Chronograph Recommendation

R

raymairjr

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
6
Reaction score
7
Hi All,

Looking to buy my first chronograph. What do you have and like the best? I have been reloading for about 2 years and want to start gathering a bit more data on my loads.
 
Oehler 35P is the Cadillac of chronographs. You can get others for much less, but you will never regret buying the Oehler. I have had mine for about 24 years. It was discontinued several years ago, but Oehler brought it back due to demand!
 
I also run an Oehler, but have had others. They all work, all accurate, h diff is The screen quality. The cheaper Chrony lie have terrible screens. Yes accurate, but limiting. So if you just want to check occasional PF, Chrony are fine. If you use on often,checking vel as well as shooting for groups, you wnt better screens. I also hate the idea of shooting at the guts of the machine. So if buying something less than te Oehler, I think the CED the best of the rest.
Fwiw, I have tested the Chrony, Oehler & CED back, to back. I swapped positions for all three firing one test group of 5rds each. The Chony had almost a 50% error rate, the CED less than 10%, the Oehler none. Important to me as chrono time is limited for me.
 
I used a Competition Electronics ProChrono for almost 30 years
until it died from being abandoned in a closet for a couple of years.
It worked flawlessly if you did your part.

I now have the replacement:
ProChrono Digital

and a Magnetospeed V.2 which also works well.
The Magnetospeed does have a drawback in that it is barrel mounted
and as such can't be used on revolvers shorter than about 6".
Pistols with moving barrels/housings are also out.
Works fine with a pistol like the Ruger MKII though.

No affiliation, just a happy customer etc....

===
Nemo
 
I have the Shooting Chrony and really can't endorse it. Yeah, it's cheap, which is in part why I chose it. Fred wasn't kidding about the error rate, I've seen readings jump from 1600 fps for 3 or 4 shots up to 2800 fps. As much as I would like to find a powder that would safely get a 158 grain 357 Magnum up to 2800 fps. from a 20 inch rifle I don't think that is possible in this universe. While I haven't seen the error rate as high as the 50% quoted it is without doubt at least 30% at times.
 
My pact chronograph has been one of my least used tools.
I thought it would be somehow magical to know velocities, but it wasn't.
I suggest finding a friend at your club who already has one.
Buy him a cup of coffee to help you test your loads.
 
Thanks for everyone's replies so far. I will start looking at the Oehler's
 
I have owned two "better" chronographs - a Pact and a CED M2 - and returned both when they would not read shots unless the ambient light angle was just right and when your club's rifle range faces west, that seldom happens. My ProChronos - one analog and one digital - always work.

I was never able to contact Pact's customer assistance but after CED's engineer told me that their photocells were sensitive to light angle because they were more accurate, I lined it and a ProChrono up back to back one day I was able to get the CED working and compared readings. They were within a few feet per second of each other so I failed to see the need for a more costly unit that would not work unless the skies were overcast or I erected a canopy over the chronograph.

I don't know if all chronographs do this but my ProChronos are sensitive to muzzle blast from adjacent shooting benches. I had a young man shooting a .270WIN on a bench beside mine recently and my chronograph was registered readings like 1,300fps to 1,700fps every time his rifle was fired.

Ed
 
I am using a shooting Chrony. I had one, shot it and got another one at a reduced price. Its all the chrony I want or need.

David
 
I use the Shooting Chrony Gamma Master. It works really well for me. The only problem I had was in the early morning when the sun glint cancelled the shadow. I added a shield and never miss a shot now. Never have any bad readings either. I like having the readout on the bench in front of me and the ability to cancel a shot if I want. The printer is also nice to print strings and attach them to the targets.

[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/P1010244_zps0c1d9259.jpg.html] [/URL]
 
I bought a ProChrono Digital several years back for under $100 on sale at MidWay. Works great and haven't had the first hiccup from it regardless of lighting conditions.

While the readout is part of the unit I have no problem reading the velocity of each shot as made at approx. 15 feet. I do have to approach the unit for averages, shot strings, std dev, etc. But I do not regret not spending more for another unit. I'd buy the ProChrono Digital again, no remorse here.
 
When did Oehler start making 35s again?

I don't know why folks talk about something so expensive to just measure a few velocities once in a while.

The only innovation in Chronographs in the last 30 years has been the magnetic-mount-on-the-barrel-gizmo. Everything else is just a rehash of the same ol same ol.

