Chronographs

[Kelly J]

I'm going to be looking for a good Chronograph to use in my load development, I don't want a expensive one but I do want a good one that will work indoors or out if possible, all the pertinent readouts, maybe even one that can print out a hard copy of the shooting event, with a summary of the results.

Does this critter exist?

 

[happyhuntr]

I have an Alpha Chrony and it works well outside. i do not shoot indoors so i can't say about that. It catches the speed very well but it does not store any data, i must do it myself. I think that they do make one that you can connect a printer to, and will store differant strings of fire and give averages.

The Chrony brand works very well for the price. There are other brands that cost much more, maybe better, maybe not.
hope this helps
happyhuntr

 

[Doug b]

The critter your looking for is the shooting chrony.Compared to an Oehler it's only disadvantage was getting a good read in very bright sunlight,the cure put a piece paper over the sun shades to cast a better shadow over the sensors.Advantages low cost,extremly portable,and darn good warranty.The comparison was done on the same bench, same day, set at the same distance, three rifles were used with handloads, the numbers were the same.

 

[Clark]

The cheapest Chrony will work fine, until you shoot it.

The Chrony can make 20 trips to the range before getting shot, but the "V" sticks up in the air get shot every few minutes. So I don't use sticks any more.

 

[robertbank]

Shooting your Chrono or parts attached to it is part of the right of passing. Some guys have actually mounted their shot chronies.

Personally I hold the Canadian dare I say World record for sending a shade rod down range 46 yards, 2 feet 9". Shot with a .38 S&W (There is no PF in this division). It is recorded that it took just over an hour to find the rod.

Take Care

 

[Smokey Joe]

Good buy on a chronograph, and a couple suggestions.

Kelly J--

want a good one that will work indoors or out if possible, all the pertinent readouts, maybe even one that can print out a hard copy of the shooting event, with a summary of the results.

Seems what you want is a Shooting Chrony Gamma Master model. It's the one with all the bells & whistles, works indoors, outdoors, sunshine, shade, anything but rain. Prints a hard copy of the speed in fps or mps of each shot, then for each string does the math and prints out: Highest velocity, lowest velocity, average velocity, spread between high and low, and standard deviation from the average.

It's just a little tricky to set up and make it do its measurements and math right; I haven't used mine enough to feel familiar with it, and the users manual was written FOR those who already understand the thing BY those who already understand the thing. Kind of frustrating for the newbie.

However, when you get it all right, it prints each shot velocity automatically as you shoot, then does its math and printout neatly on command @ the end of the string.

Thing of it is, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, just an arm. But you don't have to write anything down; no fooling with a calculator @ the range, the chrony does all that kind of work and you concentrate on the shooting. For me, it was well worth the extra.

One good idea with any chronograph which uses little steel legs to support sunshades over the sensors: Replace the supplied steel legs with thin wooden dowels. That way when (if?) you shoot the leg, it just breaks rather than breaking its plastic socket in the sensor unit. And thin dowels are cheap to replace.

I bought a cheap camera tripod to support my sensor unit--beats the bejeesus out of trying to position it correctly, on a box or some such.

 

[JNewell]

I bought a cheap camera tripod to support my sensor unit

I did, too. I got a pretty good one on eB@y for almost nothing. I think it was under $5. Postage was more than the winning bid. Tripods seem to go very, very cheaply over there.

 

[bigger jon]

corny condo

when i use mine iam alway being asked to shot others guns for there affrade that they might hit it so i made the crony condo


better than nothing?

 

[Smokey Joe]

Couple more suggestions

First off, JNewell-I think you beat me on the tripod price. I just went to Wally World and bought a cheapo. Camera thread sockets, and tripod threads, are standardized, thank God, and the Shooting Chrony has the standard threaded socket in its bottom, which makes putting it on a tripod, a snap.

Bigger Jon--An armored Chrony--NEATO!

Couple more thoughts: I also bought a plastic toolbox big enough to put the sensor unit into without folding it up (saves wear & tear on the wiring), and holds all the ancillary "stuff" and bits and pieces all in one place. So it's self-contained--When I want the chrono, I just grab the one toolbox, and the tripod, don't have to conduct an inventory to see if there is something else needed.

The other thing is: take the batteries out of the sensor unit, and the printer, in between trips. Then if the batteries leak they don't damage the electronics. And I always have a spare set along too. (Again, the toolbox is nice for that.)

Another thing yet: Office Max or any other such store will supply the paper rolls you need to feed the printer. The Chrony printer has a little wire bracket to hold the larger paper rolls.

 

[Clark]

Jon,
That cracked me up.
I had not thought of that.
Let me guess, you have a made mail box armour too.

 

[bigger jon]

?

howed you guess thats nexted

 

[JNewell]

The point about everyone wanting to shoot their guns over your chrono is for real. I read one post here last year where the owner basically said "sure, $100 cash deposit to cover damage, refunded if you don't shoot my chrono." He didn't have Jon's armor setup. Even if they don't shoot your chrono, though, you sink a lot of time into other folks' shooting, which may not fit your schedule...

