Labradar indoors troubleshoot

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MartyK2500

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I have had my labradar for a few months now, and really enjoyed it's accuracy it has given me for my precision rifle.
With the velocities recorded, and proper atmospheric settings on JBM ballistic website, I know it reads correctly or my long range drops wouldn't work, and they do.

Now I purchased a used pistol last week.
Took it out for a spin last night, and started loading low to climb slowly up to PF as required in IPSC.
Was shot at an indoor range, and was alone at the line while using it so no interference.
To my surprise, I was at 130PF with 3.1gr TG and a 147gr campro bullet.
Which is damn near impossible.

Other people have tried it, everyones velocity was higher than usual.
Is there any hint as to what i'm doing wrong?
 
Did you set the velocity range to pistol?
How about projectile weight? Make sure you enter the correct weight.
Also I think I read not to use on steel targets due to the radar bouncing. Maybe at an indoor range the radar is bouncing everywhere?
 
Velocity set to pistol : Check
Projectile weight properly set : Check
Not a steel target, but a steel backstop, maybe has some influence?

I was disappointed, as I clearly do not trust it's readings I got.
And I feel it would be a damn shame to buy the Caldwell chrony for pistol when I got a labradar sitting on a shelf...
 
I believe they also say to set it on the low transmission setting for indoor use. That huge 9mm back end should give a great signal return. Make sure the D values you preprogram are all less than the distance you are shooting. I've used mine indoors on .177 pellets without issue.
 
Not sure why that result is damn near impossible, my load for a Shadow is 3.2 gr Titegroup over a 147 Campro @1.110, has been for years. That load was Chronied 3 times this summer at major matches and was 133pf, 131pf and 132pf.
 
I've never used mine indoors but i have two thoughts 1) try setting the trigger level to most sensitive, the pistol probably doesn't make as big a boom as a rifle 2) when shooting from a bay at my clubs pistol range, i found the partitions between bays can cause an issue , if the unit is not as far forward as possible. My guess is the partition between bays is changing the shape of the radar beam and confuses the unit. Hope that makes sense.
 
PGW Steve : I have read that transmission power is called TX power, here is a copy of the text they say :
tX power : Select the LabRadar transmitting power. (Standard or Low). While Standard power offers a longer range measurement range, the low power mode can be useful and perform better on shorter shooting ranges and on ranges where object create signal reflections.
Distance values car called DX1 to DX5 from what I see, mine was programmed from 10M to 50M, so yeah at the 15M line I can see this causing trouble.

Chilidip : I have extensive experience with 1911s and glocks, not so much with this new to me gun called tanfoglio stock ll.
My 1911s with a 5.11'' barrel, I would hang around 3.3 TG for my 130PF, my glock 17s I would be around 3.4 TG for my 130PF, so I find this odd to be able to obtain 130PF with 3.1 TG in a 4.44'' barrel tanfo.
Others that evening did try the chrono, and we're all shooting higher than usual.

Seeker2 : This was at the RA, on a table right in a middle, with muzzle 1.5'' left of labradar. I am sure the boom is more than sufficient.
Here's what they say about it : trigger Level Select the sensitivity of the system to detect the trigger event. The user can select level 1 (more sensitive) through 5 (Less sensitive).
Mine was already set to 1.

257Wby : Using external battery pack. 10,000mah showing 4 lights out of 4 for battery life on the battery pack itself,4 lights out of 4 on the labradar screen.

If someone has experience setting these up for LVL 3 IPSC matches, it would be great to know the official match settings.
Although I think I may have better feedback in the action shooting forums subsection instead.

Edit : Here is a text file I did to print and stick to front of casing.
Will read a bit more on it make sure i'm not missing anything.

