Chronograph Choice

[Clemson]

I am deciding between several options for a chronograph.

Chrony F1 Standard $65
Chrony Master F1 $76
Oehler 35 w/ 2 screens $185
Oehler 35 w/ 3 screens $213
Oehler 35 w/ printer and 3 screens $327

Is the Oehler worth as much as 5 times what the Chrony sells for? Which option would you choose and why?

Thanks in advance,

Clemson

 

[halvey]

The CED is what I'd get. You can actually see the numbers and download the data into something useful.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I went with the F1 chrony. I use it for clocking reloads as well as my hunting bow. Works great. A printer will save you time though. Thats what I need to get. Having to write down the speed after every shot blows.

 

[NoHarmNoFAL]

I bought the ProChrony. It works fine and was only $120 OTD. I wanted to K.I.S.S. I would need to input the data into my laptop any way so the non-down load pencil input option was OK with me.

 

[Nortonics]

halvey's got it right - you need to look into the CED Millenium before making a choice.

http://www.shootingsoftware.com/chronographs.htm

http://www.cedhk.com/

 

[66gt350]

I recently, last November, bought the Oehler 35P and love it. it has worked flawlessly, and having the three screens give you the proof channel for any errors. I did get the bolt on light kit...a little cumbersome to have a light on the top of each screen but in a fairly dark indoor range, it only missed about 1 in 100 shots.

 

[Zak Smith]

Having gone through several "lesser" chronos with the resulting questionable and just outright wrong data, I wouldn't use anything other than a 35P now.

 

[LHB1]

+1 for the Oehler 35P. Mine has worked great! The proof channel saves a lot of questions about accuracy and the printer saves a LOT of time and inconvenience at the range. Just my .02.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[oldfart]

In spite of all the talk about "better" data from the high-end chronographs, the lowly F1 Chrony will still get the job done. Sure, you could get a printer to go with it or you could get a dohicky to upload the data to a computer or... All those things make the process faster but not neccesarily better.
I nestle down behind my rifle, load a round, fire it and then write down the velocity. No big deal, and if I want to get done sooner, all I have to do is start sooner. When I get so lazy I don't want to write I'll be too lazy to load and shoot.
Another point: As much as we are all certain we can make the bullet go just where we want, some of us-- and I think it's a fairly significant percentage-- will, at some point, shoot a hole in our chronograph. I don't know what CED or Oehler want to replace their unit, but I got a new Chrony for $40.

 

[Zak Smith]

In spite of all the talk about "better" data from the high-end chronographs, the lowly F1 Chrony will still get the job done.

It will, until it won't.

 

[rbernie]

Realizing that this is but one anecdotal data point.... My Chrony Beta has seen thousands of rounds over it, and I can count on the fingers of one hand how many shots it's missed, and count on my thumbs the number of times that it's returned data that was suspect.

 

[ocabj]

I have a green Chrony F1. I want a Oehler. But the F1 serves me well. Everytime I ponder getting a Oehler, I end up spending the money on a C&R rifle.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

As a matter of fact, yesterday afternoon I was nearly ready to lower the muzzle of my revolver and put a .38 caliber SWC in the middle of the display of my F1 Chrony. I went my "range," which is a county gravel pit a couple of miles south of here, to check the velocity variations of some .38 Special loads. The wind was blowing and half the time my F1 Chrony would only give me an "Err" message. :banghead: Because I don't have a printer with it, I was trying to write down velocities on note cards whenever the dang chrony worked. Then the wind blew my note cards away - they're probably passing over Idaho Falls about now. I ended up having to reload those reloads last night and I'll have to try them again on a clear day.
At any rate, I learned my F1 Chrony doesn't like wind and a printer would be nice.

 

[66gt350]

I don't know what CED or Oehler want to replace their unit, but I got a new Chrony for $40.

with the Oehler, if you happen to shoot it, all you're going to shoot is the screens. The "brains" is sitting on the bench next to ya. To get a new skyscreen III, both black rails, and diffuser it's only $35.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Which option would you choose and why?

