A chrono isn’t “needed” as some say. But, some guys are just happy with an inch/inch and a half group for their hunting rifle. They don’t shoot real far and they shoot 10 shots a year and have no need for all the information. But, the chrono takes you to the next level of accuracy/repeatability in my opinion. I’ve fired loads before that made a great group, but the velocities were all over the place. Would have not known, and taken a long distance shot and missed and wondered why, had I not had a chronograph. Worth the 120 bucks.
Who doesn't have a chronograph?
- Thread starter Trey Veston
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illinoisburt
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I good example of where it can be useful. Not sure it reasonable applies to 90% of reloaders. The OP had confidence in his ammo until he saw true velocity numbers. This is not unlike investing into brass cleaning/polishing, or the horrors of a borescope. Things work and are humming along until we go and add in an extra steps to pursue perfection. If one is inclined to put time in minutiae it may be useful for some very specific situations. For most shooters it's not absolutely needed and often won't be noticeable except in fine measurements.
twarr1
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Using that logic, can I start at max load if I follow the published data to a T? Of course not. Too many other variables.
Mark_Mark
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go for it!
Highland Lofts
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I'm surprised this has gone as far as it has.
I have a wide range of interests. I don't like to get anchored into one thing. One hobby one day and another the next, or nothing at all because I feel like a nap. It's called freedom. To many people are slaves to a schedule.
Ah, simple. Living that Amish life style.
It's the middle of winter. It's this or stand out in the cold.
Borescope is another entertaining and educational tool but you sometimes are better off not seeing certain things
I think tools are cool and the entire reloading and casting is one big experiment. Dirt bikes are not my age group and hot rods are above my pay grade
JFrank
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I would agree with you, a chronograph is a great tool .
It certainly seems that way to me. Unless it's a bit of fouling, you probably can't do anything about it, and it will work on your mind. I've seen pictures of the most amazing stuff, but was the barrel hosed?? Nope! It reportedly shot just fine.
Guilty, sent a 44 mag 240 grain SWC almost dead center through the LCD screen on my Chrony. As soon as it happened I thought to myself "damn I should have put that target a little higher". It gave me over 20 years of good service.
Never had one.
Cool and useful, just personally dont have the need.
I do reload, for varmint rifles and handguns.
Pick decent powder and bullet, fill cases and see what happens.
Varmint rigs without much load work, run half inch. Usually from sporters that have been tweaked
Dunno how much V loss my 600 in .243 had. Hand load did .75 for 5 at 100.
Compared to my .4 700 Adl running same.
I get what I get.
And then give it to the varmint.
My 219 d wasp Ruger #3 runs 50gr Nosler BT.
Cant find any, may try flat base. varget powder, same amount. Its a half incher when not using the canjar.
I dont care how fast or slow it is. Same for my .22 250.
I get what I get and as long as the book says its a fast one, if it does .5 Im happy.
Maybe giddy if under that
Cool and useful, just personally dont have the need.
I do reload, for varmint rifles and handguns.
Pick decent powder and bullet, fill cases and see what happens.
Varmint rigs without much load work, run half inch. Usually from sporters that have been tweaked
Dunno how much V loss my 600 in .243 had. Hand load did .75 for 5 at 100.
Compared to my .4 700 Adl running same.
I get what I get.
And then give it to the varmint.
My 219 d wasp Ruger #3 runs 50gr Nosler BT.
Cant find any, may try flat base. varget powder, same amount. Its a half incher when not using the canjar.
I dont care how fast or slow it is. Same for my .22 250.
I get what I get and as long as the book says its a fast one, if it does .5 Im happy.
Maybe giddy if under that
Indeed. People ask me why I have soooo much reloading equipment and components. Well. Sitting on the couch isn’t a hobby
Sort of confused by this. Saying just because it’s a coyote gun, no need for load development? Why not? Why not be confident in taking a head shot at distance? If you have a .5 group like you say, but your deviation is 300 FPS….small groups at distance isn’t possible. The way it sounds, you probably have decent amount invested in rifles, optics, calls etc. Why not the 120 bucks for a chrono to know what you have? You say why, I say why not know?!?!
sequins
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The kestrel and labradar combined with information from bullet manufacturers allows for you to verify the calculations for your firing solutions. Its not foolproof but its extremely helpful and especially for maintaining consistency over time.
I shoot a lot of berger bullets using labradar to verify my velocity and my targets to verify point of impact based on my kestrel calculations. Based on the number of sequential readings provided by labradar one can very accurately plot solutions.
A chronograph fits in the category as a tool you cannot justify when you do not have one, but have difficulty living without once you get one.
Just like the farrier anvil I purchased. When my daughter was attending farrier school, the school was replacing their anvils. I bought one of the old anvils on a lark and it was low cost. It as been handy in my shop. I use it all the time to pound on and do some metal shaping.
When I was shooting IHMSA silhouette in the early 19890's. I did not have a chronograph. But, I worked at getting ammunition that grouped well and then the appropriate site settings for each range (50m, 100m, 150m and 200m). No chronograph needed. I'm not sure that I ever chronographed my competition silhouette loads after I got a chronograph.
But as I said earlier, I do not have access to longer ranges than 100 yards these days and I'm able to build bullet drop settings at various ranges for my rifles I use for prairie dogs. While not as good as actually sighting in the rifle at various ranges, it gets you close.
Just a reminder, you do not need a chronograph to make accurate ammunition, but it is a nifty tool to have in your tool box.
Just like the farrier anvil I purchased. When my daughter was attending farrier school, the school was replacing their anvils. I bought one of the old anvils on a lark and it was low cost. It as been handy in my shop. I use it all the time to pound on and do some metal shaping.