Handgun
Select vel. range = Handgun
Set proj. offset = 15CM
Set distances = Dx1(3) - Dx2 (6) - Dx3 (9) - Dx4 (12) - Dx5 (15)
Proj. weight = 147.0 or ...
TX power = Low

Rifle
Select vel. range = Rifle
Set proj. offset = 30CM
Set distances = Dx1(10) - Dx2 (20) - Dx3 (30) - Dx4 (40) - Dx5 (50)
Proj. weight = 175.0 or ...
TX power = Standard
 
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Can't say I've ever run a Stock 2 but given it's similarities to the Shadow 2's I still believe you got correct data as my 3.2 load was also at 131 pf for both of my Shadow 2's. That same load in a PPQ Match with the 5" barrel was 139PF.
 
Intriguing, never loaded so low with TG, wanted to start slow to protect the tanfo since it’s weakly sprung.
I’ll see next week what the chrono says with it’s new tweeks.
 
Shadow 2, Titegroup, and a 147 is the only pistol load I shoot.

3.3gn, 147 polycoat bullet @ 1.106, 136PF (CED M2 chrono indoor)
3.5gn Campro @ 1.090, 136PF (Labradar outdoor)

I would lean towards 'slightly skeptical' of your readings, but I'm no expert, I have very limited data for this load, but I'm curious to see what you find, so I'll tag along
 
They claim 0.1% accuracy. I shot some 308 the other day at an indoor range and the numbers did seem a bit high compared to what I had read. You could try the same load outdoors and see if the values change. Other than that, the only sure way to know would be to use a chronograph that is known to give accurate results.
 
Early versions of the labradars absolutely hated racegun blast indoors.
Some Ontario L3s had to chrono the raceguns on outdoor ranges with cardboard walls set up between the gun and labradar.

Perhaps your positioning is conveying a blast wave that it doesn't like?

Just spitballing.
 
Justmessing : exactly my thoughts, 3.1 TG looks too low.
Will keep you posted.

Tom morisson : i didn’t renew my outdoor pistol range. But i will compare indoors with an infrared set up CED M2.
Now with my new settings i am sure it will help.

FV : i have the new gen with Bluetooth. You are right though, i also tried a DVC Open with known PF to compare, with this one results we’re even less reliable.
 
I have posted them in a previous post, but may have got lost in the noise.
For rifle, it essentially ressembles initial setup, and works great!
For pistol, using certain little tweaks, reliability is up there now.
I didn't invent them, just read the instructions fully, and read a few internet post showing best known settings.

When you shoot you got an accuracy reading indicator, in 5 bars, the more bars lit the more accurate the reading.
Used to be 1/5 or 2/5 using pistol, now it always clocks 5/5.
Here are my current settings for firearm types


Handgun indoors
Select vel. range = Handgun
Set proj. offset = 15CM
Set distances = Dx1(3) - Dx2 (6) - Dx3 (9) - Dx4 (12) - Dx5 (15)
Proj. weight = 147.0 or ...
TX power = Low

Rifle outdoors
Select vel. range = Rifle
Set proj. offset = 30CM
Set distances = Dx1(10) - Dx2 (20) - Dx3 (30) - Dx4 (40) - Dx5 (50)
Proj. weight = 175.0 or ...
TX power = Standard


Oh and since I didn't follow up on my load, I confirm that 3.1gr TG, with a 147 campro projectile, effectively does 129PF in my regular length stock 2.
Will bump to 3.2 TG just to be safe for a lvl lll.
 
justmessing said:
Shadow 2, Titegroup, and a 147 is the only pistol load I shoot.

3.3gn, 147 polycoat bullet @ 1.106, 136PF (CED M2 chrono indoor)
3.5gn Campro @ 1.090, 136PF (Labradar outdoor)

I would lean towards 'slightly skeptical' of your readings, but I'm no expert, I have very limited data for this load, but I'm curious to see what you find, so I'll tag along
Click to expand...

Just rechecked some data, 3.5gn TG with a 147 campro, in my G17 gen 5, did exactly 140PF in two different chronos.
When I was wanting to shoot hotter ammo.
 
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