Chronograph recommendations?

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Did you completely read my posts? I have owned TWO SC, one a std F1 bought in 1993 that was OK but finicky, and because of this experience predicated me doing a paid factory "upgrade" to the teathered F1 Master that in my experience of actual use and ownership was a total POS for reasons I specify. I made sure to say "in my experience", so as not to be a poster who knocks equipment w/o any experience with the product, and out of respect for those who like what they have.

I figure folks ask questions on this forum as a guide to help them, and would appreciate actual owners experience and opinion be it good or bad... The best we can do is convey our own experiences hoping the poster of such opinions is being fair, honest, and employed the product correctly... For me, I'm glad the OP went with the ProChrono Digital, and if it is defective, not to his liking, whatever tells us why so we all learn somthing.
 
My uses will be very patient, methodical, and deliberate, and, I won't mind walking over to the Chronograph to see the read-out.


I really doubt I will accidentaly hit the Unit or it's Antenna, especially if it is only 20 feet away.


My criteria...was/is reliability, and simplicity, and, if possible, a fairly modest cost.


If I later find I am wishing I had a 'better' or more sophisticated Model, then I will research more thoroughly, and, get one.


The 'SC' Brand sounds like their units are of varying and possibly 'iffy' quality control, or, of varying reliability, or finickyness, unit-to-unit.


I don't wish to be taking a gamble on having to deal with those Heart wrending issues. Especially after setting it all up at the Range..!
 
famous last words--

Oyeboten, about shooting over a chronograph:

"...I really doubt I will accidentaly hit the Unit or it's Antenna, especially if it is only 20 feet away."​

BWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Jim H.
 
Darn tootin'. I have an extra set of shades and rods for a reason. :eek: :D

I'm hunting wabbits...... ElmerFudd.gif
 
So...for Black Powder, will I still elect to have the Chronograph so close? - "5 Yards"?
 
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OK ... I see that Oehler is out of business, proof that I've not needed to buy another chrono than my old Pact I! I have had to buy several sets of "eyes" for mine, some wounds by others and some self inflicted wounds! At $20 a set much cheaper than ou there. The Chrony that my friend owned, had been back to the maker three times before he shot it dead center.

Jimmy K
 
I can't speak for the others, Oyeboten, and I dunno about black powder chrono work--but my chrono is typically set up within 8-10 feet. That's the limit of the lead length to the various heads / brands I have used.

Jim H.
 
I "Borrowed" a friends Shooting Chrony -basic model-, carefully set it up on a bright sunny 75ish deg TX day, shot my pistol from a rest at 10-12', had a 25 yd target set up to check groups.

All went well, after a few strings, I found my 124fmj- 4.0gr n320-130pf load.

I found out later, several competitors shooting this same combo & COL out of the same gun had to use 4.2 or more grains of n320 to get this same or slightly less PF. They were checked by high dollar chronos at matches.
I couldn't depend on meeting PF requirements with my Chrono'd load.

Maybe it was coincidence, if you believe in such things.
Maybe I did something wrong.
It didn't make me confident about Shooting Chrony.

For my first, I'm going to try the ProChrony Digital
 
Shooting Chrony Gamma Master Chronograph with Ballistic Printer

That's what I've had for a year or so.

It works very well SOME OF THE TIME and gets fussy at other times and gives me too many errors. At times, the ratio is 7 good to 3 errors. that costs extra shots to get a 10-shot string for averaging.

I'm looking into getting something else.

P.S. I see some posters say that the remote and/or the printer aren't worth the extra dollars. I have both and wouldn't do without either. It's like air conditioning in your car... Do you NEED it? No. Is it really great to have? Of course.
 
Otto said:
Best chrono for the money is a CED M2. I don't think I've ever read a complaint about Competitive Edge Dynamics chronographs.
Click to expand...

After checking out that particular model and reading a number of reviews, I decided to order one today. I particularly like the USB interface which should prove to be very convenient. I hope it's as good as everyone seems to think it is. The cost at around $200 isn't too bad when you consider the cost of ammunition ... even reloads. I'm working up loads for numerous rifles and pistols so I figured it'd be worth the investment.