When I was shooting IHMSA silhouette in the early 19890's. I did not have a chronograph. But, I worked at getting ammunition that grouped well and then the appropriate site settings for each range (50m, 100m, 150m and 200m). No chronograph needed. I'm not sure that I ever chronographed my competition silhouette loads after I got a chronograph.
But as I said earlier, I do not have access to longer ranges than 100 yards these days and I'm able to build bullet drop settings at various ranges for my rifles I use for prairie dogs. While not as good as actually sighting in the rifle at various ranges, it gets you close.
Just a reminder, you do not need a chronograph to make accurate ammunition, but it is a nifty tool to have in your tool box.
ahutch71
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I just admitted on another thread that I put one square through the face of mine, and it wasn't after 20 years of service...maybe 6 months. Ironically, it was also a 44 Mag, but mine was 180gr fire breather stoked with Blue Dot and moving about 1414 fps. I know that, because it was the second shot that went low. On the plus side, penetration was excellent and complete.
My criteria for yotes is .75 at 100. Chucks .5
Have been reloading for decades.
Moved and don't have a bench set up yet at current spot.
Factory ammo in a sporter sub MOA is nice
.75 is nicer. And IMHO indeed " good enough ". Maybe for chucks even
My rifle and ammo aint the problem, its my lack of coyote calling skill LOL.
I think folks put a bit much on their rifle or load and think it will make up for shortcomings elsewhere. Its the easier thing to work on and in some ways can be bought.
Around here 300 yards is a rip. And if not lugging bipods it should be a much shorter affair.
In .243 Im pretty much sold on neck sized ( Lee collet die ), Nosler 70 gr BT and 435O.
Cant get more in the cases when Ioad em for chucks, gotta tap em even then.
That load shot exceptional in my 74 BDL. And my 90s ADL, both had been bedded.
Did OK in a little 600 and a Savage too.
Buddy had a chrono and his
35 whelen wasnt that great. Standard Dev was large. Used a filler since his cases had air gap. Shot great, and as suspected, std dev was small.
Do i need a chrono? Or do I need to run loads that have no air gap?
I choose the latter.
Not the most cost effective ( less rounds per pound of powder ) but accuracy is there.
Not worried about blast or throat erosion.
If I wear a bbl out, screw on a new one when time comes.
Since I only hunt anymore, doubt I wear anything halfway out.
Have been reloading for decades.
Moved and don't have a bench set up yet at current spot.
Factory ammo in a sporter sub MOA is nice
.75 is nicer. And IMHO indeed " good enough ". Maybe for chucks even
My rifle and ammo aint the problem, its my lack of coyote calling skill LOL.
I think folks put a bit much on their rifle or load and think it will make up for shortcomings elsewhere. Its the easier thing to work on and in some ways can be bought.
Around here 300 yards is a rip. And if not lugging bipods it should be a much shorter affair.
In .243 Im pretty much sold on neck sized ( Lee collet die ), Nosler 70 gr BT and 435O.
Cant get more in the cases when Ioad em for chucks, gotta tap em even then.
That load shot exceptional in my 74 BDL. And my 90s ADL, both had been bedded.
Did OK in a little 600 and a Savage too.
Buddy had a chrono and his
35 whelen wasnt that great. Standard Dev was large. Used a filler since his cases had air gap. Shot great, and as suspected, std dev was small.
Do i need a chrono? Or do I need to run loads that have no air gap?
I choose the latter.
Not the most cost effective ( less rounds per pound of powder ) but accuracy is there.
Not worried about blast or throat erosion.
If I wear a bbl out, screw on a new one when time comes.
Since I only hunt anymore, doubt I wear anything halfway out.
My steyr 3006 shoots to the guarantee of 1 inch at 100, w factory fodder.
Used to shoot nothing but reloads, but these days am content w factory ammo.
If it does decent.
Has gotten silly expensive, but so have reloading components.
I dont compete and find target shooting a bore. Its zero and go hunting for me.
Grew up shooting and reloading a lot.
Not something Im interested in now.
Once I get something decent I consider it good enough.
Am not on the quest for a one holer, or max V.
Used to shoot nothing but reloads, but these days am content w factory ammo.
If it does decent.
Has gotten silly expensive, but so have reloading components.
I dont compete and find target shooting a bore. Its zero and go hunting for me.
Grew up shooting and reloading a lot.
Not something Im interested in now.
Once I get something decent I consider it good enough.
Am not on the quest for a one holer, or max V.
Archery, again not competing, draw length 28 inch. Not gonna hit IBO specs and run hunting weight arrows w moderate FOC.
Have shot across chronos in the past.
I dont need to see how slow my gear is these days LOL.
My arrow choice is for hunting, not 3D so is what it is.
Have shot across chronos in the past.
I dont need to see how slow my gear is these days LOL.
My arrow choice is for hunting, not 3D so is what it is.
Got no prob w chronos. Im just not that curious. Dont need to test this and that and see what diff might be had.
Have no desire to try the newer lighter bullets in my varmint rigs, or VLD stuff.
Im a sub 500 guy and more likely proly sub 300.
Have a range that goes to 700 not too far away.
Might even try some of that, but wont go down that rabbit hole.
Precision stuff, long range, is indeed cool.
Ill let my buds blow their.money on that one.
Have no desire to try the newer lighter bullets in my varmint rigs, or VLD stuff.
Im a sub 500 guy and more likely proly sub 300.
Have a range that goes to 700 not too far away.
Might even try some of that, but wont go down that rabbit hole.
Precision stuff, long range, is indeed cool.
Ill let my buds blow their.money on that one.
Nice, but the best is obviously Omega Speedmaster Professional.
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