I still use a Chrony Alpha Master. I might use it once every two years if I work up a new load.
 
A friend used an Oehler for years. I've had two PACT chronographs. Both the Oehler and the PACTs worked quite well. Once we placed them in tandem just to see how much difference there might be in the velocities recorded. Any differences between the Oehler and the PACT were absolutely insignificant. I can recommend both PACT and Oehler. Folks at the range have occasionally asked about using a chronograph, and expressed surprise that anyone would be interested in actual velocities with this or that factory or reloaded ammo. After all, one can just look at factory ballistics charts or reloading manuals. I have found that the particular firearm, or the exact components used, can make a significant difference in actual ballistics. The old article that appears in some of the Speer reloading manuals,"Why Ballisticians get Gray" illustrates some of what I'm talking about. I suspect I do use a chronograph more then most shooters, just out of personal curiosity. I have aways been a curious person in general, and have enjoyed a decades old interest in ballistics in particular...ymmv
Years ago,must have been around the mid '70s, I was using a friend's chronograph. I can't remember the manufacturer. The guts were in a wooden box placed down range. The sensors involved little LED appearing lamps rather than the skyscreens we're used to today. After each shot,the shooter had to consult a conversion chart printed in a booklet to convert raw numbers from the chronograph into velocities. It was tedious to use, to say the least. My last intended shot of the day, was during chronographing of some .38 Spcl. load. Don't you know that last shot went into the chronograph box and destroyed the innards, etc. I sent it back to the factory for repair/replacement,etc. Cost me $90.00 or so to have it made whole for the guy. Some things really are better for shooters now days;D
 
Last edited:
There have been several other threads in this forum discussing chronographs.
If you read them you might get a handle on the reputations of the various models and brands.
Certainly the Oehler is right at the top but the ProChrono isn't far behind and costs a fraction of the Oehler.
The Magnetospeed is not cheap but does work indoors (even in the dark if you must) and in glaring sunshine which most optical chronos have trouble with.
Having unlimited funds, I would get the Oehler AND the Magnetospeed :)

Muzzle blast from heavy rifles is a well known cause of trouble for chronographs.
A double rifle tome I read had a picture of the baffle they constructed (for an Oehler) to defeat the blast wave.
 
Last edited:
All chronographs suffer from muzzle blast. Why I set mine up no closer than 12-15 feet from the muzzle. I find having one invaluable. The data in all the manuals is just not gonn a match what you actually get in your gun. Is it required, no, is it useful Info, you bet.
 
Another vote for the ProChrono Digital. Had two junk Chronys, don't
waste your money on them. Muzzle blast can be a problem for any of
them so make sure you have at least 12 ft distance from muzzle to
start screen.
 
I had the lease expensive Chrony the first time. After shot it (which happens) I traded it for a new one with the display at the bench.

The shooting chrony gave me credit towards a new one so I bought the Master which saves up to 60 shots and does the math for AV, ES and SD in 10 shot strings. The size of the string can be changed too. The biggest thing is the display is on my bench so if i shoot the chrony, its even cheaper to replace (they still only charge 1/2 for a replacement).

There are many, I feel I need mine.

I have been shooting a lot of short barrel guns and its nice to know what the #s really are.

David
 
I've had a Crony for 5 years now.
Used it a lot at first for all my rifles and handguns.
Was interesting at first, but if you don't do a lot of shooting of
different loads just too much trouble.
Have not used it for two years now.
 
Just for the sake of clarification of an earlier post, the muzzle blast affecting my chronograph was coming from an adjacent shooter's rifle, not my own. Some subsequent posts seem to indicate that I was stating that my own rifle's muzzle blast was a problem for me.

I use my chronograph every time I do load development for a rifle. Occasionally I get a not-so-good group from a load and see very low deviation numbers for it. While not always the case, very consistent velocities often result in accuracy so I assume shooter error and reshoot those loads - sometimes they shoot well the next several times, sometimes they don't. But if a load demonstrates high deviation numbers while grouping poorly, I know I'm pretty safe in writing it off and moving on.

Finally, I'll second what several have said about the remote readout/control units. I love being able to review strings and then delete them without having to wait until other shooters are done shooting so I can walk out to the chronograph to do that. I resisted buying ProChrono's unit as it cost almost as much as the chronograph but I'm glad I bit that bullet.

