Chronograph ?

[gahunter12]

I'm looking at getting a Chronograph. I am very familiar with Compitition Electronics thru racing. My onboard telemetry unit, transponder, and hand held lap timer all are CE. For this reason I am leaning toward a CE Chrono. Am I missing something that I need to look at from another company? If not which CE Chrono do you recommend?

 

[cfullgraf]

There are a number of folks here that like the Competition Electronics chronographs,

My main dislike, and why I do not own one, is that the expensive stuff is in harms way of the bullet. It is not if you hit the screens but when. I have shot out two Chronys over the years.

My current chronograph is a CED M2. I liked the Chronys until they suffered from lead poisoning.


Other than that, I am sure the chronograph gives good reliable information.

 

[mookiie]

+1 cfullgraf - doesn't make a lot of sense to get a high priced chrono just to shoot it, when most major brands offer similar features and reliability, but at a much more competitive price point. Anything in front of the line of fire at some point becomes a target, by accident or design.

 

[Lost Sheep]

My chronograph wears body armor

How to clean and gut a chronograph!

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&f=2511043&m=446105658

The Chrony in the picture is not mine. My first one died at the hands of 22 rimfire.

I got a couple of pieces of channel iron stout enough to take a glancing shot of 3,000 ft-lbs energy without a dent. The iron cost over halve as much as the instrument, but is good insurance. The only problem is the weight and that it obsures the readings unless you have a remote readout (which I do now).

About selection: There are some manufacturers that have infrared sensors now that are supposed to be less sensitive to ambient light. Various makers' instruments are affected by cloudless skies, open shade, overcast days. That's why you have those diffuser screens. But if you have a day that is partly cloudy, you can get crazy readings.

Remember to keep your instrument far enough away from the muzzle blast that you get good readings.

Remember to get the instrument aligned precisely coaxial with your bullet path. Any angular difference between the centerline of the instrument and the bullet's flight path will result in lower velocities equal to the sine of the angle times the true speed.

If you like CE, good for you. I have no problem with them (never used one). I got a Chrony because it was the most economical and I have been happy with it (limited experience), maybe because I don't know any better.

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

 

[Jdillon]

I have used a Chrony for a number of years but upgraded to an Oehler 35P a year or so ago. A bit pricey but definitely worth the money. I use a laser bore sighter when setting it up to make sure the bullet passes through the proper location and not through the unit.

 

[cfullgraf]

I I use a laser bore sighter when setting it up to make sure the bullet passes through the proper location and not through the unit.

Good idea!

 

[Furncliff]

A note on shooting the chrony... even f you don't hit it with the main portion of the bullet, a plated bullet that comes apart can become a hazard to your instrument. When it happened to me the plating only bent one of the legs supporting the diffuser.

 

[1SOW]

I have used the cheap Chrony and had a lot of inconsistencies with light changes.
The Pro Chrono Digital has been pretty reliable for me. Overcast days with no screens is always reliable. High sun with screens is reliable. Low sun is iffy sometimes. I had the shade line creep over the roof I was shooting under, so the rear window was in the shade and the front window was in the sun. It added approx. 300 FPS to my pistol load speed.
I didn't even notice the shade line until I got the wild readings

The remote option is not cheap, but probably would be worth it.
I test pistol loads and use a 9-10' distance. The speed readout on the P.C.D. is clearly visible at that range, but having to go downrange to change strings is a pain in the ...butt. ("Can we make the range safe?")
A two-wire jack could probably be rigged for a hardwire switch that would work to change strings, just haven't used it often enough to be worth the effort.

Wooden Dowels of the same Dia. work for sky screen holders, "just in case".
Did I tell you? Two ways to avoid shooting your Chrono out of season: ALWAYS USE A TARGET ALIGNED WITH THE CHRONO. ALWAYS ALLOW FOR SCOPE OR RED-DOT HEIGHT OFFSET"

 

[Hondo 60]

A chronographs worst enemy seems to be a scoped rifle.
Looking through the scope didn't allow me to see the chronograph.

Then again, as the old saying goes:
There's 2 kinds of chronograph users.
Them that's shot their chrono
& them that's gonna shoot their chrono.

If I were starting over, I'd seriously consider a chronograph that has the brain out of harms way.

But all in all, I still very much like my Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph.
I've had it for over 2 years & it's worked well.
Besides, it's currently on sale at MidwayUSA for $99.99