Do I really need a chronograph?

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I can’t imagine developing handloads without one. Just ordered a new one to replace my old Pro Chrono digital. For this price, hard to understand why every serious shooter/handloader doesn’t have one.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020438152?pid=988434
This one even has Bluetooth so it can be used with a smart phone to save your data. (Full disclosure, with my midway birthday discount, I got mine for $110.58 along with free shipping)
 
I would immagine this rule is because people at that range have shot very long and caused some kind of issue. The rule is probably to prevent the club or range from being shut down. You may be able to fake it, but understand in almost every situation that trending in the dirt is a way better start than lobbing them off into Neverland

Worth noting that thousands of bullets a year go over berms because they don’t impact into the berm, rather impact the ground in front of the berm. The shallow angle allows them to ricochet off the ground and over the berm.

Not unlike skipping a rock across water.
 
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Worth noting that thousands of bullets a year go over berms because they don’t impact into the berm, rather impact the ground in front of the berm. The shallow angle allows them to ricochet off the ground and over the berm.

Not unlike skipping a rock across water.
Low trajectory has a very likely chance to impact and disable a bullet before leaving the property. The higher you go the less things in the way. Nothing is guaranteed but death and taxes. Management of risk is the goal as eliminating it is impossible.
 
I reload and have a chrono.
I find that I will go to the range and test new loads out to find which charge is the most accurate. Then I go back with the chron. and record the velocity. Then I go home and make a shooting chart.
Not the only way but the way I do it. I don't use the chron. often but it always there if I need it for a new lot of powder or testing a new load.
They do not go bad sitting in the reloading room and have a tremendous shelf life :rofl:
 
I can guarantee you that if you spend the "exhorbitant" $75 for an entry level chrono, you won't "just use it once".
And, your new " friends" will help you amortize your investment. (make sure you do the shooting, however)
 
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I started shooting long range ~30yrs ago by establishing DOPE books. Data On Previous Engagement. I shot at 100yrds, walked back to 200, walked the bullets onto center, walked back to 300, then 400, then 500, etc… I wrote it all down, and then when I engaged something again, I had that reference. I had to test multiple distances, and had to repeat the work for multiple locations/states/elevations, and at multiple environmental temperatures to determine atmospheric influences on my bullets and thermal influences on my powder… I shot hundreds or thousands of rounds, but I had bombproof data books which begot wonderful range cards which I could use across multiple seasons and multiple states…

Today, I can shoot 10-20 rounds and have calculated which is typically within 1-2 clicks clear out to 1,000 yards, which is effectively infinitely transferable for range and environmental condition.

Equally, I used to shoot dozens to hundreds of rounds in load development. Today, I can shoot 24-30 rounds across my chronograph and produce the same quality of load - or more often, BETTER loads; smaller shooting and more stable - with only a fraction of the rounds fired, and much greater confidence in the data used for confirmation.

So for me, a chronograph isn’t necessary, but it’s worth it’s weight in primers, and then some. I own 3, and use them almost every time I shoot.
 
I do not know if this is relevant info to anybody anymore, but if not too keen to invest on a chronograph, read "Weaponized Math". Do a search for it on the net and read the info there. It seems like the answer to the original question, and the principle is very similar to "Varminterror" post. If I did not have a way to tell MV and a Ballistics Calculator, I would definitely use the Weaponized Math method. In fact, I will give it a try myself.
 
There only two people that own a chroni: People who have a new one in the box and people who have blown them up by shooting them, lol

I resemble that remark!

Thinking there’s a “barrel mounted” chrono under the Xmas tree this year.
 
When I got into the .327FM there wasn't a whole lot of info out there for 120gr+ cast bullets and certain powder combo's. I convinced myself I needed a Chrony as another data point to validate and confirm the loads I was putting together. I was right and am glad I bought one.

Bought a Shooting Chrony for around $89 at Sportsmans and was surprised how much I've used it since for other calibers and shelf ammo just to see the numbers. When I read a thread about 2 years ago on THR that Shooting Chrony was going out of business I went that day and bought another one at SW. It's safely tucked under the reloading bench in the original package.

As I don't let other folks shoot through my primary unit, chances are I may never need to use the back up because of an errant shot. However, it's there just in case.

I put $105 of 87 octane in the truck Saturday to fill it up and really don't have anything to show for it. Chrony's have a high return for the shooter/reloader (casual or otherwise) for what little you invest in them.

Here it is in use at the local range with a Savage SSV in .22 Mag I bought 2 days before the Y2K melt down that never happened.

cEhxBtP.jpg
 
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Bought a Shooting Chrony for around $89 at Sportsmans and was surprised how much I've used it since for other calibers and shelf ammo just to see the numbers.
That's what I started out with quite a few years ago but I shot one of the rods last summer somehow and buggered it up. I decided to replace it with a magnetospeed which is handier most of the time but for some applications, that shooting chrony was better, like for handguns for instance. I wouldn't be without one at this point. There's no end to what you can spend on this hobby/sport but, even for those who want to keep the capital expenditures to a minimum, a good chrony seems like a worthwhile investment. Who doesn't want to know exactly how fast their bullets are travelling?
 
I'm about ready to take my newish Tikka to the 600 yard range. But my club requires me to know the come-ups for 300 & 600 already. Is there a reliable way to know these without investing in a chronograph I may only use once?
I got a basically unused RCBS bullet shaped one on my loading table,$75 plus shipping its yours mate.

Thewelshm
 
I resemble that remark!

Thinking there’s a “barrel mounted” chrono under the Xmas tree this year.

I spend the money and bought a Doppler radar. I used it the first time, last week, and I say it works as advertised. I did not have any issues using the built-in sight to aim it to the target, and collected data without worries about shooting it or mounting it on the rifle's barrel. Kind of expensive, but....
 
That's what I started out with quite a few years ago but I shot one of the rods last summer somehow and buggered it up. I decided to replace it with a magnetospeed which is handier most of the time but for some applications, that shooting chrony was better, like for handguns for instance. I wouldn't be without one at this point. There's no end to what you can spend on this hobby/sport but, even for those who want to keep the capital expenditures to a minimum, a good chrony seems like a worthwhile investment. Who doesn't want to know exactly how fast their bullets are travelling?

You said it!
This is one of the most expensive hobbies to get into, and it just keeps asking for more or better tools/toys!
I decided to hand-load due to the lack of ammo, and just the basic tools and components sucked up about $1500. Now, between the reloading gig, and other rifles, I cannot say how much I am into, not just the money, but time, and since time is money, I have invested quite a bit already!
The latest investment went to a Doppler chronograph! :(
 
Had one once. Used it a couple of times and sold it. To much trouble to call a cease fire and set up. The info in my reloading manuals is close enough. As far as accuracy, personally I have never had a rifle that the accurate load was near max listed loads. ymmv
 
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