronographs?

[hounddawg]

I have no idea, only two I have ever used is the CE and a Oehler owned by a friend of mine

[arizona98tj]

Several years back, I purchased the PACT MKIV-XP chrono/timer. I used the heck out of it. One thing I didn't like....it ate 9V batteries like a kid eats candy.

Earlier this year, my PACT started to suffer from an intermittent display so I opted for the CED M2 chronograph. I've been very happy with it. Since I had acquired a range timer about a year ago, I didn't need the functionality of the PACT any longer either. While this unit runs on a 9V battery also, battery life is much better than the PACT unit.

Reviews for both are at the above hyperlinks.


Here is the new CED M2 chronograph.

[sc928porsche]

Chrony makes decent Chronographs. You can get them simple or as complicated as you wish. I like mine with the remote set up so I can attach the bipod camera clip onto the case and run the remote up to the bench.

[traumajunkie]

Thanks I was definitely looking at the chrony beta master with the remote unit


Molon Labe

[Brian Pfleuger]

The Beta Chrony and other similar models are functional. I have one and its been fine for several years. Even has 3 bullet wounds and still works fine. My main objection is that it only has 2 buttons and you have to access every function by combinations of those buttons. Not that it's supremely difficult but its certainly not intuitive.

If I were buying one today, it would be a CED. Gift cards make it tricky though.

[traumajunkie]

Oooooh just found the CE pro chrono on Cabela's website


Molon Labe

[highrolls]

Pro Chrono Digital by Competition Electronics is a well kept, economical, accurate, excellent device secret. Best Buy recommended.

[solocam72]

I owned a pro chrono several years ago for archery, I had the lighting kit and all for it, I didn't use it enough and sold it to a friend. Over the years I missed having it so I bought another pro chrono since that is what I had before and it worked great. The new one I got was a POS, I shot my .44 magnum over it and left the velocities in the 1st shot string, the rest were all empty as it was a brand new unit, anyway the next day I turned the chronograph on and it showed numbers that were not possible! It actually changed numbers around! I shot over it again and that time I wrote the velocities down with pen and paper so I could check it again, the next day I turned it back on to check and sure enough it had changed numbers around again! I contacted competition electronics and explained what was going on, they claimed they had never heard of that happening before? They replaced the unit and I havnt had any problems with this one so far. Sure makes me wonder about the accuracy of these things tho!!

[hounddawg]

for what it is worth my 125 dollar CE measures within 25 FPS average of my friends 600 buck Oehler same load from my .308 on a similar day. Not that it matters which one is exactly correct since all I really worry about is SD's and to get me in the ballpark for come ups at various ranges for loads

[g.willikers]

Chrony models are just fine, especially for the price.
Mine's the basic one, over twenty years old, been wounded, and is still going strong.
It's a little picky about lighting conditions, though.
It works best with uniformly cloudy skies.
Bright sunlight confuses it, sometimes.

[rclark]

F1 Crony is what I use. Hasn't let me down yet. Nice and compact. Easy to use (On/Off switch) . Mine was paired with another brand as a test and it shot within a few FPS of the other. Gives you velocity for each shot... All you need (well you do need a notebook to record the velocities for later analysis with a simple spreadsheet)! Satisfied with it.

[MarkDozier]

It's not an assault weapon it's a Modern Musket

What does this have to do with buying a chrono?

[solocam72]

My pro chrono has 9 shot strings and holds 10 shots per string in memory, Its handy when you shoot a few different rifles and pistols as long as you remember to change the shot string for each, anytime you feel like doing so you can turn the unit on and review everything, it gives you highest velocity, lowest velocity, average velocity, extreme spread, and standard deviation. It does this with each of the 9 strings.

[hounddawg]

My pro chrono has 9 shot strings and holds 10 shots per string in memory, Its handy when you shoot a few different rifles and pistols as long as you remember to change the shot string for each, anytime you feel like doing so you can turn the unit on and review everything, it gives you highest velocity, lowest velocity, average velocity, extreme spread, and standard deviation. It does this with each of the 9 strings.

and if you shoot at public ranges you can the strings through your laptop, using the optional cable. That is not a issue if you shoot in your backyard but when there are 5 or 10 other shooters at the line it comes in handy.

[hdbiker]

Midway USA has the Shooting Chrony,BETA modle on sale threw January for $125.00.I've owned one for ten years now and love working up loads with it.biker

[solocam72]

I just got a flyer in the mail from midway and they have the same chrono I have in it for 99.99, normally 119.99

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by solocam72

Sure makes me wonder about the accuracy of these things tho!!

This is the problem. It gives you numbers, but can you believe them? If so, how exactly?

