ProChrono Chronographs. ...Shooting your Chronograph!

[TooManyToys]

Today I had the oppertunity to stop by the Competition Electronics factory, makers of the ProChrono Digital Chronograph. so I thought I'd pass along some interesting info many of you may not be aware of.

While talking with Jim (the owner) the subject came up about shooting a big ole' hole through chronographs!
I'm sure most of you have heard the only difference between chronograph owners is those that have shot theirs, and those who haven't shot it yet! LOL

So I asked him, Ok, if I get one of your new chrono's, just what is it going to cost me if and when I shoot a hole in it? LOL!

He said, "if anyone returns a damaged chronograph to them, they will fix or replace it and maximum cost will not exceed 50% of new price." any type of damage, no questions asked!

...So this means if you happen to shoot a hole through it,
Forget it on the roof of your truck while leaving the range and drive over it ( Ha! Ha!) Or even have it damaged in a flood the same deal applies. Max cost to fix or replace will not exceed 50% of new.

At current prices, that means the worst case would only be $50-$60 for a rebuild or new replacement.
Pretty great deal especially when you consiter Compitetion Electonics' ProChrono is one of the less expensive models on the market to begin with.
While there I got to see where each unit is still being assembled & tested by hand in Rockford Ill., and not somewhere overseas. Maybe this is why they can still offer this type of personal customer service.

Since this information may not widely know, I thought I'd pass this on the readers of this site. (with Jims permission)

It was really nice to see this kind of Made in America product & customer service still being offered.
I left with a new ProChrono Digital in hand.


For anyone interested, here is their contact info;
(815) 874-8001
competitionelectronics.com

 

[stressed]

Hmm.. Not bad.

I remember when a buddy pulled out a sweet bakelite stocked Chinese SKS that had been sitting and not fired since the previous owner stored it in the 80's, I proceeded to aim like all the other weapons we fired that day, and sent the chrono flying off the table with a round directly through the number readout. Yeah, the rifle was off, but hell, I still don't know how that happened.

This would be a pretty cool "insurance" if you will.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

When I was looking for a chrono I decided on the PACT Model 1 XP because only the sensors sit out in harms way while the chrono itself sits safely on the bench next to you. When I did ventilate the sensor it cost me only $15 to replace that sensor. That's much better than trashing the whole unit and it happens to be a very good Chronograph too.

 

[Rangemaster]

Third time out shooting, I put a bullet right through mine.



Not a whole lot of shooting room when using a scope that sets about six inches above the barrel.

Next time I will be testing my rounds with iron sights with my replacement crony.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[TooManyToys]

OUCH!

 

[cfullgraf]

Chrony has a trade in program for damaged units, i did that with at least one. At some point, I decided to try something other than a Chrony so I could not take advantage of the trade in program.

If Competition Electronics will at least see if the Pro Chronograph can be repaired at less than 50%, then it is a better deal than Chrony's trade-in service. There is a chance, the cost will be less.

But, maybe it is just false hope for a low cost repair, the two chronographs that I have shot were pretty well destroyed.

 

[Jitterbug]

I got about a year of good load testing before I put a 135 gr. Gold Dot through the center of mine with an airwieght J frame and yep they replaced it at about 50%.

Good outfit.

I wanted to go with the Pact to separate the main unit from the screens but the ProChrono had better reviews.

 

[Jcinnb]

Damn, I was thinking about getting one, but I am sure I would put the first bullet right through the thing. At least I could say I finally hit something!

 

[Potatohead]

Hahaha!

My poor chrono has been sentenced to death by being paired up with me...I'll be shocked if I dont blast it the first time out.

 

[jmorris]

I know more than a few folks that have shot a chronograph. I just don't understand it, the "window" that they will read correctly is pretty large. If your load won't stay inside a 10 inch circle at 10 feet why even bother chronographing it?

 

[DanTheFarmer]

jmorris,

My guess it is a psychological effect more than wildly inaccurate loads. Think of how many golf balls are shot into water hazards. I'm pretty sure more go into the hazard than would go into to the same area if it were plain old rough. Something about us humans seems to make us more likely to do exactly what we are trying to avoid doing. "Don't shoot too low, don't shoot too low, DANG, I just shot too low!".

