Getting a chronograph, please help.

[Alleycat]

"...also .22 rf..." Don't be wasting your time on RF. Nothing you can do to change the velocity.
Haven't ever used a chronograph in the 40ish years I've loaded my ammo. Accuracy is far more important than velocity.

Wasn't really thinking about changing rf velocity just testing different ammo out of curiosity and I thought perhaps I could use it as a benchmark if readings seemed wonky. ie reading on my reloads don't make sense get out the old model 60 that I know shoots x type ammo at 1250fps (or whatever) and see what the chrony reads.

I have 3 chrony's and 2 Oehler Mod 35Ps and I cannot agree with the posts recommending the chronys, I have found them to be so inconsistant as to be worthless. From one day to the next with different lighting conditions all else being exactly the same I had over 200 fps difference, with the same load, in the same rifle, loaded at the same time, shot in the same place, at the same altitude and in the same temps within 3 deg C
The Oehler 35Ps are the same everyday, every time I use them, in every lighting condition they work within. But you ain't gonna get one for under 200 bucks. I have used them in tandem as well as alternating and the data is always virtually identical.
Service is excellent as well and you can call them up and a real person answers the phone and they are concerned and always extremely helpful. I called them up when my old one wouldn't trigger reliably and their technition listened to my problem (I wanted to order 3 new screens for it) and then told me I didn't need new screens just to take them apart and clean the lenses with warm soapy water and rinse well in hot water and dry with a soft clean cloth. Machine works perfectly again, and they didn't get to sell me three new screens. Now I call that service, he also said if that didn't work send them the screens and they would repair or replace them. (He didn't SAY for free but it certainly sounded like it to me).
In my opinion a bullet through the centre of any Chrony is a fitting end to a worthless piece of junk, JMHO.

Noted, I did a quick search and it appears that unit is over $600 bucks. Think I'll try a chrony and maybe down the road upgrade.

Appreciate everyone input.

 

[stinkycod]

Hi if you purchase a Shooting Chrony, and decide you want to interface it to your computer, don’t make the mistake I did and purchase it from Shooting Chrony web site... it will set you back over $50.00. You can get it on eBay for around $3.00. pm me and I will send you the details.

 

[Trinimon]

Hi if you purchase a Shooting Chrony, and decide you want to interface it to your computer, don’t make the mistake I did and purchase it from Shooting Chrony web site... it will set you back over $50.00. You can get it on eBay for around $3.00. pm me and I will send you the details.

Thanks for the heads up on this. Did some Googling and ordered a couple USB-RS232 adapters. Ya learn something new every day. Thanks!

 

[Paatz]

Don't be wasting your time on RF. Nothing you can do to change the velocity.

The suggested use for chronying the .22lr was using that exact property - to establish a consistent benchmark figure, not develop rimfire loads.

Shoot a 22 through it to establish a reference point. If you ever doubt the unit accuracy in the future, shoot the same 22 (rifle and ammo) to see if the results are the same.

 

[arcticcathonda]

I guess I may also step out on a limb here like Sunray.... If it is to give you a basis for a ballistic solution, sure. But I would rather true my MV based on my measured drops from real shooting. As far as using them for load development calculating ES and SD, let the groups tell you this..? Maybe i'm missing something here in my greenness. All I have ever done is conduct a ladder test and identify my nodes, refine that load by shooting a couple groups playing with smaller increments of charge weight and then go shoot small group! Cannot say I have ever had a problem with large ES or SD, I guess I never will know!

 

[derrick1978]

I would encourage you to check out the magneto speed chronograph. I am very impressed with mine. http://ww. w.magnetospeed.com

 

[r204]

I would encourage you to check out the magneto speed chronograph. I am very impressed with mine. http://ww. w.magnetospeed.com

I am considering one of these. most of the feedback I have found on these units is from people who have only used it for a short time. I was just wondering how well they hold up with extended use.

 

[derrick1978]

I am considering one of these. most of the feedback I have found on these units is from people who have only used it for a short time. I was just wondering how well they hold up with extended use.

I treat mine gingerly, so really can't say. I feel the results are as accurate as it gets.

 

[crazy_davey]

"...also .22 rf..." Don't be wasting your time on RF. Nothing you can do to change the velocity.
Haven't ever used a chronograph in the 40ish years I've loaded my ammo. Accuracy is far more important than velocity.

Not surprised at your response at all

 

[Varmit]

I bought a Chrony from cabelas about two months ago and it wouldn't work at all. The instructions say not to send it back where you bought it, send it back to the manufacturer. Yeah, so they can fix it up and send it back to you. I send mine back to Cabelas and got my money back.

 

[New Camper]

Don't hear much about RCBS's offerings in chronography: I bought one several months ago as a first chronograph to determine velocities and as has been mentioned, established elevation charts for long distance shooting. More out of curiosity, but in 22lr "long distance" shooting, I chronographed several types of rimfire for a basis point of elevation from 20-120 yards.

Anyway, the RCBS chrono is a plastic job shaped like a cartridge case which is really neat but a large body more subject to wind movement: This can be offset by weighting the tripod it sits on - one of the plus points. It is a self contained unit, that is simply attached to a camera tripod and the two screens are attached to it's own plastic body and the display comes with long wires to be set upon the shooting bench easily accomodating the fifteen feet to place it beyond the muzzle blast area of larger rifles. It has only given me a handful of errors in shots. It will record a shot string of up to 10 rounds and do the calculations for you (ie average velocity). It cost somewhere between $120.00-150.00.

 

[nevanevan]

Bought a CED M2 and I must say compared to the shooting chrono that I had previously tried, this one didn't miss a single shot. I'm very impressed with it. Its a little bit pricy though

 

[remington jim]

Well, Sunray says you don't need one, so we all better throw ours out

LMAO ! I like the facts - and its all part the Shooting experience ! if you only hunt and hardley ever shoot at all - well maybe you don't need one . BUT i need 2 so i have 2 ! so i can Double check them loads ! LOL RJ

 

[fuzzynuts54]

I've got the rcbs also. I've never used anything else to compare it to. I've found it will give higher or lower readings depending on if I shoot through the screens low or high, I cant remember what is what. But I did just chrono some .22lr the other day. It gave me an average of 1194fps, and with known range shooting at 50y, 100y, 200y the drop chart solution says 1200fps.

The thing that really gets me is it's telling me I'm averaging 3034fps with 210gr Bergers, 2991fps with 208amaxs on 79.5gr of h1000 in my 22" barrel .300 win mag and 3031fps with factory Winchester 180gr soft nose. . I've yet to prove that with my ballistic program but it seems about 100fps fast which is a big error. I wouldn't be sad if it's true though. Especially the 4fps sd.