Home Forums Reloading Reloading Software Review of New Chronograph

On one or another of these forums, I can't recall which, I learned of a new chronograph, the Magnetospeed Ballistic Chronograph. The description piqued my interest and the price was reasonable, $250 plus shipping, so I placed one on backorder in late May, and it arrived the first week of June. Last Monday, July 9, was the first time I was able to use it, and I was so impressed I thought I'd share my experience.

Let me state first off that the Magnetospeed chronograph simply is superior to all others, bar none, for ease of use, accuracy and data logging. In fact it may well replace the current crop of optical chronographs rendering them obsolete at a stroke. I have two other chronographs, both Oehler brand, one a Model 33 the other a new issue Model 35P. Because setting these units up at a public range requires considerable fiddling with screen stands, screens, light diffusers and lengthy cables, I have just about stopped using them. Just aligning the screens with the target and bench is a major PITA that requires repeat trips back and forth to accomplish.

What is different is that the Magnetospeed relies, as the name implies, on magnetic resonance rather than optical bullet shadow detection to measure velocity. There are no screens, stands or tripods and the entire setup is accomplished at the shooting bench. This means that the setup can be done during the shooting period without having to wait for a ceasefire to walk forward and make adjustments. In fact, there are no screens to adjust and one can shoot at multiple targets without regard to accidentially shooting an optical screen.

While I was using the Magnetospeed I wished I had brought my digital camera, when I remembered I had a cell phone with a camera, so with a little Photoshopping these pictures will have to do. The view below shows the Bayo unit attached to the rifle barrel by it's nylon strap. All that is required is to be certain that the bullet passes over the detector and doesn't make contact. There is an adapter for thin barrels included with the unit. Switching the Bayo unit between different rifles takes about a minute.

Rifle being tested is a Cooper Model 22 chambered in 6.5-284, which produces plenty of muzzleblast, the Bayo unit took it all in stride without any pitting or sandblasting effect noticed. It wasn't even smudged. Instructions note that the Bayo strap may shift forward while shooting, but this didn't happen due to the barrel flutes acting as a stop.



Next step is to set up the Display Unit and attach the Bayo unit to the Display unit using the small retractable cord included in the kit. Plugging in the cord turns the unit on, it is powered by 4 AAA alkaline batteries.



At the same time there was another shooter setting up an optical chronograph. I watched as he repeated the same drill I had to undergo with the Oehler units. He made several trips between his tripod mounted screens and the bench, moving the entire rig to center it on the rifle, then began the fiddling to align the screens with the target. Running out of ceasefire time, he had to wait until the next ceasefire to complete the alignment. I began firing immediately. When it came time to leave, I could disassemble the unit and pack it away during the firing session, without struggling with removing the downrange screens and tripod with their lengthy cables during a ceasefire.

As the day passed and overcast turned to sun, and the sun progressed moving shadow on to the area of the screens, I was not effected as in the past because the Mgnetospeed was immune to shadow errors. Moreover, it wasn't effected by nearby muzzleblast from other shooters that can sometimes record as an error. Nothing is more frustrating than having a loss of sunlight prevent optical screens from functioning during a long range session.

The display shows the series and shot number, the velocity, and computes the Maxium, Minimum and Average Velocity, and the Standard Deviation (this is reprogrammable and the unit can be programmed for bullet type and other functions) . I fired 10 shot series or strings, then archived the data to the unit's mini-SD card. Back home, the mini-SD card was transferred to an SD card adapter (included) and uploaded the Log.CSV file directly into Excel. I reformatted the spreadsheet slightly, saved it as an .xlsx file and printed it for inclusion with the test targets.

One drawback of the Magnetospeed is that it doesn't work well for handguns. However the Magnetospeed website shows how a custom mount may be constructed where the Bayo unit is attached to a shooting rest that allows different firearms to be tested without barrel mounting. Some will ask what the effect on accuracy is of hanging the Bayo on the end of a barrel? I can't answer that as it will have to wait for a comparison test, but I suspect not much.

In all, I am enthusiastic about the Magnetospeed, it made my testing easier. Now if I could just figure out how to shoot the Cooper without dinging my nose each time things would be perfect.

http://www.magnetospeed.com/

Interesting. I'm guessing it wouldn't work very well with guns that blow crap besides bullets out of the barrel, like wads or lube. Even conventional chronographs can get thrown off by that.

