LabRadar Ballistic Velocity Doppler Radar Chronograph

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AMTom

Guest
Yes, the micro-details about a given shot are not something you'd care to examine, well, ever.
But that tracking readout answers questions about how the unit works.

For example, how does it get muzzle velocity when it can't see off to the side, and doppler doesn't work from that direction anyway.
Answer: It obviously calculates MV based upon numbers it gets after it starts seeing the bullet at about 6 yards, in this case.

Also, it gave me no reading at 200 yards, so where did it loose track of the bullet?
Answer: 168 yds.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
If there is an easier to setup chronograph I haven't seen it. I used a camera tripod and shot offhand. Only issue I had was sometimes shooting fast enough that the system wasn't ready for the next shot.
Downloading data is as easy as plugging the unit into the computer with the supplied USB cable of pulling the SD card and plugging it into the computer. Data is exported as an Excel worksheet. I added some load and gun data but otherwise what you see is what you get. The KE values are wonky as I did not enter a bullet weight into the unit.
I need to figure out how to create a new string other than turning it off then back on. Simply a matter of needing more time with it.

Not having to go in front of the line is awesome. Setup will be easy even on a hot line. No need to worry about sun angle either, something that caused me issues at times with my Chrony.
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Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Nah, my range allows noise. Now if I shot in my backyard I would consider one too.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
It's amazing how much recoil a good can sucks up. I get practically no muzzle flip shooting full-house 230-grain loads, and the brass will mostly all land in a 5-gallon bucket on the ground next to me if I stand in the right place. As a bonus, the can gives me a place to mount my MagnetoSpeed, which normally is really tough to do with an auto handgun.

What appeals to me the most about the Labradar unit is being able to easily get down-range velocity data and to calculate actual BC. Bullets often change shape when fired, so even if you can predict BC via bullet design software, you don't really know what the BC is when the bullet is actually in flight.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Seeing data for distance and velocity at .002 second intervals is amazing. Seeing that the bullet traveled 2.39 yards and lost 9.6 fps in .002 seconds? Unreal.

I can't wait to get it out for some rifle work. I bet a 45-70 will read to 150 yards or so. No more guess work about velocity at any distance.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Yes, an excellent companion tool to go with Quickload's more advanced features. Now, if someone would hurry up and invent a device that could be taped to a rifle barrel and track bullet acceleration from chamber to muzzle, we'd have the whole picture.
 
Pistolero

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Ian,
Does that can have any sort of recoil assist device. I have heard that some SemiAuto pistols and 1911s, often/always (??) need some
sort of funky device at the can/bbl junction to assist the slide. Doesn't seem to be anything there on yours.

Got papers in the mill for one for .45s, which, can of course, work fine on smaller calibers.

Bill
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Bill, pretty much all suppressed, short-recoil operated automatics require an inertial decoupler to allow the barrel and slide to unlock properly. The suppressor adds a significant static mass and without the decoupler can soak up too much of the initial recoil impulse, thus causing short-stroking or failure to even unlock.

Most of the decouplers we see for handguns are engineered as "boosters", in effect a blast chamber which further assists the decoupling by using muzzle gas to drive the barrel back against the frame. The stroke distance is short, as it only needs to operate during the short unlocking phase.

When the rear gas seal on my Liberty boosters starts to become packed with carbon, failures to cycle start to occur. If you examine the photo above, you'll notice the stainless-steel piece that is attached to the barrel. That is actually about 2" long and passes through the rear cap via a supporting seal (like a gland seal in a hydraulic cylinder) and into the blast chamber.

Are you going to build yours or buy one? If building, I would highly recommend purchasing either a Liberty booster or a Gemtec Linear Inertial Decoupler (LID) device with the threads you desire (the booster mounts can be swapped out to fit various barrel threads) and simply thread your tube to accept the booster directly. The ATF considers a booster to be an adapter or mount and not a silencer part, and thus can be purchased without any paperwork. The outside threads are common between these two brands.
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Nothing wrong with discussing the suppressors but if the conversation is going to continue how about a new thread of it's own? :)
 
Kevin Stenberg

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
If any of you that have upgraded to this Doppler R C. I could be very interested in one of the used Magneto or one of the Chronie's. Kevin
 
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