Ed
 
Can you explain how lack of use affects these (die)? I'm not trying to be a wise cracker either. I don't understand.

Nemo288 said:
I used a Competition Electronics ProChrono for almost 30 years
until it died from being abandoned in a closet for a couple of years.
It worked flawlessly if you did your part.

I now have the replacement:
ProChrono Digital

and a Magnetospeed V.2 which also works well.
The Magnetospeed does have a drawback in that it is barrel mounted
and as such can't be used on revolvers shorter than about 6".
Pistols with moving barrels/housings are also out.
Works fine with a pistol like the Ruger MKII though.

No affiliation, just a happy customer etc....

===
Nemo
Click to expand...
 
I've been using a plain old Pact Model 1 for about 20 years now. Works great and gives all the info I could ever use.
 
I have the Beta Chrony. The only time I have any errors is when the wind blows the shadows of the limbs of the large tree near the bench rest past the chrony screens. The Beta model has the remote readout which is very handy.
 
I've had a Chrony for many years. The only problem I have with it , is the first shot doesn't register. After that it seems to work OK. The only other type I have used is a magneto speed that a friend has. It's a slick set-up for a rifle. But, most of the stuff I do is handgun..

Video of Oehler -vs- Chrony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNKUAgpKNY

I'm not sure what I would get , if I ever had to replace the Chrony.
 
Last edited:
The main thing that happens to old electronics, especially if not used,
is that the electrolytic capacitors dry out and cease functioning correctly.
Ask anyone who has bought a vintage guitar amp, computer or other electronics older than 10 or 20 years.
There are guys who make a living replacing these and other parts so as to revive an old radio, TV, etc.
I used to do this kind of work although not as a specialty.

The new ProChrono has so many new desirable features (like the remote USB link) that I didn't look back when the old unit died.
Competition Electronics no longer repairs the old model.

===
Nemo
 
To clarify for the guys defending their Chronys. It's not an accuracy issue. The Chrony line, all of them, have the same poor small screens. If you can get the shot directly over the screen & no more than 8" high, it will read within 6-8fps of an Oehler, CED, etc. it's why so many shoot their Chrony, trying get closer & closer to the sky screen. Maybe the new ones are better, but ones made just 3-4yrs ago, not worth the $$ IMO.
 
I have owned a Chrony, CED M2, and an Oehler 35P. The Oehler is hands down the best and least finicky of the bunch. I will occasionally get a bad reading if there is shade on only part of one of the screens, but the conditions have to be just right for that to happen. After having the Oehler, I feel like I wasted my money trying out the others.

Mike
 
I do agree with the general consensus that the Oehler is the better product, however it is $600 Bucks and is a pain to lug around. If you do a lot of Chronographing than it is definitely worth the extra cost, size and set up time. The included printer while very nice is usually not necessary for most of us - unless it is something that you do very often or do professionally.

I usually throw my compact Shooting Chrony (very reasonably priced) in my shooting bag when I am testing out new loads or new ammo and for the most part it works reliably. It is a bit more finicky to light conditions but once you understand what it likes, you are good to go. It has been accurate and easy to use however if a Chronograph is something you use a whole lot, I would personally recommend the Oehler. If nothing else, the Oehler is less sensitive to changing lighting conditions and does give you a larger shooting area to work with.

The Pro Chrony is one I have not used so I'll leave the comments to that one to others.
 
OK, that part I get. Thought maybe you were referring to something unique to these!
Nemo288 said:
The main thing that happens to old electronics, especially if not used,
is that the electrolytic capacitors dry out and cease functioning correctly.
Ask anyone who has bought a vintage guitar amp, computer or other electronics older than 10 or 20 years.
There are guys who make a living replacing these and other parts so as to revive an old radio, TV, etc.
I used to do this kind of work although not as a specialty.
===
Nemo
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Berry 124gr RN and HBRN
Replies
4
Views
155
stansdds
S
B
A Tale of Uncanny Luck
Replies
5
Views
500
toad67
T
I
Loading old school
2
Replies
58
Views
1K
38magnum
3
A
literature about 357 mag reloads
Replies
28
Views
693
venomballistics
venomballistics
P
Speed loader recommendations
2
Replies
37
Views
1K
Dutymountain
D

Latest posts

Back
Top