Originally Posted by hounddawg

…my 125 dollar CE measures within 25 FPS average of my friends 600 buck Oehler same load from my .308 on a similar day…

This is the answer. It's what you want to know to get some idea of accuracy range. I have a CED Millenium (previous version of M2) and an Oehler 35P to get velocities at different ranges simultaneously. If I set the CED's screens between the Oheler screens so they both see the same round at the same distance simultaneously, readings only 6 or 7 fps different are pretty common. Bryan Litz found the same thing with an Oehler and a CED M2, as mentioned in his book, Applied Ballistics For Long Range Shooting. I tend to recommend the CED as the best buy for the dollar for that reason.

My dad's got a very old model Shooting Chrony that will give up to 200 fps disagreement with the Oehler at .308 velocities (about 2700 fps when the Oehler says 2500 fps, something that made more sense for the load involved). It changes readings if you tilt it a little. I have no faith in it. The last time I looked, Shooting Chrony's site gave their clock interval as their accuracy. That would actually be their resolution number and not their accuracy, so my faith in their technical acumen is limited by that observation and by my dad's unit. That said, a lot of people seem to have been satisfied with them and whoever designs them probably has gotten better over time. Without doing side-by-sides with the Oehler or a Doppler radar, I can't really tell you what to expect from their current crop.

[Turbo6ta]

From reading this thread, it seems the "Shooting Chrony F1" may be about the best bang for the buck if your just looking for a basic chronograph without lots of bells and whistles.

Looks like about the best price I can find for a Shooting Chrony F1 Chronograph is from Midway for $75.99 + $10.27 shipping = $86.26


For shooting at an outdoor range, is it advisable to get a tripod to mount the chrony on? .... really nessesary?

Ron,
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EDIT: Found even cheaper on Amazon for $79.86 with free shipping

.

[RC20]

Tripod is Mandatory, you can't set it up otherwise

I would go the Pro, gets you the remote and more data. I think its on sale for $109.

Get what you will want down the road, not cheap what works now.

You can get fancier but the Pro does what I need. Remove, logs the strings, gives me the avenge and the two deviation values.

I never regretted getting more than I needed, and have regretted getting exactly wast I thought I needed at the time.

You can also do a calibration with 22 ammo to be sure its on as they list the velocity on the package.

[Turbo6ta]

RC20 ... thank's for the info

You said I really need a tripod. Can you use any generic tripod, or do you need some special adapter to fit the chrono to your standard type tripod (I guess the type of a tripod that you would mount a 35mm camera to)?

[Unclenick]

Be aware the .22 calibration is for match ammo, which has been shown to be within about 50 fps of claimed velocity in most rifles. But be aware that is the limit of the accuracy of the calibration. Other than cross-comparison with other chronographs to get a sort of average agreement, the only other way I know of to calibrate them is with Doppler radar equipment, which can follow a bullet to the target, giving range and velocity constantly all the way to the target to within a small fraction of a foot per second. No consumer version exists that I am aware of, but military labs have them.

RSI has mention on his site of a German military study of chronographs for their armorers using Doppler radar. It found the Oehler and the CED matched most closely to the Doppler readings. But unless you do very long range shooting, that last gnat's behind in accuracy probably won't matter as much as repeatability so that you can see changes in your loads when you change components and test conditions and whatnot.

Along with the tripod, get a laser bore sighter. Take the bolt out of your rifle and put the bore sighter in and set the gun up on sandbags so its sight picture stays on the target. When you set up the chronograph, hold your palm or a piece of white paper in the middle of the screen area and adjust the tripod until the dot is centered in both the front and back screen area. When you go back to the gun, double-check that it is still looking at the target. If not, re-do the setup process. But if so, you will be surprised how high the target and sight appear to be inside the chronograph screens, despite the fact you are sending the bullet through their center. You will then understand how so many people accidentally shoot their chronographs.

CAUTION: Be sure you remove the bore sighter before putting the bolt back in the gun. The reason is explained here. Be sure you scroll down through all the photos.

Be sure you set your chronograph out far enough. Funny results are almost always due to being too close. I always use 15 feet just because the SAAMI specs call for that range. 10 feet is normally fine for handguns, but you get a lot of reports of funny result (too fast, too slow, erratic, always the exact same number, shots from adjacent firing points triggering the screen with muzzle blast, etc.) that turn out do be due to close proximity of the chronograph to the muzzle. We had one member with a .338 Lapua Magnum who had to set his unit back 18 feet before he stopped getting glitchy readings.

As for batteries, the 9V lithium cells are the ones to have for a chronograph. They not only last longer than alkaline, they can put out more current in cold temperatures and a spare one left unopened in your range box can stay at near full capacity for a decade or more.

[Turbo6ta]

QUOTE: "Unclenick"

"Along with the tripod, get a laser bore sighter. Take the bolt out of your rifle and put the bore sighter in and set the gun up on sandbags so its sight picture stays on the target".
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I don't shoot rifles ... All I load and shoot is .45 ACP

Another member here told me that I need a tripod to set the chrono on ....

Do I need some sort of adapter to fit the "Shooting Chrony F1" to a generic tripod (like a camera tripod)?

Ron,