As near as I can figure it.
I bought my Oehler Model 33 one year after I had my first custom woodchuck rifle built by Nelson Berger.1986....
27 years ago.
At the time I was looking to find out if my 22 CHeetah was as fast as I thought it was.
In those days it was not a common thing to see a Chronograph.
A Chronograph?
For many years,I never saw another.Then much later a few Pacts would show up now and then at the range.Thing about the Pact..The accuracy was always in dought.
I read the instruction manual that came with my 33.
It states that a screen spacing of 10 feet is 2x as accurate as a 5 foot spacing.So thats the way I have used it.Never found it to be that hard to set up and in the time that I have had it ....i've never shot a screen yet.
Over the years the thing has gotten a workout.
Moving the screens to 1 foot apart I've used it the check how fast my arrows were moving.Worked like a champ.
A friend of mine wanted to checkout how fast a VERY expensive air rifle was shooting pellets. Again , no problem.
Number of years ago I was asked to check out some custom made screw machine bullets.The object of the test was to run a reduced load with a 30 caliber bullet and see just how slow you could go and still have the bullet open up.
Got out my old Speer book and found SR4759.Again I gave the guy just the information he needed.
A number of years ago my original diffusers just kinda fell apart.The original diffusers were metal slats and had a white piece of mylar held in place with nylon tape.
I called Oehler and had new ones in a matter of days.The new
diffusers are much improved over the ones that shipped with my 33.My impression is that the new diffusers give more accurate readings with less errors.
Three years ago I took up Bench Rest Silhouette shooting.
I needed accurate drops for 850,900,950 and 1000 yards.
After a pretty extensive load development.And measuring everything pretty carefully.
I sat down with my top load and ran a 8 shot string over my 33.I plugged a G7 BC of .320 into Bergers free ballistic program.And got the drops.The drops were so accurate that at the four distances I shot at.The PMII was right on.
It wasnt just close or pretty close.
It was right on.
Over the years I had always kinda wondered just how accurate the 33 was.Well I pretty much found out that day.

Last summer I noticed one of my skyscreens had a crack in the housing.It was still working but if the thing would happen to fall apart when you need it, That could be pretty inconvenient.
A very nice lady with a Texas accent answered the phone.
She explained that they still made the Skyscreen III and that it had been updated.The top of the housing had been extended to protect the eye from sunshine.And that the guts of my 27 year old skyscreens would fit.
...."just make sure you put the lens in the same way,theres two of them,and make sure the eye is pointed up"...
...."if you have any trouble just send it in, and will take care of it"....

Oh, ok.

While I was at it I ordered two new stands as well as the skyscreens.The stuff showed up 4 days later and it took me about 45 minutes to change things over.I had to trim off alittle flash on the plastic skyscreens....ie I was a plastic injection mold maker for 30 years.....I hate flash.The things would work just fine as shipped.And I had to drill two holes for the self threading screws to go into.

36 degrees this morning.
Fired about 35 rounds from the 6.5x47 and the 300 RSAUM over the new screens.
27 years old and still workning just fine.

Thank you Oehler Research for making a great product.

dave7mm

Great story.

I have owned just about all of the newer chronographs...Oehler is still the gold standard for a reason.

I purchased my first chronograph in 1979, one called the Custom Chronograph. That was long enough ago that it came with both light-screens and break-screens. It worked very well for a number of years, but finally went belly-up and the company that made 'em had gone out of business.

I then purchased an "affordable" chronograph but eventually began to doubt the results--and got tired of the chronograph missing too many shots. Finally got an Oehler, a 35P, and things got a lot better. Interestingly, my 35P gets just about exactly the same results as a friend's older Oehler 33. Right now am comparing the results from the 35P to those from other chronographs for an article.

I saw Dr. Ken at his booth at the SHOT Show and talked for a while. I learn something from him every time we talk, some of which will be showing up in the article. He has a younger assistant now, who is taking on some of the work-load.

That'd be Ken O's missus, Margie, I betcha � a real lady with as much class as Ken. Hugs nice, too!

(Don't press me for details!)

informative and useful story

thank you

I have an early Oehler I purchased in the mid-70s. I believe it is a Model 10. Doesn't give direct readouts. It has dials you turn and get a yes or no on the numbers. Those numbers you check against a velocity chart. Rustic, but works like a champ.

In my old age I've determined that turning those knobs is too much work, not to mention looking up the velocity in a chart. Time to buy one of those new 33s.

The guy who writes Ken O's excellent and innovative "Ballistic Explorer" software used to make a very simple, easy to use, and accurate "Walmart-level" chronograph with two sky screens and a simple electronic timer. In use, you plugged the timer reading and the screen spacing into a pocket calculator to find the average velocity half-way between the screens. A little extra work but easy on the wallet.

I'd like to see Ken O and Rich L resurrect and improve that system with a laptop program to calculate, record, and store the individual velocities, averages, etc.

Then everybody with a press, dies, and computer would have and use a top-class low-dollar chronograph.

Let us pray!

I live in the Austin area I had a problem with the eyes on my 35P. I brought it to them and they fixed it while I waited. Hard to find service like that anywhere.

JB, was trying some new loads over my Chrony several days ago. Was shooting my Ruger45 Colt. The first three went 1250,1221,1243; then 2412, 2395, and 241I; in other words, about double of expected. is that what you meant by "doubling"? This was after about an hour of testing various rifle loads that were all in the realm of expected.

I'd never seen this before.

