There are two kinds of chronograph owners!

So we have all heard the adage “There are two kinds of motorcycle riders, those who have been down, and those that are gonna go down.”

From what I have read this logic seems to apply to chronograph owners also. Those who have shot their chronographs and those who are gonna.

I’m hoping to become a chronograph owner soon. It seems that for as little as $84.99 plus shipping, I could be.

My question to you esteemed gentlemen is this. If I know that I’m gonna end up shooting my chronograph, then why would I buy an expensive one?

Oh, and how well do the cheapest ones work?

Josh

Just buy a Magnetospeed Sportsman model. No screwing with the tripod, lining up the bench, packing it all over hill and dale to your shooting spot etc.

Not a clue how well the cheap ones work, I've used the Oehler 35 since about the day it came out. That would be, guessing here, 40+ years. Have never shot it. Dinged a sky screen once when I let someone else use it but it still works.

The LabRadar loom would be another good option.

if I were buying today I'd buy the radar.

I bought the CED millennium-2 and it cost so damn much back then there ain't no way I'm putting a bullet in the wrong place even now.
it records strings and does all those fancy calculation things even though it's 30 years old.
it was the closest thing I had to a real computer until like 2005.

Don’t get one that has the computer part of it out in front of the gun. Only the screens out front. If you shoot the screens, they will probably still work. If not, screens are not that expensive to replace.

Magnetospeeed has a lot going for it. Having it hanging on the end of the barrel disturbs the harmonics so you can’t test for velocity and accuracy at the same time.

I think LabRadar is best for my money. You set it up on the bench. Nothing in front of the gun or hanging off the end of it. You Can test one gun after another, only having to tell it when you change from pistol (1600 FPS or less) to rifle (1600 or more).

Walters wads and Lyman gas checks will take one out just like a bullet

Bill

I wasn’t gonna get one of these contraptions. But I now feel compelled.

The Magnetospeed Sportsman I could afford.

Unless I’m missing something the LabRadar seems prohibitively expensive.

Here is how my head works. My sporterized M1917 that I’m currently working up loads for cost me $75.00 dollars in 1989. So in today’s dollars that gun would cost $159.95. I can get a Magnetospeed Sportsman for 179.99. The LabRadar setup is $559.99.

I can rationalize the purchase of the Magnetospeed Sportsman, as it’s roughly equal in value to the thing I’m testing.

The LabRadar is 3.5 times the value of my gun, to rich for my blood!

Josh

Why would you want a chronograph at all?

I use mine all the time its a valuable tool
For load development.
I have two a fancy one with printer and cabled read out. But I picked up this cheapo at a club event and uts been working well. Its lighter and quicker to set up. I dont "need" print outs all the time and dont mind manually scrolling.





CW

I bought a Pact 1 Chronograph (has remote readout/brain box) some years ago.
The third shot ...yes the third shot on the first outing, I took out the lead sensor with a 6.5mm cast bullet...and probably would have killed any tradition Chrono with readout where the lead sensor is on this Pact 1.
I only had to replace the lead sensor for about $20.
Note, I can't speak for other brands, but I find this Chrono is light sensitive (needs lots of sunlight), although I am always shooting in a woods type atmosphere, so there is a lot of shade. I have considered making some sort of LED lighting to mount on the sky screens.

I see Optics planet has this for about $170.
I don't remember dropping that much coin on it, when I bought it about 7 years ago?

I have had the same ProChrono for over 20yrs. It cost me $85 and has served me well. It only gives shot velocities total shots and average velocities. If I want SD's or ES I have to get out the calculator and do the math myself. I set the Chrono out 5 yds in front of me and read the velocities after each shot while shooting for groups. Keep a pad and pencil at the firing point. I built a chipboard box for mine with a double lexan "face" to protect from odd muzzle loader sabots and loose gas checks. I am under no illusion the rig will stop bullets.

It has worked well for me for arrows, bolts, and bullets. I don't use it indoors. I have only shot through the screen area with rifles or handguns that are sighted in and I am well aware of the difference in sight height and bore height. If this one should quit (or I shoot it) I would get another if I couldn't afford a LabRadar. I do like the idea of not having to go infront of the firing line to set it up and find the LabRadar's ability to give velocities down range with actual ballistic coefficients very appealing.