Dan

 

[7mmb]

I have a PACT too. I've replaced the sensors and sky screens a couple times but have yet to shoot the base unit on the bench. Buying new sensors is still less than the discounted repair of the ProChrono. I wouldn't mind upgrading to their IR sensors but I don't chronograph enough anymore to justify the expense. I have their Professional model with the built in ballistics calculator. It will tell you everything you need to know about your shot string with the push of a button. Except accuracy. Still using old school paper targets for that...

 

[sfed]

I put a ring of colored tape about 3 inches from the top of the support rods that hold the diffusor. Then when shooting with a scope I do not let the horizontal cross hair get below the rings of colored tape. So far so good, no holes through the base unit yet!!!

 

[taliv]

i've put quite a few holes in several brands of chronos.

magnetospeed is definitely the way to go these days though

 

[david bachelder]

I have never shot my chrono. I did shoot one of the screen support rods. It was new and was made out of aluminum. I replaced them with wooden dowels now. I have shot them a few times since than but it only breaks the dowel and never harms the unit.

I know a guy that hit one of his screen support rods and couldn't find it anywhere. when he went down to change a target .... there it was. Impaled in the target.

 

[Walkalong]

It took me a few years, and lots of rounds over mine, but I finally got careless and shot it. I did not know about their deal to fix it. I bought another one, because the first one had served me well.

 

[Rangemaster]

Mine was replaced within two weeks.

It was my fault, because I did not look at the gun barrel and the chrony.

Looked good through the scope.

 

[gahunter12]

I love my Pro Chrono. This was one of the reasons I went with the Pro Chrono. Great CS, great price at $100, and good reviews!

 

[witchhunter]

I have personally witnessed two people shoot their chrono's. Both happened on the first time out for each guy... I can tell you that they were both bummed.

 

[readyeddy]

Everyone probably knows this but one should dial in the sights/scope for your new load (hand load or factory) prior to shooting over the chrono. Also, at close range the shot will impact low with a scope due to the height of the scope over the bore.

 

[Potatohead]

jmorris,

My guess it is a psychological effect more than wildly inaccurate loads. Think of how many golf balls are shot into water hazards. I'm pretty sure more go into the hazard than would go into to the same area if it were plain old rough. Something about us humans seems to make us more likely to do exactly what we are trying to avoid doing. "Don't shoot too low, don't shoot too low, DANG, I just shot too low!".

Dan

Yup. Exactly

 

[Mr. Farknocker]

So why DO people shoot their chrony's?

 

[1SOW]

So why DO people shoot their chrony's?

With iron sights, because they don't use a very specific target behind and aligned with the chrono.

With Scopes, red dots and other "HIGH Mounted sights, they forget the bbl is way below that sight and at close range pointed right at the chrono body.
In pistol comp. shooting through ports with a high red dot often sends a bullet through the bottom edge of the port.

The big thing is to "always" carefully sight on a small target properly aligned..
There can be a tendency to just set it up and say, I'm just going to send a few rounds through it to check my load --no target---except for the chrono itself.

Now that I've" talked the talk", I'll probably whack mine next time out.

PS. Get the remote control, it's worth every penny unless you have the range to yourself. With typical pistol load tests, you'll have two, three or even more strings of fire, one for each load. Having to go downrange for each string can be a PITA!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

So why DO people shoot their chrony's?

The one time I shot my Chrono was when I was checking handgun ammo, .38 Special from a J frame. I was having a hard time getting the bullet to pass directly over the sensors so I aimed lower so I could use the "V" of the diffuser top piece supports as a aiming aid. Well, as if it's not hard enough to aim a J frame I tried to go even lower to get all the shots to register. I know you already figured out the end of this story, yes it was also the end of one of the sensors! At least the hollow point bullet did what it should. There was a nice clean round hole in the front and the back of the sensor was blown out! I was shooting Speer Gold Dot factory ammo for a baseline velocity to test against my reloads. I had to do the rest of the testing the next weekend!

Not wanting to do that again I started taping a paper to the forward diffuser and cutting out a 1" square in the center to shoot through. That method has worked very well for me with both handguns and rifles alike. If I adjust the tripod correctly the paper doesn't interfere with the hitting the target downrange with a scoped rifle.

I hope I never shoot the sensors again and if I don't get lazy and keep setting up the paper I just might not. Once was quite enough thank you... (at least it was only a sensor, thank you PACT for the design)

 

[cfullgraf]

So why DO people shoot their chrony's?

Haste makes waste.

One of the Chronys that I have shot was when I was trying to beat a rain shower and get done.

The second was also hurrying due to weather but also crowding the sensors to get it to "see" a 20 caliber bullet better.