Ken and Mrs Oehler as well as their products are first rate

Thanks to all of you for the kind comments. Margie and I had a pleasant wake-up this morning reading them. We've often told each other that we are very fortunate to be dealing with such good people. Shooters, especially "rifle loonies", all seem to have attitudes and values like we grew up with. Our extended family just keeps getting larger.

Ken Oehler

Mr Oehler, my next chronograph which will be my last will be one of yours. Thanks for checking in. I'm definitely one of the "sick" ones, a true rifle loony (loonie?).

I picked one up for a good deal to use as a back up, and it found its way to the front really fast. Great chrony, will be my go to for a long time.

There's miles of continuum between crass and class.

Ken and Margie O stand tall at the right end of that continuum.

Count me in thanking Dr. O & his Mrs:

I ordered new screens for my 33 on Monday the 18th and they were delivered today, Thursday the 21st. Very quick and friendly service.

These are the skyscreens III, so all I have to do is modify my mounting bar to hold the new screens. Our weather is NOT cooperating so it may be next week before I can do that.

I've been using the 33 since 1981. The first one was owned by a friend who had a gun shop. In 1983 I bought the 33 I have today. So this Spring makes 30 yrs I've been using mine.

I've never had any problems with nor complaints about the Oehler 33. I really like the simplicity of use.

I have several notebooks with 'pages' of chrono data. I have also graphed for many friends over the yrs. One friend hit the upper housing of the rear screen but that did not affect its use. Another friend shot SO LOW (flinced w/handgun) he cut the lead to the front screen so I had to replace it.

Because of those 2 incidents NO ONE is allowed to shoot over it but ME.

I am an Oehler chronograph fan. THANKS

Jerry

I was pretty sure that someones been using a 33 longer then me.
I too have a big note book with pages of chrono data dating back to 86.
You find when you have a Chronograph, that you have "friends" that you never knew you had....

A 30 year old product that you can still get parts and support for.

I am an Oehler chronograph fan.


dave

I bought a 35P when they 1st came out. I can't imagine ever having a need for another chronograph. Thanks to the Oehler family!

randy

Dave7mm: I also am a dedicated and enthusiastic Oehler fan.
Mine has given me years of service and never missed a lick.
Long live the Oehler Chronograph Company and the Oehler family.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The only things better than Oehler equipment are Ken and Margie themselves. Richard is a great guy, too.

I speak from more than a passing acquaintance with Oehler equipment.

I consider the Oehlers friends, consider myself lucky that they are.

the first chronograph I saw at the range was one of the cheap CRONY, i was less than impressed when it stopped working because if was subjected to a light rain shower we got unexpectedly caught in at the range , it impressed me as junk, so even though
I loved the idea of having a chronograph , I looked elseware.
http://shootingchrony.com/

back about 20 years ago I purchased a PACT chronograph
http://www.pact.com/ while it worked it was not in my opinion ideal, it required you to be in bright sun light that was almost directly over head before it worked correctly and it stopped working after several years, i replaced both sky screens and it had zero effect so it was and is just wasted money in my opinion.

[img]one of my richer buddies purchased a Oehler
http://www.oehler-research.com/model35.html
he still has it and it still works, 25 years later,once more a good indication that you tend to get what you pay for![/b]

I bought a Model 33 in the mid 80's. It's still going strong so it has cost me about $10 per year to be able to check my loads. Thanks Dr O!

I hadn't thot of it in that light but you are right.

1983-----2014 - 31 yrs. $300.00. (Bought mine in March '83)

That's very reasonable for the QUALITY !!

Well my first and only chronograph is an Oehler 35 that I bought a good 25 years ago. its like I aways say, buying to good stuff is cheap because you only have to buy it once.

Update...
My model 33 was giving me errors.
Lots of them.
I had installed new batteries.And made sure the eyes didnt have any crap on them.
I was getting one error after another.
Called Oehler.
Described the problem to the guy on the phone.I did not get his name..
Very helpful guy.
Was told to scott bright the plugs.
I asked him if the model 33 had a shelf life.?
After all, it is over 30 years old.
He told me as long as the batteries wernt leaking that the thing could last indefinitely.
Ok.
And that if scott bright on the plugs didnt help.To call back and get a RA number so i could send it in and they could tune it up....
The sensor eyes they have now have been updated.
The new ones are more sensitive than the ones in my 1987 model.
And the new ones will work with my Model 33 no problem.....
I did what I was told.
I did notice there was a slight amount of crap on my plugs.
I've got about 250 rounds over the chrono since I cleaned the plugs.
Not one error or miss read.
None...
The thing just keeps soldiering on.


dave

Bought mine about the same time you bought yours. Used it last week, not a single error. Kind of a pain to set up but they work.

Lazer bore sighter is your friend.
Hold a piece of cardboard over the screen.
Move screen until lazer spot is in center of cardboard.
Do the front screen.
Do the back screen and then redo the front screen again.
Be sure to remove lazer from bore.....
I got tired of messing with it as im still running the 10 foot spacing...
It dont take long at all...

dave

That's a good idea. Hadn't had to mess with it until recently because I had posts set up on my range on the place I sold.

Alot of guys dont like to put anything in the barrel..
ie an expanding mandrel thingie..
All my bench guns have Vias Brakes.
i put the mandrel thingie in the brake..
Close enough.
Saves a boat load of time.
dave

Hard to believe I started this post on 03/17/13 ....
Time flys..

dave