Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles what chronograph to buy

Hey guys, I'm looking to get a chrono. What are you guys having luck with ?

I purchased a Pro Chrono DLX that is Bluetoothed to my phone. Keeps a file on the phone of shots and velocities. I can’t force myself to spend the money on a LabRadar.

Ron

In my experience (n=1, each), Shooting Chrony greatly disappointed, but Prochrono Digital (p/n CEI-3800) has exceeded my expectations.

You can spend more, & it might be worth it for what you do.

FC

You using at a busy public range or out on your lonesome?

How much $$ do you NOT want to spend? $200? $400? $700?

I have a Pro Chrono. It was reasonably priced and seems to work well. What I learned from it is that I have a very limited use for a chronograph, so it rarely gets used. I’m pretty lazy, so I generally just go shoot and don’s exert the extra effort to set up the chrono.

If I can hit what I’m aiming at and can reliably and cleanly kill game, the speed of my bullet isn’t real important to me.

Labradar and don't look back. Probably more than you want to spend but I don't think you will regret the purchase.

I've used Pact chronographs and had excellent luck with them. Customer service was great after I put a bullet through one of the sensors, which I think is probably just a matter of time for anyone who uses one.

These days, I use a MagnetoSpeed Sporter like this https://magnetospeed.com/products/magnetospeed-sporter

It's easy to use on rifles but doesn't work on semi-auto pistols or revolvers. The Pact worked with anything.


Okie John

I've owned two. A Shooting Chrony Beta Master and a Labradar. The Labradar is great. Nothing to set-up downrange, not affected by different lighting conditions, easier setup, etc. However, it's much more expensive and not without it's own limitations. It can't read velocities exceeding 3,900 fps and has difficulty with bullets smaller than 22 caliber (even .22 LR it struggles with). So something like a .17 Fireball is a non-starter with it.

The Shooting Chrony Beta Master doesn't have the best reputation, but I liked mine and found it worked well most of the time. It doesn't have a velocity limitation, and never had an issue with .22LR, but it is affected by differing lighting conditions. That being said if I were to get an inexpensive one, the most recommended one is a ProChrono. The DLX has bluetooth, which is cool, and is $460 cheaper than the Labradar.

I have had a Competition electronics Pro chronograph ($125) for several years, it aint fancy but it works fine, I have no complaints and would I not spend a pile of money on a chronograph when these will do all I need..Good luck...Hb

IMO, it’s either LabRadar or ProChrono, depending on budget.

OP is very vague. I bought a used chronograph for $50 about 10 years ago. It works fine for me.

LabRadar.

and that's after owning an Oehler 35P for about 20 years. The coolest aspects of the LabRadar is ease of setup, exportable spreadsheets for data, and it allows you to practice while getting MVs without screwing with your POI. Whacking steel out back while getting updated MVs:

My PACT finally took a dump. Probably replace in with the same. I like the idea of not shooing at the brains of the machine.
The screens can be replaced easily. Hasbeen

I have a Magneetospeed Sporter and it works for me. Their customer service is excellent as well. Now if money is issue get a Lab Radar. My Magneetospeed was a Christmas gift three years ago, or I’d of down the research and gotten a Lab Radar.

a Pro Chrono DLX that is Bluetooth, Best in its class. I do also have a labradar and a Beta chrony though.

Pro Chrono DLX that is Bluetoothed but for some reason, I can not get it to connect, so I still use it the old school way

+1. I had the Digital for about 20 years before upgrading to the DLX, no issues at all. LabRadar would be great too, but I just can't see myself dropping that money when the ProChrono's have served me so well.


Mine connects right away, the only time it didn't was when I realized the bluetooth on my phone wasn't turned on.

Another Labradar fan here.

Lived life with a Pro Chrono for 20 years. Decided I wanted to try something different - kind of a live only once thing and got a Magnetospeed. My first choice is Magnetospeed. But the Pro Chrono is not a mistake either. IMO, just get something to measure velocity if you are reloading.

Used a PACT for over 25 yrs. If conditions are right (outdoors, not too sunny, not too cloudy, not windy, not raining), I can still get useful numbers from it.

Magnetospeed works everywhere all the time, and gives remarkably consistent readings. I'd like to find an adaptor that would allow me to use it without actually strapping it to the barrel because it does tend to affect POI and group size, at least in my experience. But, price and ease of use are incomparable.