Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Chronographs

I use the remote trigger on my bows and it works well. I set the radar on a tripod and shoot beside it. The triggered radar and my pro chrony are typically parallel in readings.

The alignment with small pills and the correct offset are critical for them to aquire the shot.

Per the instructions, which come with the unit and are available on the manufacturer's website, the distance should be 1/8" to 1/4".

Thanks for jogging my memory....

Since "building" my stand, have just tried to get the muzzle as close as possible to the V without touching it. This has worked very well.

That's good to know. I just bought a used Magnetospeed V3 and haven't been able to get out to use it yet. I was wondering how crucial it was to be exactly a quarter inch below the bullet. I'm making a stand like you and others have done so I can test groups at the same time.

I'm on my third chronograph. I bought a Chrony while still in college in about 1990. It worked okay for several years. Then I tried an RCBS, which sometimes was unreliable. Now I use a Competition Electronics I bought from Midway USA for not much more than I originally paid for the Chrony, and it serves my modest needs. It's nice knowing a ballpark figure for my velocities, ranging from 700 fps for target loads in my .45 ACP to nearly 4,000 fps in my .220 Swift, and many points in between. I don't use it a ton, but I also can't imagine living without one, either. Kind of like my 5" .357 Magnum S&W 27-2.

Got the Shooting Chrony, and shot over it this morning.
Fars I can tell, it works just fine.

I don't shoot as much as I used to, but used to shoot quite a bit and had the ProChrono Digital since (IIRC) the late 90s. It still works, sold it and got the DLX so I could record the info on my phone. Great reliable Chrony that doesn't break the bank.

I have excellent results with these two chronographs

https://oehler-research.com/product/35p-complete-kit/

https://www.doublealpha.biz/us/ced-m2-chronograph

They agree with each other so accuracy is never doubted

I have a ProChrono DLX that is Bluetooth connected to my phone. Keeps the shot strings in a file on my phone app. Works great for what I need it to do.

Ron

^^^ THIS

I have been using my little Chrony since about 1990 same one, 10's of thousands of rounds over it and it is still working very well, in fact was using it yesterday, like the bunny takes a licking and keeps on ticking

Had a Shooting Chrony F1 for years, it worked but not great. The lighting had to be just right as well as the sun screens and even then I would question the readings. Then I got a good deal on a ProChrono DLX, Much better in every way and just a little more money. I'm convinced it is about as good as it gets for the money.

I am going to try that! Does ground cover seem to matter? GD

Anyone using a Pact? I have been gifted a brand new in the box one but haven't used it yet?

In 5 minutes I shot handgun holes through (2) shooting chronys and (1) pro chrono.

In that last 5 minutes I could see I liked how the pro chrono triggered.

Then I bought another pro chrono and only shot rifles over it.

Years went by with no holes in the 4th chrono.

Then I shot a group with a handgun and then set up chrono #4.

Now 10 years later, I have still not shot any chronographs, but target practicing with each handgun before using the chrono.

Other chronos still in box, will probably stay there until I die of old age. I have overcome my pi$$ poor pistol shooting.

This is my experience as well. My basic Caldwell was my first optical chronograph. I have no idea if every brand and model of optical chronograph is as finicky, but my Caldwell sure is.

If sky conditions are right and the range is empty, I can get it work pretty easily and produce repeatable measurements.
Those are two pretty big "ifs" at times. Maybe there are some handloaders with enough experience they can set up a chrono and get to shooting. I find I need several trips back and forth to the bench to check alignment. It probably doesn't help the ground on my outdoor range is not flat or very level.

As I said, I hope it is my last optical. A new LabRadar just arrived. I hope this LabRadar let's me capture reliable data regardless of the sky and without having to spend time downrange fiddling with a setup. I think it will. Even if the LabRadar is everything it's cracked up to be, I'll still hang on to my Caldwell.

Gentlemen,

Would someone please explain the "song and dance" that's involved in setting up an Oehler 35P.
Isn't there setup time with all models? Are they considerably less time consuming?
I think a lot of shooters would like to hear it firsthand from the fellows using them.
Thank you in advance for your time and help.
Soup

I always wonder how shooters with inexpensive chronographs know they're accurate.

For my job, they have to be, which is why I've owned an Oehler 35P for many years. All the other chronographs I use are tested directly against the Oehler. The three Shooting Chronys I've owned have not worked out in the long run--though in one instance the problem was a .41 Magnum bullet through the center of the display. But the other two eventually ended up being erratic.

I just look at published reload data with velocities listed. That gives me a ballpark number. If my cheap, set up gives velocities close to those publish figures, I call it close enough.
If my numbers are off, then I know not to believe it.
Simple....

Have seen plenty of rifles that vary 200+fps from published data, in rifle cartridges that get around 3000 fps even when using exactly the same components in the same barrel length. Have seen even more variation when changing bullets of the same weight, especially today when bullet construction can be far different than it was back when almost every bullet was a simple cup-and-core.

Then there's the effect of changing seating depth, different manufacturing batches of powder, etc.

I prefer knowing the muzzle velocity, not coming within 10% or so.