Getting ready to purchase a Chronograph [?'s]

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IDriveB5

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I am taking a 300 level engineering statistics course this semester, and we are tasked with a project that involves data collection and analysis of said data. I proposed collecting bullet velocities and trying to find the most consistent load.

The following chronographs are with in my price range. Which ones would you reccomend? I would like an accurate, user-friendly peice of equipment that I can also use to measure arrows and shot that has a remote LCD display.

PACT Model 1 XP
Shooting Chrony F1 Master
Shooting Chrony Alpha Master
Shooting Chrony Beta Master
 
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If you are doing your shooting at any kind of range, you will appreciate a model that has a remote LCD readout at the end of a cable. That way you can read your results without calling a cease-fire for others on the line.

The Shooting Chrony Beta has the computer and readout on the front of the unit. So does the ProChrono. Not the best ju-ju when you're calling frequent "Cease-Fire!"s so you can walk out and record your numbers.

Upgrade to the Shooting Chrony Beta Master and you can get the 16' cable and remote display/control unit. It's a very nice addition.

The Pact also has a remote display/printer and is Made In USA, but is considerably more expensive (perhaps in part becasue it has a limited lifetime warranty).

I personally have the Shooting Chrony Beta Master. It's done well, and I have yet to get the first error reading. It has a very very easy learning curve. I think the PACT may be better, and I have no knowledge of how complex it is to learn. Also check CED (?) Chronographs.
 
I have an F1. I can see the LCD readout 10 feet away with no problems.

But to upgrade to another model with the LCD readout controller isn't much more, so you may as well do it.

I didn't care too much for the frills of a chronograph when I bought it. I got my F1 brand new on ebay for $40 and it works fine for me.
 
Aah Walkalong....Remote read out...Meaning...Not on the unit itself, but at the firing line...Sometimes you just have to help them along...:neener:

I have one of the older Pact mod 1. It has given me one slight problem in the 15 years I've had it and the company replaced it 3 years ago...FREE + postage one way...:)
 
Sorry, I didnt type "Master" into the links, but all were linked to "master" version. Even though I am a Range Officer at my IWLA and will be going during the day mid-week for this project, the remote LCD is a must for me.

On the subject of my project, anyone have any suggestions?
My plan as of right now is to load for .357MAG using W231 behind Berry's 158gr RNs and varying charge weight, OAL and amount of crimp to find the most consistent combination. I think that will give enough variables to make my professor happy (assuming the word gun doesnt cause him to have a seizure).
 
In my earlier post I mentioned being able to read your results on the firing line. What I should have added was the added benefit of switching to the next string(s) from the remote controller without having to walk out to the unit itself. Very handy!

If you are at an indoor range with fluorescent lighting you will need an indoor lighting adapter or you'll get false readings, regardless of brand. That requires a 110-v outlet.
 
I have the 1XP and really like it. It would be handier if it had a printer.
 
I presume you will be logging velocities and doing your statistics on a computer. If that is so, then you don't need the added expense of a calculator chip in the chronograph to figure average and S.D.

Re: Your ammo.
Win 231 is not a real good .357 Magnum powder. It is fast burning and you will reach maximum pressures before velocity gets into true Magnum levels.

Plated bullets are not real good .357 Magnum projectiles. They are not as consistent as jacketed or even good cast bullets, they are not recommended by the maker for full charge magnum loads, and they lack a crimp groove which limits how much crimp you can apply. On the other hand, if you use real revolver bullets, the OAL is set by the location of the crimp groove.
 
The purpose of this load will be for a cheaper target load. To develop high power magnum loads, I will be using 2400.
Berry's suggests a max of 1200fps for their plated bullets and I dont need a hotter load than that for range fodder. 231 meters very well in my pro-auto disk, so I can quick load up a bunch of ammunition and since Im not going for a full-house magnum load, it will be just fine. I would load using .38spl brass, but it makes a bigger mess out of my gun. 158 plated and 231 is very clean... another reason for my choice of plinking ammunition.

I plan on using the chronograph after this project is completed, so having it do the calcs is good for me.
 
Hummmm...W-231 is a very good powder for SHORT barreled .357 magnums because it is a fast burning powder (sorry Jim, but...). I agree that it peters out and gets some what iratic in longer barrels. I am having excellent results in my S&W Mod 19 2 1/2" barrel with 125 grain SJHP (1100 +/-50 fps and 1.75" on average spread at 25 yards bench resting).
 