 

[Kelly J]

Happy hunter

Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it.

 

[Kelly J]

Doug b

Thanks for your input.

 

[Kelly J]

RobberBank & Clark

Sorry RobertBank I was ina hurry.

Sounds like you two need to get together and swap war stories, Clark you might think about using 3/16" wooden dowel rods.

 

[Kelly J]

Smokey Joe

You are right about the bells and whistles, that is just the sort of information I am looking for but I think I will lean towards the CED unit instead of the Chrony, and I agree about the wooden Dowel Rods much cheaper to replace, and if memory serves me correctly you can but the exact length you need at a novalty shop or a ballon supply store.

 

[Kelly J]

JNewell

I will probably check out eBay later to see what they have mighht even have a chronograph or two.

 

[Kelly J]

Biggerjon

That is a really good Idea, just be carefull what caliber you let shoot at it with, the story goes like this while on a public range a friend of mine and I were sighting in my 22-250 varmiter at a 100 Yd target, a fella that had been there before us still had a clinger target set up at the 100 yd. line on the ground, my buddy was on the bench getting ready to squeese of a few rounds when this guy says go ahead and shoot the clinger you won't hurt it; It's made out of armor proof steel, so after he insisted the shot was squeesed of and with a naked eye I knew the steel had been punctured, and told the guy it had , NAW he says you cain't shoot through that stuff, and wants me to take a shot at it, so I does just to make him happy now there are two holes in his inpenetrable iron. He says no way so we said you need to go down there and check it out, HE DO and was madder that an old wet hen when he got back accused me of shooting armor peircing ammo and I showed him the ammo which was Hornady 22-250 custom ammo 3600 FPS 60 gr. SP, he had to write down all the specs off the ammo to take to the guy that sold him the clingers to get his money back. I have punched holes it angle iron at 300 yds with a 270 Win. so what you have there is good and will probally protect up to a point but?

 

[hmp32]

I saw your post on thefiringline. Anyway, I strongly suggest you get the CED.

I got into reloading about 1.5 years ago. At that time, I decided to purchase Lee reloading stuff and a chrony F1. I took the point of view that if I stuck with it, I could get better equipment later. In all honest, the Lee stuff was a mistake that I didn't fully appreciate until I bought some used Dillon equipment. Anyway, the reloading press is another story.

As for the shooting chrony, it isn't bad. When it works, it is accurate. but, then, I shot my chrony after about a year. While I could have sent it back for $80 bucks, I could have gotten new one from MidwayUSA.com for about $99 bucks on sale.

The main problem I had with the shooting chrony was that, even with the incadescent light fixtures, I only got about 4out5 reliable readings [NOTE: I stated my reliablity wrong originally]. Also note the outdoor range I shoot at is surrounded by trees and the baffels over the pistol range make for some stange light/shadow.

Anyway, just before shooting my chrony, I had upgraded to the Dillon Equipment and realized that skimping on such equipment doesn't pay.

I bought a CED Millinum w/Infrared due to recommendations of many people and the fact that IPSC/USPSA uses it to validate loads.

While I don't regret getting the Chrony (remember, I do regret the lee stuff), I am really glad I bought the CED. Now, I only have errors about 1in10 times (normally due to loads being out of the SD for the unit) and I normally have about 49 out of 50 good data points.

Given your range setup, I also think the CED (particularly with the IR unit) will be much much more efficent.

Also, if you accidently shoot some part of it:

Replacement guide fins are about $15/set. Replacement sensors are about $22/each. The IR Unit, though is a bit price at $90/unit. But if you only shoot 1 of 2 IR units, then the replacement gives you a spare.

Shooting a Chrony F1 toasts the whole unit.

Anyway, I say get the CED. Also, I got my on sale at MidWayUSA.com.

 

[taliv]

i also have a CED Millenium and a shooting chrony. i don't know if this is official shooting chrony policy or if they were just feeling generous that day, but when i shot mine, they replaced it for free. i suspect the humor value is worth more than the parts to them.

so i wouldn't knock shooting chrony over that.

also, 1 in 5 reliable readings is an indication something is wrong. i'd miss one every now and then, but would routinely shoot 15-20 shot strings with no missed readings. i haven't been able to tell a difference between readings on the CED or shooting chorny which tells me it's probably operator error when i get a miss

 

[Kelly J]

hmp32

thanks for your input and your honesty, I pretty much have desided to go with the CED Unit I have heard enough good reports on it that I am willing to bite the bullet and get one for myself, besides according to the barrow law if you barrow the same thing twice you need to get one of your own.

Quote: "Buy the best you can afford if you replace it let it be by choice not neccesity". MY DAD.

Quote: "Quality Pays for itself". MY DAD

 

[Kelly J]

Taliv

There is some truth to what you say but to be perfectlly honest I have over the years heard more bad than good on the chrony, and by the same token a lot of people that have them swear by them, or at them, it boils down to taste and I don't personally like the flavor.

 

[hmp32]

I want to clarify my comments on the Chrony nor Shooting Chrony's replacement policies. It wasn't a bad little machine. I just think the CED is that much better.