Certainly deserves points for innovation.

Paul

What's neat about the Magnetospeed is the muzzle mounted sensor, but this mount also limits the spacing between the sensors. As with nearly every new maker of chronographs I see Magetospeed makes impressive claims about accuracy, but without seeing specifications to back up such claims, I'm skeptical. I doubt the Magetospeed is any more accurate than an optical chronograph using a 6 inch screen spacing, and far less accurate than one using a 5 or 10 foot screen spacing. It's just the physics.

This is at least the third review I've read, on boards I visit, of the Magnetospeed now. All reviews have been very positive. I've seen it directly compared to an Oehler 35 with very good to excellent agreement. I agree with MacLorry that it would be nice to see some more technical information, but what information we have available does indeed suggest a superior alternative to optical sensors for the individual rifleman. The product just costs too much at present, and isn't reliably available. I expect (hope for?) the market to straighten both of those issues out fairly quickly.

They're having some teething pains, like strap slots breaking or guys wanting a modded version that'll fit over a suppressor, but their customer service apparently is being very responsive and accommodating. On sum, I count that a plus, because there always are going to be more ways to break a product than your pre-production engineers can imagine, they're taking responsibility for their product, and learning from their mistakes.

There is the problem of the bending moment on the barrel changing the POI, but compared to a chrono on a tripod, it's super fast and super easy to set up, and it isn't subject to all the stray light-related problems of an optical chrono.

I haven't seen anything on their website or in any review that convinces me that the Magnetospeed has the accuracy that I need when working up a load. What I see is processed data using software to compare the Magnetospeed's velocity to the velocity of chronographs with sensors further down range.

Over the years I've learned the hard way not to accept marketing hype or so-called independent results that have been paid for. Without impeaching the integrity of the independent testers, we can't know if the manufacturer is cherry picking the results. Sorry, I need to be convinced that they can get accurate results with sensors only about 6 inches apart.

No problem, MacLorry. I was thinking of the people on SnipersHide that ran shots over the Magnetospeed and through an Oehler, a CED, and another Oehler concurrently. What data was posted may not be sufficient for the confidence interval you're looking for, but I think it's more than enough for the average individual rifleman, which is the primary purchaser of the average optical chronograph.

I have no problem with the sensor spacing. I have a lot of data from various loads over the Oehler chronographs. As I work with the Magnetospeed those same loads will be run and compared.

Velocity measurements will vary dramatically depending on how far from the muzzle the sensors are set. For example, my Oehler 35P with proof channel will give higher velocities for the front channel, closest to the muzzle versus the rear channel, which is farther from the muzzle.

I set the front screen a measured 15'in front of the muzzle. The distance between the front and mid screen is 2' with the rear screen set at 4' from the front screen and 2' from the mid screen. Velocity differs from the front channel vs the rear channel by an average 23.4 fps. So that within the 2' from the mid screen the bullet has lost 23.4 fps. Consider that this means a .22-250 Ackley firing a 50 grain Barnes V.G. at 3715 fps over the front channel will indicate 3691 over the rear, a 24 fps difference (taken from an actual string). Just how quickly those bullets are decelerating is amazing.

The only way to test the difference is to shoot over both simultaneously. However, I have no reason to doubt the corrected figures as published by Magnetospeed. This is especially true given that Magnetospeed engaged Southwest Research Institute to test accuracy. I have dealt with several independent certified water and wastewater testing laboratories, and public health agency laboratories, and found them to be dependable and accurate. Same with engine lubricant analysis labs, they depend on being accurate. Southwest Research Institute appears to be a legitimate concern.

The accuracy of any commercially available chronograph will be sufficient for all but ballistic laboratory use, be it Chrony, Pact, Oehler or any other. Of course, skepticism is warranted, especially with new technology, after all I never thought I'd see a tiny cellphone about the size of a credit card, that I could link handsfree to my hearing aids with Bluetooth. This stuff is cool.

While I applaud the innovation, I really would hate to have to work up loads separately from shooting for speed. Attaching things to the muzzle -- gives me no confidence in the results on target. Why can't this be mounted to the rest?