Sorry, Bushmaster, but I doubt that barrel length had anything to do with w231 giving me sticky extraction by the time I got to dependable IPSC Major Power Factor with a 158 gr bullet in a 4" Highway Patrolman. That took the Winchester maximum load which was really too much in my gun.

I have not worked with reloads in a short barrelled magnum but if I did, it would be with something slower than 231. I have some Vihtavuori N105 that I think would do well.
 
Aah Walkalong....Remote read out...Meaning...Not on the unit itself, but at the firing line...Sometimes you just have to help them along... :neener:
Click to expand...

Yep, The "digital" part gets you that. :)
 
I got the Beta Chrony with the 16' cable and readout that I can place on the shooting bench. Works great for me.

Having said that, I write the fps of the 5 or 6 rounds I fire on a note pad and go home and average them out. Then put that average fps into an Excel spread sheet.

I can tell the most accurate loads for each gun when I shoot at a target, so average spread, extreme spread, etc. etc. I don't use all those features that the Beta Chrony has available. If I had to do it again, I would get the cheapest one that would allow the 16' cable and digital readout and pass on all the other features.

You will also find that your chrony works best on a very bright day. Over cast or late in the afternoon shooting will give inconsistent readings.
 
Another option .... maybe?

A table mounted readout is very nice. But, if you shoot the "works", all you save is the readout! All chronographs work but those with the works in the line of fire are subject to getting blown away. I really like my PACT "Pro" model, only the inexpesive screens are in harms way. Midway has them on sale from time to time.

While you can surely write the speed data down as you go and use a PC to figger out all the good stuff for you, later it may be nice to have a system that includes a small printer and a useful ballistics computer built in.

Just a thought, good luck with your project.
 
Along with my Chrony Beta Master I really like having the $79 printer that works off of four AA batteries or AC adapter. Link everything together (takes five seconds) and it's so easy to leave the firing line with hard printed data.

Probably far from perfect, but so am I. And it's EASY.
 
Jim Watson

Yup...You may have a point. The difference may be the handgun. I have noticed hard extraction in my Colt SAA .357 mag, but no problem in the Ruger Blackhawk except wondering bullets. However, it (W-231) performs beautifuly in the S&W Mod 19 Combat Magnum...
 
are you going to crimp those plated Berry's? Might consider making the crimp another one of you variables.

I'd be very interested in seeing your results....both for the plinkers and the full boat loads.

Now why couldn't I boondogle a fun project like that when I muddled through my engineering curriculum?

I took two solid years of math.....including two diffy q's classes, and theory of matrices.....but never a single statistics class :eek:

Of course, those were the days berfore all the Japanese gurus and their TQM, Sigma 6, bla bla bla.....gag! took over.

Who the heck needed statistics? Just Liberal politicians who needed to fabricate non-facts to justify their hair brained social experiments.

Ooops! I think I just dated myself. ;)
 
Now why couldn't I boondogle a fun project like that when I muddled through my engineering curriculum?
Click to expand...

My local PhD took up shooting and when he read of the light load - high pressure legend, said that would be an ideal university research project. Loading and firing a million instrumented rounds to see if a shockwave or whatever could be demonstrated would be fine employment for a grad student or two.
 
SSN Vet- amount of crimp, although not quite as easily measured, will most likely be a variable. Ive always been curious as to how much the amount of crimp affects my loads. For the sake of simplicity, I am just going to be doing plinking loads with Berry's 158s (since I just got another thousand of them).

This is the first project where we've basically been turned loose to do our own thing. So glad I'm through all the math and physics and core classes. Just a couple more semesters to go! Back to filling out my C&R application...
 
Question about the indoor lighting fixture:
Would this be useful shooting outdoors when its not very bright?
My range doesnt get a whole lot of direct sunlight.
 
I've got an Alpha Master chrony that works quite nicely. Since you know a thing or two about statistics, unless you really want the convenience, the more expensive ones won't do much for you. (They'll do mean, max, min, SD, etc.) The master (separate LCD display) is quite helpful. One of these days I'll get a printer for it, I think that one'd be pretty useful.

Oh, one other thing, for some 6.5x55 loads, I've found the standard deviation of a 10-shot test set to be right around 10fps. So, I'd imagine that the standard error of the chrony to be substantially smaller than 10fps.
 
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