Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Chronograph?

Still using my old Pro Chrono, and thinking it's time to upgrade. Looking at Magnetospeed V3 (shooting suppressed) or LabRadar mainly and weighing the pros and cons, either one should provide me with reliable data. The way I look at it the V3 is the more complete kit for $330, the LR is still going to cost $600+ by the time I add a battery pack and a few other misc items. If I buy a mounting system for the V3 like what Wiser sells, then there isn't a good reason not to go LR.

However, the Wiser mount got me thinking why not the MS Sporter? I haven't found a great answer either way if the Sporter works well with suppressors on the Wiser mount or not. The Sporter and Wiser mount would have me less than the cost of a V3 kit and less than 1/2 the price of an LR.

Anyone try this combination?

I’ve used the Sporter for about 5 years. Can’t compare to the others because the Sporter does what I need it to do. Magnetospeed is a great company.

I will say I sorta changed my way of working up loads since using he MS but overall it’s been easier and much less gear getting toted around.

A lot of my buddies use the Sporter as well, and I was about to drop the coin on one but spent it on Suppressors nearly two years ago. I've watched the YouTube videos on how to adapt a Sporter Bayonet to the suppressors, but I think the Wiser mount would be the better option as it would remove any potential POI shift due to the bayonet hanging off the suppressor. Luckily I don't have to tote much as I can do load work out my back door.

I have a sporter and it is awesome.

I have the Labradar and I would not part with it.

I like doing load work up and chonographing at the same time without changing barrel oscillation/harmonics.

Additionally I can use it for revolvers (any barrel length) and semi autos.

To use a Sporter on a Wiser with a suppressor, you will have to position the entire bayonet in front of the suppressor. I don't know how well the part of the bayonet with the strap will hold up to muzzle blast.

From the Wiser site:
Q: Will The Chrono Mount allow my MagnetoSpeed Sporter to work with a suppressor?
A: The geometry of the bayonet still limits its use, unfortunately, so it depends. See MagnetoSpeed's fitment guide for more information. We have; however, had a few customers position the entire bayonet assembly in front of their suppressors to get proper lift and gap to bore with good success. If you decide to run it in this configuration, we advise caution to be used so the exhaust gasses do not melt your bayonet strap.

I've read that, I was hoping for some first hand experience. That's my dilemma, I don't want to buy the Sporter and have it not work well. If I buy the Wiser mount and the V3 I might as well spring for the LR.

Can't imagine wanting to screw around with the MagnetoSpeed, when the LabRadar is in reach. At least that was how I talked myself into throwing $600 at it. Sure got good service out of my ProChrono, and never fully shot it.

I don't have $600 at the moment, probably in a couple months if our furnace/AC replacement doesn't go over budget.

In my experience you won't get more accurate readings from a Magnetospeed or LabRadar than a ProChrono. I have tested more than one ProChrono by chronographing the same ammo (often at the same time) with a MS, LR and Oehler 35P, and all showed the same average velocity, given the differences in where they are from the muzzle.

There are other advantages to the more expensive models, especially if you're really into statistical analysis. But my ProChronos have provided average velocities good enough to get on small gongs easily at 500+ yards.

Oh, that was you - calling the looooonnnngggg coooollllld raaaaaannnnnggggggge - setting up FOUR chronographs! Sheesh.

I don't have too many complaints of my old Pro Chrono, except for the fact I get a lot of errors unless I'm shooting early morning or near dusk. Mid day it is pretty useless to shoot over it. I'm looking for something that'll work all the time, anytime I find the chance to shoot.

Interesting. My ProChronos have rarely missed a shot, and when they did it was my fault, usually for not replacing the battery in time. How old is yours?

HA!

I am still using an old ProChrono and it still works fine for my purposes as I’m gotten through the compulsion of the statistical analysis days when I was using an MS which I never got along well with. I could never get it fixed to the barrel well enough to not have to fiddle around with it about after each shot With admittedly some significant kickers. And fixing it to the bench as some have done (Dirtfarmer IIRC) was not an option.

To show you how an older person tends to streamline things, I now go out mostly on overcast days, eliminating the putting up of the ProChrono diffusers. Works great.

And thankfully, it hasn’t been shot since a friend borrowed it.

Have you tried running a black line from a Sharpie round the bullet ogive? I do this on sunny days..haven`t lost a shot with the difusers on.

Have one on a tripod in the shop it has not been out since the Magneto Speed got here.

Don't worry about point of aim switch if it does happen,because we are shooting for the speeds at first.

Groups will come later.

And it's easier to set up and haul around.

Usually have one or two spare batteries with me when I use the chronograph. Sun is pretty intense here in SE Colorado, even with the diffusers on I get errors. It usually works pretty well if I tape a a target to both diffusers, but the if the wind picks up it can become a sail.

Anyway it's not a right now have to purchase.

The more I read the positives & comments about hardly ever missing a shot with the Pro, the more I realize the brand I've had for quite a while was probably junk from the start. New skyscreens, cables & no telling how many batteries later, my unit requiring a very fresh battery to work at all, & all the time the Mfr. telling me it was OK & my problems are "just the nature of the beast".

And now they've gone e-mail only & stopped answering the phone.

You guys just sold me a Prochrono.

Taylorce1, good luck on your decision.

Had a pro Chrono. I shot rifle over it, pistol, and arrows. This year by brother shot it while using pistol ( dumbass)

I decided to buy into the hype and get a lab radar. Since day one it had an issue where the sd port would wiggle when I shot, causing the until to shut off every shot. Lab radar wouldn't respond to emails so their effective felt no CS right now. Midway will take it back so I'm covered there.

Something else I can't stand about the LR, other than CS and bad QC are the menus. They are THE WORST to go through. The button/process flow here is utterly garbage.

Now for the good. I've shot 22lr, arrow, rifle, 9, etc through it and it works great ( when I don't use a sd card).

I like how I can pull the sonar readings for each shot to see fps at distance. I find that a snr reading under 20-30 us most bad data, but everything above that is pretty spot on. If you open the files in excel you'll see what I mean.

So after having this and the prochrono would I buy the LR again given the price disparity...Nope. the pro Chrono just worked, and was a way better price. I used the prochrono to get fps for cold bore hits at 500y. I didn't have to adjust the fps at all... The labrador gave me the same fps... So I can't argue there.