If you want to use a Chrony, that' fine with me. I honestly don't care, but many of the replies in this thread are from people who believe their "circumstances" are universal.
For the person with a "few" firearms developing a "few" loads or comparing loads, etc, all of the older units, no matter what they deduce the velocity from, will be just fine, and if you're happy with the results, all is well.
I just really dislike that I often had to take the firearms out again, to a longer range, to verify velocities given by the units, by measuring bullet drop at given ranges, once the accuracy node was found.
Depending on the firearm's intended use, accurate readings only needed to be close enough to allow me to anticipate "drop" out to 300yds. Many folks require much more.
Usually when I go to the range, I have a half dozen rifles which I'm working up loads for, or comparing loads with different bullets in the same rifle for.
This is handy if the rifle is going to be used for different hunting purposes, say Coyotes vs Bears, vs Deer or Elk, etc. Then I record the info in a small notebook kept with the particular batch of ammunition, pertaining to scope adjustments to get the rifle shooting that particular load where I want it to, without having to make another trip to the range to dial in the different load.
The Chrony was OK, but not nearly as reliable, especially for the extended ranges which often occur when shooting at Coyotes with a 4-7 inch cross section under the fur.
It doesn't matter if it's a bright day, dull day or raining, the Garmin is consistent.
I used it yesterday, very dreary, just above "0" temps to check a couple of hunting loads in two different rifles, which were developed last summer, with powders new to me. Monolithic 120 grain TTSX bullets over H100V, in both 6.5 and 284 diameter. I wanted to check how much velocity drop there was between 23C and 0C. It was a good feeling to be able to "trust" the very consistent velocity recordings, without worrying how much difference was due to light quality.
I got by with the Chrony for decades, but it always left me wanting "something better"
Cost of the Labradar and it's bulk didn't seem to offer enough, when I saw them being used at the range and had a couple of opportunities to be able to compare them with the Chrony. So, I settled for "close enough" which in 95% of the situations was more than what was needed.
If a Chrony is what you can afford, the only unit available to you, or you just can't handle putting out $700 for a Garmin. I'm fine with that.
Paul T, first mentioned the Garmin to me and he had morphed to using a Labradar from a Chrony a couple of years previously. Then he went to the Garmin and now is selling or has sold his Labradar. What motivated him, just like myself, was ease of carry/use. He often takes several firearms to test loads as well.
That's how it is with firearms and accessories, etc. If it were all about "need" we would all have a 30-06 made by the same company or even a 303 British, or whatever with one bullet weight at a given velocity.
Luckily, we aren't bound by that parameter YET.
shooter .
RJ
