Are Shooting Chrony (Brand) still useable in 2026?

You might be the only one that still has a Shooting Chrony lol
All the guys I know shot them either by accident or on purpose lol.
 
I had a labradar for while, traded some stuff to a buddy that bought a garmin. Used it a few time then gave it back to him and picked up a Chrony. For me, the radar ones don’t work consistently for paper patched rounds (although the garmin WAS better at this than the labradar) when the paper leaves the bullet the labradar gets confused as it now sees two projectiles and doesn’t record either. I assumed this would be the same for shotshells (multiple projectiles) and since shotshells and PP rifle are my main reasons to own it I switched. The chrony misses the odd shot but usually works. If I was doing a fair bit of “normal” load development I would get a garmin.
 
Hitzy said:
You might be the only one that still has a Shooting Chrony lol
All the guys I know shot them either by accident or on purpose lol.
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If you haven't shot it, it's not a Chrony.

Haven't fully shot my Chrony yet. But have shot a few. Learned to replace the rods with wood. If you clip it, it breaks VS driving the rod into the circuit boards. Then learned to align it better.

I made a template that clipped on the rods, to be able to ensure that it was passing directly across the sensors.
 
I still use a Chrony. Kinda sucks compared to the Garmin but it’s just what I got. I use a 22 to get it all set up so as to not waste my testing ammo.
Prior to having a chrony I used to shoot a group at 400 yards and measure the drop to get a ball park idea of velocity. It was interesting if nothing else.
 
Licensed to kill said:
I assumed this would be the same for shotshells (multiple projectiles)
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I can confirm the garmin struggles with shotshell loads. It does better with slugs, but still misses the occasional one (I assume due to the wad separating and presenting multiple objects).

I'm with everyone else that the garmin is absolutely the best answer we have for most chronographing of conventional bullets. It is so easy and convenient to use that you forget about the money spent after the first time you use it. A side effect of the convenience is that you end up using it a lot more often and collecting more data to inform your decisions with load development and other things.


Mark
 
I Dont Care About You said:
THIS.

The thing nobody has mentioned is that with the old crony you need to be able to calculate average and standard deviation. The Garmin does both of those things automatically along with extreme spread. There is no comparison between the old crony and a Garmin.

Chrony's are annoying to setup and take down and they are bulky and I have shot two of them. They also miss shots all the time. My Garmin has never dropped a shot. There is just no comparison. The Garmin is worth every penny.
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I don't expect many can still calculate standard deviation and spread. The average shooter couldn't explain what SD is even though he attaches great significance to it.

I made an excel spreadsheet that did my calculations. Not complicated but probably beyond what people will bother with.

the chrony could be a pain to set up and it dropped some shots. I never shot one myself but my dad grazed mine. It still worked. It still works today, 30 plus years later.

The Garmin is hard to beat, no regrets.
 
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I Dont Care About You said:
THIS.

The thing nobody has mentioned is that with the old crony you need to be able to calculate average and standard deviation. The Garmin does both of those things automatically along with extreme spread. There is no comparison between the old crony and a Garmin.
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Well let's give credit where credit is due, the features of the Shooting Chrony were model-specific. Mine is a Master Beta Chrony, and it absolutely calculates average, extreme spread, and standard deviation. In fact I recall that it is technically possible to shoot a full-auto burst over it, and it will give you the velocity measurements for each shot, the statistics for the group, and the cyclic rate of the burst. Not that I have ever been in position to test that feature. Then you can print out all that data on the benchtop printer it came with. They weren't all the same basic little box.
 
bearhunter said:
Okay Shooter, what are you using your velocimeter for????

Are you calculating all of the variables the Garmin Xero does for you, or are you just looking for a ball park number, within 50fps?

The Garmin will give you accurate readings under any light conditions, figure out extreme spreads and give you an average velocity, as well as a lot of other info you may or may not use.

IF you can afford the $700, go for the Garmin, because you can slip it into your pocket without hassle, and it weighs a lot less when carrying stuff to the shooting bench.

The Chrony will tell you if your loads are going beyond safe pressures by showing you unusual spikes in velocities.

It will also give you "close enough" velocity readings for your loads, to indicate whether or not you need a faster or slower powder to give you consistent burns with the primers/bullets you're shooting.

If you need/want more, and if cash is free for the purchase, go for it, if it isn't, send a letter to Santa.
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First was really to figure the velocities for IPSC PF. Then I mainly used it for tuning PCP and CO2 airguns, then got my FX radar. For ease of charting the curve.

So it is really a wants vs needs. As now I'm just curious at the velocities I shooting at. Esp my birdshot prepper slugs. As powder charge is for 1-1/8oz as I'm only running 7/8oz slugs.

Or when I cast 32ACP bullets for my 303.
 
My Shooting Chrony is so old that it doesn't even have the steel rods to shoot between.
It has card stock that you stick into the slots and you shoot through the oval cutout.
Cost me $30, batteries last forever and its good enough for figuring out IPSC power factor.
 
My Chrony is better than a stopwatch, I guess.

Haven't touched it since I got a Garmin, though. It doesn't even make a passable boat anchor like a Labradar, sadly.
 
I have my shooting chrony set up with lightbars in my garage for testing pellet guns that I tinker with.
It’s my second 1, the first took a high height over bore 5.56 round years ago.
The second 1 has been shot twice but just winged, once I shook the plastic out the sensors are still functional.
The Garmin has taken over any range visits as it is 100x handier in every way shape and form.
 
Garmin Canada is running the sale price as well.
I wonder if it's the Athalon driving the reduced price or if they are planning on discontinuing the C1 at some point?

Any one try using these new micro radar's at the ice rink or on the pond to see how fast the old slapshot is going..... :)
 
I sort of feel like I should say they are better than nothing, but I’m not convinced of that. I threw a couple away, and my M1 ended up in burning barrel as well. When those things weren’t dropping shots they were producing BS numbers. The rest of the time was spent setting them up, and 77”watching the wind blow them over. Its faster to shoot for drop at 5-600 yards and back calculate that set up the tripod. Tripod looks dumb without the chronograph on it, and that goes nowhere until its all lined up with the target.By the time you have all your stars aligned its payday again🤣. Thats if you have a place to yourself, if not then you’re missing birthdays and anniversaries and stuff. Thats if the wind doesn’t blow it over then you’re missing graduations, anniversaries and your own retirement party. You get all that going and it’ll still miss a lot of shots and unless you are luckier than me the velocity givien won’t match your shot comeup chart anyway.

The Garmin is a different animal. Turn it on while you’re walking to the bennch and hit IK a few times. About the time you get there take a glance to see if you’ve hit OK enough times, set it down on the bench and shoot. It’ll work.
 
Can-down said:
Garmin Canada is running the sale price as well.
I wonder if it's the Athalon driving the reduced price or if they are planning on discontinuing the C1 at some point?

Any one try using these new micro radar's at the ice rink or on the pond to see how fast the old slapshot is going..... :)
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The C2 is close to $1000 and is faster processing shots. The C1 is slooooow. I imagine they’ll stop making it, maybe sooner rather than later.
 
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