What shot timer to buy?

[FatPants]

I want to get a shot time for practicing at the range, and for dry-fire practice at home. I dont really know anything about them, what is good, bad, and what features are a must have?

I know a "par time" function is a must for dry fire at home.

Any suggestions?

 

[David E]

I like the CED 7000

http://www.cedhk.com/shop/login.php?from=account.php?action=

 

[glockgod]

I like the CED 7000

Wonderful product! Can't go wrong there!
+2+2+2!!

 

[CoRoMo]

A downside IMO, to the CED 7000 is the battery. It is a rechargeable pack, rather than using a normal battery like most timers do.

I'd also recommend the CE Pocket Pro or the Pact Club Timer. All of these are in the same price range anyway.

Here is a good thread with some knowledgeable comments... http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=527221

 

[David E]

I bought the attachable battery pack, ($10, IIRC) should the internal battery go dead, but so far, I haven't needed it. I just charge it up on the way to the range.

This is what makes it lighter, of course. Remember the early blue tooth headsets? They had AAA batteries and were replaced by internal rechargeable batteries to cut down on the weight.

One thing I don't like about other timers is that you have to really look for the shots you want and they're not quite as intuitive as the CED 7000

 

[1SOW]

I've shot 'under' the CED and it worked well. I like the small size.

I have the Pact Club timer:
Much larger- but still clips to my belt okay
Same fuctions
Louder beep
9v battery
Was cheaper when I got it from Midway
I didn't find the instructions as 'intuitive' as they claim--they removed the instructions from the timer cover

 

[chbrow10]

As an RO, I have run both the Club Pact, CED 7000, and others. I personally prefer the CED. You get more information on the screen, the menu is very easy to navigate, and the buzzer is the loudest on the market. The buzzer is more of a beep, while the Pact timers aer more of a buzz. I have had competitors look at my timer and ask for the Pact instead, saying they prefer that sound...

 

[clutch]

Since we are talking about CED shot timers, anyone have a link to a manual for a CED 6000 timer? I bought one years ago and after a hiatus. from shooting, I don't know how to work it anymore.

Thanks,

Clutch

 

[jmorris]

I like the pact timers for practice, everything is right on the (easy to read) display and it's a one (big) button start.

For RO'ing I like the CED 8000 because they have memory and the ability to display remotely (so the SO doesn't have to chase you everywhere).

FWIW I don’t like the CED 7000 for it’s built in batteries and the fact that, although handy in size, the display is like looking at a wrist watch (had one traded it off). The 7000 also is a PITA to read if you wear polarized sunglasses, like I do. Also, if you have high frequency hearing loss (again like me) the 7000 buzzer is almost nonexistent.

If for some reason I’m having trouble picking up shots (or echoes tripping the timer) I prefer the r-u-ready timers (they work without adjusting all the time every time).

The pocket pro from competition electronics is another I dislike as the only thing it displays (without hitting other buttons) is the total time and I like to know every time that the number of shots (thus time) is correct.

CED 8000

Pact

R U Ready

 

[Hk Dan]

I have the Pact Club Timer IV and the CED 7000. Either is great--the CED is a little more fully featured, and the Club Timer IV is dead simple and rugged as a tank. I don't like the other CED offerings, mainly due to size and the low, flat buzz instead of a beep.

One thing the CED 7000 has going for it is adjustable beeper volume, making your dry fire practice livable for the spousal unit.

 

[Zak Smith]

I've used most of the shot timers on the market over the last 8 years.

My club bought four CED 7000's when they first came out. I hated that they had internal batteries. I don't want the "overhead" of having to plug in yet another accessory in the garage and to make sure they're charged and ready to go. It's much easier to round up 2x AA's or a 9V than to find another timer if the battery goes. In addition, the battery will have a finite lifetime. I also found that the display looked a bit funny when using polarized sunglasses.

The CED 8000 has a physical format (folding) that it somewhat awkward to use.

Both of these have a complex user interface with many buttons and modes. If I need to hand out timers to RO's in a match, I need something that is idiot proof and extremely easy to reset "on the line" (where patient rational thought is apparently more difficult).

I like the size and usability of the Pocket Pro line, but their time only goes to 199 seconds. We regularly have 3-Gun stages with a 300-second max time, so that rules those timers out.

My personal timer (used mostly for ROing matches) for the last about 6 years has been the Pact Club Timer II. Everyone knows how to use it and it has no weird modes to get stuck in. It's very durable. The only problem I've had with the Club Timer II is that when the LCD gets hot (like it does in the sun here in Colorado), the display gets very very hard to read.

In the end, when I needed more timers for my 3Gun matches, I bought two more Club Timer III's.