One that is easily replaced. Sorry I couldn't resist. My dad shot his last one with the .44 Mag and now I kinda have a hard time imagining spending hundreds of dollars on something designed to have bullets shot past it. Maybe when they start making bulletproof chronies...

O and then there is the message on top of mine. Doh

 

[anonanon]

I have to laugh -- at myself -- when I read the above replies. I use a 30 year old chronograph (quite pricey for those days -- retail probably $400 in today's money). A $3 watch has a crystal so accurate that it's off only seconds in a month, so any counter chronograph is accurate. My ancient skyscreens miss a shot or two more than newer ones now and then, but not enough to worry about.
But they're fastened to a five-foot wood strut, and it takes about half an hour to set up and align. Most of you guys have finished clocking your strings by that time.
To get the readout for each shot, I have to click a rotary switch through twelve settings, writting down Yes or No for each. Then I translate this into another four digit number. Then I can look the number up in a book and find what velocity it represents.
Printers? Safe channels? Wow, what luxury. But the darn thing keeps clicking along, and I only use it once a year, so I guess I'll still hang in there.

 

[Clark]

I shoot the poles off my chrony every trip to the range.
I shoot the chrono through the box and destroy the chono every 20 trips to the range.

$100 chono = $5/trip
$200 chrono = $10/ trip

Your mileage may vary.

 

[cropcirclewalker]

At this time I am working up some .38 spl loads. My range is the slab outside my basement sliding door under my deck. I position the F1 Chrony under a light fixture, turn the light and the chrony on and set up my shooting sawhorse (with sandbag) about 14 feet away, staple a cardboard target holder with target (1/8" grids and a bull) to another sawhorse about 30 feet away (My slab is 30 feet long) and fire away.

after each shot, I record the speed, then I walk to the other end of the slab and record the coordinates of the hole, patch the hole and repeat. Those overlapping bullet holes get hard to locate especially when they go through the same hole so often ) I buy the little round garage sale price stickers. They cover the hole well and keep the target from falling apart. Sometimes I take a black mark-a-lot and color the black back in just so that I don't lose sight of the bull.

Then I load this information into my lap top with the point blank software.

Is there a big ticket chrony out there that will record and print the location of the bullet hole? That I might buy. Printers and download software might be slick but I still gotta walk end to end over and over.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Definately. The 35p with the extra sky screen gives you the confidence to just keep blasting. Also the printer is very nice! No writing anything but the box and gun on the printout.

I have never once regreted my 35p. Especially when other chrono's at the range can't handle the conditions and my 35p just keeps working!

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

I just bought one

I was choosing between CED and Chrony Beta and Gamma. Went with the Gamma master with printer and PC download upgrade PN #40 ($20 +$6 S+H) for a total of $182. I might get to play with it on the range this weekend, otherwise I'll just be testing the velocity of spitballs and rubberbands at the house.

 

[Deavis]

I shoot the poles off my chrony every trip to the range.
I shoot the chrono through the box and destroy the chono every 20 trips to the range.

$100 chono = $5/trip
$200 chrono = $10/ trip

Your mileage may vary.

New glasses to bring that front sight into focus... priceless

I've got a Pact and it is great except that they still have not released the download software for it. Pretty easy to use but a little finicky at times. Oh and.. uh... I've never shot my skyscreens.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I agree with Deavis...Have you had your eyes check lately, Clark.

I use a Pact 1 and other then being a bit touchy about the position of the sun have enjoyed it, and the manufacturers, Because of their support of my sometimes strange questions. And I have not shot MY sky-screens either and I have had it for about 15 years.

 

[Pointman]

Pact Model 1

Pact model 1, I bought it in 1992 and it's served me well. Maybe they've changed the design but the only time it misses shots is if it's after twilight on an overcast day or I completely miss the screen brackets (and I'm not usually THAT bad a shot )

Recently I had to replace the sides & top skyscreen arches and while I had to actually pick up the phone to do so the guy at Pact got me taken care of in a few minutes and I had the replacement parts in less than a week. (and no I didn't shoot them )

 

[The Bushmaster]

Whew...Pointman. thought there for a moment......

 

[Pointman]

There is an advantage to the small, fold-up all-in-one chrony's....

When you loan them out all the parts are more likely to come back.