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Thread: Chronograph

  1. #1

    Chronograph

    I have been reloading off and on for a few years but, haven't reloaded much lately. Im looking to get back into it and want to load some hunting rifle rounds and duplicate my duty ammo for training. I figure I need to get a chronograph to do this but, don't want to spend a bunch. Do you guys use a chrono? Whats a decent budget one?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    I’m on my fifth or six one now and they all have some issues. Apparently they all like to get in the way of the bullet's path.
    We could isolate Russia totally from the world and maybe they could apply for membership after 2000 years.

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Northwest
    This is what I have. It's inexpensive, simple and basic. I've had it for close to 8 years. Everything I load goas across the chrono. I'll go to load, set up my machine, load 20 and then hit the range to verify it is what I want it to be accuracy and velocity wise. If everything checks out I'll bulk load all the components I have.

    https://www.amazon.com/Competition-E...8760192&sr=8-9
    Last edited by nwhpfan; 01-11-2020 at 11:34 AM.
    A71593

  4. #4
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    NH
    I had a Competition Electronics ProChrono. It was inexpensive and worked fairly well until I shot it. The display and controls are on the face of the unit. If you have your own range or at least an uncrowded one this is fine. I now have a CED Millennium. The nice feature with that is that all the guts are back at the bench with you. This means that recording strings is a lot easier and there is less expensive stuff down range. The CED is way more sensitive to lighting conditions than the Competition Electronics was. I get a lot more errors with the CED.

    Do you need a chronograph to do what you want? No. If you don't need to validate your velocities for power factor or are looking to optimize a rifle load with tiny standard deviations and spreads, I would find a practice load that shoots to the same point of aim as your duty ammo and hunting ammo that doesn't exhibit pressure signs. I would say that a chrono is a "nice to have". If you like to geek out on the numbers like I do, get one.

    Don't let other people shoot over your chronograph and don't shoot other peoples reloads over it yourself.

  5. #5
    I used a Shooting Chrony for a couple years. I didn't really need one for what I was doing, and it worked fairly well, if somewhat more complicated in operation. I would second the Millenium for that reason alone. If you're more diligent in bringing the instruction manual with you than I was, you might like the Shooting Chrony Alpha Master--remote displays with controls are still nice.

    When I moved over to rifle, the Shooting Chrony was...insufficient. Getting it set up was a pain, especially if there were other shooters on the rifle range. The other problem is that the club range rules don't allow for removing the bolt from a rifle and heading downrange with it still on the bench. I'm persona non grata around there, so they'd love to dump me. Between that, and futzing with uneven ground, I was ready to invest in a better tool.

    I took the plunge and dropped nearly $500 for a LabRadar and bench tripod. Worth every penny. It sets up in minutes, with no hassle, even without an aftermarket "sighting" tool. I can easily record the velocity for every rifle shot I take, so I know how my ammo responds to temperature swings. It's infinitely simpler to set up on the pistol range, as well, as I don't have to inconvenience other shooters, shoot seated from a rest, or any of the other things a conventional chronograph requires. I don't even have to shoot slowly or carefully--recording five rounds takes five seconds. It doesn't matter if it's cloudy, bright, raining, early in the morning, or even after dark.

    The LabRadar was hideously expensive, and is really no more accurate than a conventional chronograph (even cheap ones read accurately when set up consistently and properly). But it's not about capability, it's about what my time is worth to me. With less time to shoot then ever, I can do chronographing work in a fraction of the time, and whenever I want. I still have the Alpha Master, and sort've keep it around as a "backup" in case I run into a situation where the LabRadar won't work, but...I haven't found one yet. Perhaps on an indoor range, it might struggle, but it seems to have no problem reading close to berms--and through targets--on an outdoor range.

    Hope my rambling stream of consciousness was helpful to you.

  6. #6
    Frequent DG Adventurer fatdog's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Rural Central Alabama
    After 20 years my Chrony II gave up the ghost. Picked up the cheap Caldwell unit Midway sells. It has worked just fine for me, there is a decent phone app that connects (hardwired through audio port) and saves my groups. Pretty basic, pretty inexpensive.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter CCT125US's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Ohio
    Quote Originally Posted by nwhpfan View Post
    This is what I have. It's inexpensive, simple and basic. I've had it for close to 8 years. Everything I load goas across the chrono. I'll go to load, set up my machine, load 20 and then hit the range to verify it is what I want it to be accuracy and velocity wise. If everything checks out I'll bulk load all the components I have.

    https://www.amazon.com/Competition-E...8760192&sr=8-9
    This is what I have been using for 30 years, yes the same one.....

    Back when we hosted high school paintball games, I had everyone chip in $5 to cover the cost of safety. Haven't compared to another in order to make sure it is calibrated, but it works with everything from .177 pellets to 5.56
    Taking a break from social media.

  8. #8
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Lexington, SC
    Quote Originally Posted by nwhpfan View Post
    This is what I have. It's inexpensive, simple and basic. I've had it for close to 8 years. Everything I load goas across the chrono. I'll go to load, set up my machine, load 20 and then hit the range to verify it is what I want it to be accuracy and velocity wise. If everything checks out I'll bulk load all the components I have.

    https://www.amazon.com/Competition-E...8760192&sr=8-9
    I have the same and its worked well for what little I've used it.

  9. #9
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Canton GA
    I have a very old Gen 1 Shooting Chrony. It is a pain to set up for rifle - now that I am playing in the long range rifle arena I need a chronograph easier to set up as I am constantly checking loads for ballistics. I want a Labradar but just cannot justify the cost. Watching for a used one!

  10. #10
    I have a Competition Electronics chronograpgh with the bluetooth adapter so everything is transmitted to an app on my phone. It's a solid unit but there are times here in the Great Pacific Northwest when lighting conditions are poor. It's a handy unit. I put mine on a photo tripod and it's good to go. Much easier to use that the Oehler 35P I bought 20 years ago. Given the erratic lighting conditions here I got a Magneto chrono for rifle work. The Competition Electronics remains the one I use for pistol loads because it's so easy to set up. Good luck!

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