I don't see why it couldn't, Dutch. If you can hold that still , or you're talking about a strapped-in type of 'rest,' then I'm sure it'd work just dandy.

I'm not sure there's enough posted groups at this point to determine whether the device alters group shape or size, as opposed to merely changing POI. _IF_ all it does is alter POI, then I think the issue is moot. Hard to tell for certain without some specific work along those lines, though.

If you can add loosely mounted weight to the end of a rifle barrel without changing accuracy (group shape or size) that would be surprising news. If barrel resonance is not a factor in accuracy then we need new theories as to why small changes in powder weight can have significant effects on accuracy even while maintaining MV consistency.

I suspect the few reviewers who have done any accuracy testing with the Magnetospeed have done so at shorter ranges and the lateral velocities barrel resonance (whip) imparts to bullets produces scatter relative to TOF rather than range. Thus, you get groups that open up by more than double when you double the range. What looks good at 100 yards can be all over the paper at 500 yards.

If the theories of barrel resonance hold true, then the utility of the Magnetospeed is limited as working up accurate loads requires getting small variations in MV and at the same time, hitting the sweet spot for a particular gun. It seems that even if I had a Magnetospeed to get a quick check of MV, I would still need to set up the M35 to finish working up a load. Of course, for those who only shoot out to 100 yards that may not be an issue.

Yes, I agree that it would. What would not be terribly surprising, however, would be to find that the vertical shift is a minimum of several times the magnitude of the horizontal shift at short range when adding a weight to the end of a barrel. That is what I found when doing some "I wonder what would happen if I..." things with a BOSS-equipped rifle. That weight is far heavier and more tightly coupled, relatively speaking, so I do not know whether similar things would happen with the magnetospeed or not.

Perhaps we disagree about the utility of inital load work at 100 yards? Or, perhaps we simply continue to write from contexts of different goals/needs?

WranglerJohn
Is there any chance you'll get to try some of the loads you worked up using your new chrono at longer distances?

Dag burn it, what looked to be a nifty new idea for chronographs is fatally flawed if it screws up accuracy. What were they thinking sticking something on the end of the barrel? Adding weight alters barrel rise for sure, but the bigger problem is adding length that alters barrel vibration frequency.

Guess if you want quick and easy velocity testing you�ll have to duct tape the magnetospeed to the end of the barrel and leave it on permanently. That could get pricey if you have more than a few rifles, but it could be a conversation starter.

I always chronograph and zero as separate steps, anyway

FWIW The guys trying it out on another forum have reported POI shift but no noticeable change in group size. At least one poster did what looked to be a pretty good test at 200 yards. Orientation of the Magnetospeed appeared to have an impact on which way the POI shifted.

This is what I found on the MagnetoSpeed FAQ page.



Here's one person who has discovered that the point of impact and group size are effected dramatically.



How much the group size is affected by the MagnetoSpeed being mounted to the end of the barrel likely depends on the particular gun and just how finely tuned the load is to that gun. If you develop loads while chronographing like I do, than the convenience of the MagnetoSpeed is outweighed by the possibility that once you think the load development is done your group size opens up significantly when the MagnetoSpeed is removed from the barrel.

www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3231447&page=6

There are several posters on this page who show that they experienced very little in the way of accuracy change. I don't need one, but would probably buy one to try if I had the spare change. The way I do load workup the chronographs I have work fine.

dodgefan - Reading the messages at the site you linked to I see near the end of the thread that several people were having issues detecting some kinds of bullets with the magnetospeed even after fiddling with some triggering settings. Some were finding that monolithic, lead, and thin metal jacketed bullets are hard if not impossible to detect.

I think the verdict is not final on the effect magnetospeed has on group size. In order to believe it has little effect means believing that decades of shooters experience with harmonic tuners and dampers is all nonsense and those in the accurizing business have been selling snake oil.

I agree that verdict is not in. I think the fact that it only weighs 4 ounces or so is one reason most people are not seeing much of a difference. Most of the centerfire tuners are considerably heavier.
I have fired quite a few rifles with suppressors that really didn't show much difference supressed vs. unsuppressed.
It would be nice to see an unbiased review with a full load workup on an accurate rifle.