Well, I shot my chronograph

Primary determinant of accuracy is the spacing between the detectors.

Tape it up and test with .22LR.

Chronos are downrange, there are those who have shot a chrono and those that are still waiting on the opportunity

HAHAH! Sorry I can't help but laugh a little.

I remember the muzzle blast from my 50 BMG blowing the faceplate off mine and sending it flying.

If it's still READING velocities, you have to believe it's still working. BUT, if the slots are damaged, it might be reading the bullet shadow in the wrong location. Make sure you get the slots "fixed" (with tape or otherwise) so they are in their original dimensions... well, best that can be done since you SHOT it.

FYI, screens are needed on cloudy days, not sunny days. The sky is actually BRIGHTER with really bad ambient light coming down at all angles, on cloudy days, washing out the shadow of the bullet, so you have to cut down on the "glare" the sensors see. (Think bright white vs. a much darker blue on a clear day).

You'll get your best, most accurate chrono results on a sunny day with a beautiful blue sky directly above the chrono. You will get crap results if the sun is high and shining directly on to the chrono. Mixed results when cloudy, but "shades" help cut down the glare on the sensors.

Welcome to the club. I have had two chronographs expire from lead poisoning.

The sensors are the thing. If they are not damaged, just the diffusers, accuracy should not be effected. You can jury rig something to get some kind of diffuser mounted when needed. You could tape or glue the housings back together to shield the sensors.

You should be able to buy replacement parts and not need to buy an entire new chronograph.

By the way, my current chronograph is an CED M2.

Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.
Shot & killed one - grazed another a couple of years later.
I'm working on designing one where the sensors are the only things that could get damaged with the electronics being remote either wired or wireless. The electronics being a Laptop/netbook computer, PDA or smart phone/tablet. It is doable but I don't know if iI will find the time in this life until I zap my currently wounded chrono.

Wait, wait....all your shooting buddies...you know...the ones that you have joked on over the years (all in fun) deserve the chance to have a little fun with this!

Give 'em a chance and grin and bear it...all in fun!

Now, I'm really sorry to hear you did this. I don't have a chrono and decided long ago that I would never use someones equipment for fear of this very thing. I bet it is just too easy to do. I know that if I ever get one...I may as well get two. You know...back-up!

Mark

I placed an arrow dead center in the digital screen of mine. Just never worked after that. Don't feel bad.

119, 2/7/13

Welcome to the club. I'm almost a Chrono Ace- three down and two to go. The first one, a Pact, malfunctioned each and every time for five years and would only work before sunrise and after sunset. I finally put it out of my misery with three 9mm rounds to the sensors. It worked just as well after being shot as it did before.

The second was a shotgun wad to the LED screen. I forgot that I had to protect the Chrono from the wad. Oh well.

The third was a 30-06 bullet creasing the tops of the the sensor housing (not enough scope clearance when shooting above the sensors). Still works fine though.

best wishes- oldandslow

Chronos are downrange, there are those who have shot a chrono and those that are still waiting on the opportunity

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Ha ha! I'm so glad I'm not alone! I shot mine twice with a .243. It was a weird angle. Funny thing is, I put two holes in the farthest end, right through the sheet metal frame with out any damage to the function. I still use it and it works fine. I will have to take some pics now that I'm an out of the closet chronograph shooter.

I still have to pack my faceplate in my range bag when I take my chrono out, so I can hold it next to the chrono to know what buttons are what...

Fella's;

There is a solution to the problem, but it's not cheap. It's called an Oehler chronograph, where the downrange screens are relatively inexpensive & the OMG! part sits on the bench with you.

I know very well what the downrange parts cost, and they are below SWMBO's checkbook radar.

900

SWMBO stands for what?

She who must be obeyed...

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

FYI, screens are needed on cloudy days, not sunny days. The sky is actually BRIGHTER with really bad ambient light coming down at all angles, on cloudy days, washing out the shadow of the bullet, so you have to cut down on the "glare" the sensors see. (Think bright white vs. a much darker blue on a clear day).

You'll get your best, most accurate chrono results on a sunny day with a beautiful blue sky directly above the chrono. You will get crap results if the sun is high and shining directly on to the chrono. Mixed results when cloudy, but "shades" help cut down the glare on the sensors.

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Opposite of what Shooting Chrony says in their instructions. They say diffused light is best and to use the diffusers on bright sunny days.

I agree with Mdemetz, I use the screens on sunny days and don't bother with them on heavy overcast days.

Mine is a Competition Electronics model...as yet unscathed.

mdemetz said:

Opposite of what Shooting Chrony says in their instructions. They say diffused light is best and to use the diffusers on bright sunny days.

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Hmm. That's odd. The instructions that came with my Competition Electronics ProChrono instructions says the opposite.

Wonder why there'd be a polar opposite difference?

Maybe I need two chronies, one for overcast and one for sunny days.

I did too! But it was from a pellet gun. Just nicked the upper lip of the rear. Haven't gotten brave enough to set it out to 500 yards yet, and do some hands on fps measurements with powder-burners. The ammo white papers will work just fine, thanks!

After shooting the rods that hold the diffusers of my Shooting Chrony F1 (green folding chronograph) I find it works well without the diffusers. Mainly I think the diffusers are helpful on a really sunny day where intense direct sunlight shining on the sensors would saturate them to a point where they would not produce enough of a "pulse" to reliably detect the bullet's passing.

I shot mine once, I was working up loads in 357 SIG with plated bullets. One tumbled and hit one of the little poles holding up the screens. The chronograph still works fine, but one pole has a curious bend in it.

Yup, I killed a Crony a couple of years ago while trying to learn to shoot a .44. The flinched shot went right through the O in Crony on the face plate. I got a new sensor piece from the company. I have been thinking of having it mounted.

Now I always use the guide rods to provide a visual of the pass through area, and to help align the sensors to the path. The diffusers are only for sunny days. Oh Boy My Favorite!

klausman said:

Now I always use the guide rods to provide a visual of the pass through area, and to help align the sensors to the path.

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I do the same thing.

I haven't used my chrony in awhile though, I lost the little piece that came with my taller tripod that lets me mount the chrony. Then I found it, and lost it AGAIN. I *know* I put it "somewhere safe" that I "wouldn't forget about" but ... yeah.

You all know how THAT goes.

I managed to take out a sky screen support once, fortunately an inexpensive lesson. You aren't the first and won't be the last shooter to shoot his chronograph.

Had a friend once who managed to discharge a .380 into his brand new Dillon scale. I told him, send it to Dillon and he didn't want to because he was embarrassed. Told him to give it to me in that case as I don't embarrass easy. He sent it in and got a brand new scale, who cares if the guys at Dillon had a good laugh.

Ron