:)
 
I think that is an excellent choice. They certainly have a great reputation.
 
I've run 1000s of rounds over my CED M2, and

I am very satisfied overall.

Yes, I can have gotten some false readings--but only because I have, on occasion, worked with no less than five bullseyes on one target, to save time....it genuinely does have a large reading area, however. It works, and works well, period. Some minor negatives are

1. Don't try using a 9v.rechargable battery (e.g., Lithium-Ion, whatever) because it does not have voltage compensation;

2. The rods are proprietary / plastic.

The memory capacity and USB computer interface was primarily what sold me--and those run smoothly.

Highly Recommended, albeit a premium price.

Jim H.
 
I have a ProChrono Digital that I like.
I replaced the metal rods with wood dowels (painted red for visibility), added packing tape to cover the light openings, and fitted a 1/4" plexiglass cover over the display.
I lucked out on the pivot positions and it "over-centers" to rest on top which holds it open. The pivots are nylon wire ties.
I didn't want the tape to gather crud on the inside, so I cut an additional piece of tape just the size of the window and stuck it sticky side to sticky side on the larger piece before putting it on the case (one over each window).

http://www.thehighroad.org/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=108432&stc=1&d=1257216721

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http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=108434&stc=1&d=1257216800
 

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I have a ProChrono Digital that I like.
I replaced the metal rods with wood dowels (painted red for visibility), added packing tape to cover the light openings, and fitted a 1/4" plexiglass cover over the display.
I lucked out on the pivot positions and it "over-centers" to rest on top which holds it open. The pivots are nylon wire ties.
I didn't want the tape to gather crud on the inside, so I cut an additional piece of tape just the size of the window and stuck it sticky side to sticky side on the larger piece before putting it on the case (one over each window).

http://www.thehighroad.org/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachmen...1&d=1257216721

http://www.thehighroad.org/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachmen...1&d=1257216800
Attached Thumbnails
Click to expand...

Love the way you attached the plexiglass. If you don't mind in gonna adapt my mine. I got lexan on mine! Great Idea!!!
 
Just what do the 'Rods' actually do on these?


Are they merely for supporting the Canopy?


And...what does the Canopy do?


I really have no idea how these things measure the speed of the Bullet's passing...
 
Love the way you attached the plexiglass. If you don't mind in gonna adapt my mine. I got lexan on mine! Great Idea!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks, Quickdraw. Feel free... I lost the patent application somewhere under a pile of wheel weights :D
 
Oyeboten said:
I really have no idea how these things measure the speed of the Bullet's passing...
Click to expand...

The sensors are typically photodiodes that are sensitive to changes in light. They react to changes in light by producing a known current or voltage difference. You can read about them HERE. The screens are used to give a uniform, high-constrast background so that the photodiodes have a better chance of detecting the movement of the bullet. The bullet casts a "shadow" as it passes over the sensors resulting in a non steady state condition which results in a change in current or potential. This change is processed by a bunch of IC chips on the board and the velocity is calculated using some fancy algorithm. The rods support the screens and give you a "target" to aim through/over if you use them with/without the screens.

I don't know about you guys, but that's all I need to know. Knowing exactly how the photodiodes convert bullet movement into a velocity isn't necessary. A general sense of what is going on is good enough ... for me anyway. You can spend a lot of time trying to understand how semi-conductors work, learning about n-type, p-type, electron holes and doping etc. but I've got better things to do. Suffice it to say that some materials are light sensitive (and can be made to be more light sensitive through doping) and electrons in those materials can move between band gaps when exposed to photons.

:)
 
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Just what do the 'Rods' actually do on these?

Are they merely for supporting the Canopy?
Click to expand...
yep

And...what does the Canopy do?
Click to expand...
They diffuse light to aid in bullet detection under certain lighting conditions.

I really have no idea how these things measure the speed of the Bullet's passing...
Click to expand...
The front and rear sensors detect the shadow of the passing bullet and the time between these events is converted to a speed measurement.
 
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