MY Chrono My Rules. I am the only one to shoot through it.
I will only shoot through it with weapons that I have confirmed the zero on.
I keep a piece of wood handy to knock on but so far those have kept my Chrono operational.

Shooting my 45 Colt over at Winelovers using the Labradar. Trying to get used to shooting groups with a red dot.

Another Crony user. Not yet shot it. We find the load we are going to use first . Then fire 5 to know what the FPS really is..

Nothing is perfect .
I got my first Chrony with a kernel of unburned powder ........
It's replacement showed the same velocities for the same loads and with the Alfa model you have to write it down . There are/were Lexan deflectors available "for black powder work" to protect the eyes from dirt . I built a simple pan with a deflector from .032 aluminum to prevent a powder kernel repeat . I try to set up so I can't see the digital parts from the actual firing position , with the brass couplers on the screen legs and the short end on top it's convenient to place the cross hairs no lower .
I aquired a Gama model just a few months before the cross country and have only had the opportunity to use it once . It has a more durable case and no holes in the face as it has a remote readout head . Tempting the fates I placed the 2nd Alfa and the Gama in random and had minus 1 fps readings from the second in line consistently answering my questions about accuracy of reading from one to another .

I gave the first victim to a friend with a penchant for electronics to replace the LCD read out . Chrony's are $90-189 depending on sales and model . When/ if you shoot it they will take yours and update/upgrade to the next model for $80 ......buy a replacement Alfa for $90-95 or spend $80 and $8-10 shipping back to the manufacturer .
Down side here is that Chrony has been unresponsive most of this year , I haven't heard otherwise since mid May , I hope due to the rona . I hope the shutdown doesn't/hasnt killed them . While it has the disadvantage of being in front of the muzzle , it's kind of like a Lee tool if you break it it's just shipping and retailer cost to get it replaced with the new/upgrade version when you break it doing something dumb .

I have a ProChrono like the one CW is using. $80 what's not to like. Does all I need. Chronograph is a very good tool, I'm glad I finally discovered it.

I received one of the all-in-one-piece units similar to the ProChrono as a retirement gift in 1989. It worked OK but I was always worried about putting a bullet through it.
About 20 years ago I purchased a used Oehler 35P and have been happy with that unit. Everything except the screens (mounted on a piece of EMT) fits into an old Kennedy tool box and is easy to transport and set up.
When I sold the all-in-one unit it had a single long lead smear down the top of the unit
ETA: One of the things I like about the 35P is having a paper tape printout of each string.

CWLONGSHOT said:

I use mine all the time its a valuable tool
For load development.
I have two a fancy one with printer and cabled read out. But I picked up this cheapo at a club event and uts been working well. Its lighter and quicker to set up. I dont "need" print outs all the time and dont mind manually scrolling.

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CW

Click to expand...

This is the kind that has the computer in harm’s way, in front of the gun.

I had a Oehler 33 years ago. Pain in the butt as I had not real range or bench setup. Shooting from the front porch isn't quite the same. It worked fine, but, just not setup friendly.
I can read the cheap one from my shed and if I shoot it, it's not expensive. Actually if anyone shoots it, it will be my BIL.

JonB said:

I bought a Pact 1 Chronograph (has remote readout/brain box) some years ago.
The third shot ...yes the third shot on the first outing, I took out the lead sensor with a 6.5mm cast bullet...and probably would have killed any tradition Chrono with readout where the lead sensor is on this Pact 1.
I only had to replace the lead sensor for about $20.
Note, I can't speak for other brands, but I find this Chrono is light sensitive (needs lots of sunlight), although I am always shooting in a woods type atmosphere, so there is a lot of shade. I have considered making some sort of LED lighting to mount on the sky screens.

I see Optics planet has this for about $170.
I don't remember dropping that much coin on it, when I bought it about 7 years ago?

PACT Model 1 XP Chronograph - PACT Shooting Products

pact.com

Click to expand...

Pact has illuminated screens as an option.