I just bought a Caldwell Chrono. I thought I might be able to test before I get to the range, thought I could set it on the side and drop something through it and see the reading but I dont get a reading, no error or anything. anyone have a Caldwell and have a way to get a reading from it while sitting in an office?

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I doubt that a dropped object is fast enough to “read”.
Let us know how it works on the range.

Got an air gun? Probably fast enough, but the pellet may be too small to pick up.

P.S. Are you underneath fluorescent lights? They can play havoc with chronographs. Maybe dimmable LED lights too, but I haven't seen that firsthand.

What are you dropping through it? You can figure the velocity of a falling object without a measuring device. It’s a constant at 9.8 meters / square second at sea level. That’s close enough to calculate it if you know the distance it falls.

I think the thing doesn't measure low enough to pick up, we'll see at the range

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My Chrony will measure .177 airgun, in the 500 fps range. Good lighting is essential indoors and outdoors.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

If you have a sling shot, maybe........

in dire straights a rubber band and wrapped paper clip, might work but mine works with a BB gun so I did not have to try these options out.

Good luck

PS;
some need a light source, to work.

Interesting. A friend has had a new Caldwell for a while and a couple of weeks ago, when I was visiting, we got it out. I set it up in his basement and I tried to throw something through it. Nothing. It should pick it up if you read the range of speeds it will pick up. I decided being inside with florescent lights was the problem.

The next day we took time to take it outside and set it up plugged in. It worked fine and I wish I would have tried throwing something again. I tried with both the sky screens and the LED screens and both worked until the shade from a nearby tree started causing problems for the sky screens. The one thing I could not get to work was the app which would really be nice for keeping track of strings. I tried three different Android phones and none of them would work. The app has a terrible rating and I am sure to be doing something incorrectly but I can't figure it out.

It's in how you configure the app. My problem was I was trying to use the bluetooth setting. It wouldn't work on any of my Android phones. I had to uncheck it and it has worked fine since.

Living the Tech Life

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I have shot a rubber band (with fingers) across my optical chrono equipped with an active light screen.
Registered 95 fps.

Attached Images

Caldwell-Light-Bars-On-ProChrono.jpg (250.5 KB, 25 views)

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

Thanks for the tip. I figured it was some setting but at that time I didn't have the time to experiment with things.

I haven't been able to get mine to read indoors either but it works fine once properly set up outdoors at the range. It's finicky about how the sun hits the sensors. Unless the sun is directly overhead the shields don't really shade the sensors and that can be a problem on a sunny day. I've found it works best on overcast days without direct sunlight.

I had it at the range earlier this week on a bright sunny day and at first it was working but then it started giving real erratic readings. After I moved to a shady spot it started working properly again.

I have yet to be able to get the app to work on either my kindle fire tablet or android phone. Both keep giving connection errors no matter how many times I unplug the cord or switch ends. I gave up and just write the numbers on paper. That's easy enough to do since I'm shooting from a rest only 12 ft away and the display is big enough to read from that distance. I then enter the info on a spreadsheet when I get home.

All chronograph's depend on seeing the shadow of the bullet, bb, paper clip, etc. It cannot do this if it is setting on its side and something is dropped thru it. The object must go over the sensors horizontally.
FWIW I have a Caldwell G3. That is the inverted model where the sensors are at the top. This has never failed me, inside or outside. I do use the bluetooth program with my Android phone and all works well.

That's why I got the active light screens.
They are infrared which you can't see but the sensors do.
The indicator lights show you when it's actually on.
If they still offer these, try 'em out.
They work wonders for indoor use as the usual fluorescent lighting doesn't stimulate the sensors very well.

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

Used my grandson's nerf pistol to check mine. Won't break anything in your office if your aim is off!

My Beta Chrony reads BB's 400-600 fps consistently.

I took the chrono to the range and damn if I didn't shoot it I felt bad for a minute and ordered another one, prime. .... there the next day

i still felt bad and googled , as it turns out i am not the only one. i read only two types of chronos. ones that have been shot and one that will (I know some can't be)

this time I also bought a pistol rest that made it better. plus tips I read online.

got some good data that can help me move forward

here was my setup this evening, still learning

looking for the money I am saving too ...

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In over 30 years I've never shot mine. Oehler 35P. crony is on the table next to you. Only sky screens out front. Never shot those either. When setting up your cronograph set a target up high enough that you only shoot through the middle of the pickup area.

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I made a little modification to my sunshields that helps on the bright sunny days we've been having. I originally designed it to cover the top and extend beyond both the front and back of the chronograph, but I was at the range early today in order to beat the heat and the sun was so low in the East that I had to hang my cover over the side instead.

It worked like a charm. I couldn't get any readings with the sun shining into the sensors but once I hung the shade so that it blocked the sun I had no further difficulties.





I used rebar tie wire to make the supports and sewed some velcro onto the cloth so I can attach it over the top or down the side as needed.

Good job!

Always a big fan of the simple, home-made mods that improve performance of equipment.
Since I moved mostly to indoor ranges, at first I got a Magnetospeed chrono that works fine
but will not mount on many short barreled handguns or double barreled weapons.
Setting up an optical chrono at a popular indoor range can be a huge PITB, if possible at all when busy.
When the LabRadar came out, I got one of those and have never looked back.
It works well under all conditions I have tried it in as long as you stay a few feet away from concrete or metal walls.
Yeah they are expensive, but you will want one if you ever see one in action.
For one thing, you can measure the actual ballistic coefficient of your load in real time as it tracks the bullet continuously down the line.

Kind of related story:
I once offered the guy next to me at the range a chance to shoot my double rifle with a somewhat reduced load.
He declined, telling me he was afraid he would like it too much and then "need" one.
He already wanted the LabRadar I was just breaking in.
I saved for years to get both of those.
Definitely worth it to me as ultimate shooting rigs.
I could not afford them now as I am retired, doubly so with the pandemic.

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

Didja shoot one of the metal support rods for the sunshades?

I've read about people having a problem with that so the first thing I did when I got mine was go to Grainger and buy two 48" long 5/32" fiberglass rods. I cut each of them into three 16" pieces so I have a full set of new rods plus two spares in case I ever accidentally shoot one.

The fiberglass rods will shatter without doing the serious damage to the chrono that the metal rods will do if you accidentally hit one.

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nope, shot it right in the kisser I may look at doing the same, a target to aim at was key for me

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OOPSIE! Bummer!

FWIW hitting a rod seems to be the more common cause of damage. I've seen pictures and the impact generally seems to rip away as much as 1/4 of the case - usually a big section around the area where the rod was inserted.

I tried wooden rods to start with but couldn't get them in quite the right diameter. A 1/8" dowel rod wasn't quite strong enough and 3/16" dowels wouldn't fit into the pockets. That's what got me looking at the fiberglass rods, and Grainger seemed to be the most economical source in my area. The 5/32" rod is just the right size, rigid enough, and should just disintegrate if I ever hit one, not to mention being lighter than the original steel rods too.

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