Chronograph tale of woe

[cmj8591]

I've never owed a chronograph but always had friends who let me borrow theirs when needed. I decided to buy one so I ordered a Caldwell, G2 from Optics Planet. I got it and it was DOA. I couldn't get anything out of it other than an error message and the Bluetooth wouldn't connect with anything. I started down the CS rabbit hole with Caldwell but before they could get back to me, I decided to box it up and send it back to OP. Now I will have a credit with them and I'm trying to decide weather to try the Caldwell again or take the nuclear option and buy a LabRadar. Of course the LabRadar is out of stock while they wait for the Chinese to get off their behinds and start shipping chips again. Should I wait for the twice as much money, who knows when it will be available, LabRadar or give the Caldwell another chance? I know the LabRadar is well spoken of but I don't know much about the G2. Anyone out there running one?

 

[Rodan]

I have a Caldwell G2, and it works OK. It' spindley on the tripod, and a pain to set up, but gives numbers. I've never been able to get the BT app to work properly. It's still an upgrade from the Chrony I used for years.

Both the Labradar and Magnetospeed have their own unique issues. Search for threads on reloading or precision shooting sites for relevant discussions. I'm planning to upgrade sometime soon, haven't decided which. Obviously, if you're heavily biased towards handgun use, thd LR is probably the better choice.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I am surprised that none of the stores in your area don't have a unit for you to buy?

Waiting on the net sort of sucks...............

 

[outta_ammo]

Anyone have any experience/opinion on this one?

How do Ballistics Chronographs work? - MagnetoSpeed

 

[Rodan]

Anyone have any experience/opinion on this one?

How do Ballistics Chronographs work? - MagnetoSpeed

That's the Magnetospeed I referenced above. Works, but difficult with handguns, and will cause a POI shift on rifles when attached to the barrel.

 

[RGPM1A]

Try a Competition Electronics unit. They are inexpensive, work on bluetooth and have a pretty good app that stores and analyzes data. They also work really well.

 

[Krogen]

That's the Magnetospeed I referenced above. Works, but difficult with handguns, and will cause a POI shift on rifles when attached to the barrel.

And... In my experience they don't support their users. I broke the buckle on mine. The buckle is used to tighten the strap holding the "bayonet" to the barrel. They basically told me to pound sand, that they didn't have anymore replacement parts. Of course, they'd sell me a new bayonet.

 

[rockquarry]

LabRadar is certainly more expensive than most, but if you buy one, you won't later wish you had bought something better.

 

[DWalt]

I have used the Chrony with complete satisfaction for around 20 years. But Chrony seems to be no longer in business. But I imagine used ones are available on eBay, etc. The last one I bought, about 3-4 years ago, came from eBay after I put a bullet through my first Chrony. When I got it, it looked like it had never been used and it worked perfectly.

 

[cmj8591]

I am surprised that none of the stores in your area don't have a unit for you to buy?

Waiting on the net sort of sucks...............

I'm lucky the grocery store has bread and milk these days!

I looked at the magneto speed but I really don't want to hang it off of the barrel. Especially when I'm working on rifle loads. The LabRadar caught my attention because you can just put it on the bench and shoot like you normally do. I liked the G2 because it has the built in leds for the screens. The tripod is cheep, to say the least. It's more like a toy than something you use with a precision piece of electronics. They should be embarrassed to put it in a box with their name on it.

 

[cmj8591]

I have used the Chrony with complete satisfaction for around 20 years.

One of the units I used to borrow was a Chrony. It worked really well.

 

[rockquarry]

I have used the Chrony with complete satisfaction for around 20 years. But Chrony seems to be no longer in business. But I imagine used ones are available on eBay, etc. The last one I bought, about 3-4 years ago, came from eBay after I put a bullet through my first Chrony. When I got it, it looked like it had never been used and it worked perfectly.

I used to chronograph a lot. I enjoyed load development work and would often chronograph a hundred or more shots per session. If you do this often enough and for many years, even if you're careful, you'll eventually shoot a chronograph or screens. I did this with a Chrony fifteen years ago and one other that I can't remember the name of, but that's been about forty years.

The Chrony is a good machine for the price, but it wasn't intended for heavy duty use and the very small window is a big disadvantage if you're chronographing many shots. For infrequent use when chronographing a few shots at a time, the Chrony is fine.

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

Once you try the LabRadar I doubt you'll ever go back. Set up is easy right next to your shooting position, no worries about shooting it. You don't have to cross the firing line to start a new series. They work on bright sunny days. Average speed, ES, SD automatically calculated each series. The data downloads to an excel spreadsheet. If you take the plunge, get the rechargeable battery and the case. Totally worth it.

 

[DWalt]

has the built in leds for the screens. The tripod is cheep, to say the least. It's more like a toy than something you use with a precision piece of electronics. They should be embarrassed to put it in a box with their name on it.

It's not too difficult to find substantial tripods at garage sales and places like Goodwill.

 

[DWalt]

The Chrony is a good machine for the price, but it wasn't intended for heavy duty use and the very small window is a big disadvantage if you're chronographing many shots. For infrequent use when chronographing a few shots at a time, the Chrony is fine.

The basic Chrony F-1 is fine for the occasional user, but all it does is to give a single velocity on a screen, which you need to write down for each shot. Doing the statistics is up to you. The Beta Chrony is much better, as you have a remote readout and it does all of the statistical math for you - high/low, mean, standard deviation. My first Chrony was the Alpha F-1 and I could put up with its shortcomings in ease of use. But after I managed to shoot it (which was my fault), I replaced it with the Beta version which is much improved in its features. Of course, you can still accidentally shoot it if you are not careful.

No question the radar unit is better. But it is also much more expensive.

 

[diyj98]

I've used my old F-1 for years. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but it does what I need. I use it mainly for airguns and archery, but sometimes used it for firearms.

 

[Skeet 028]

I have a chance to buy an Oehler 35P with about everything you can get with it. I am sure it has been used slightly. From an estate. I can probably get it for 375. Wondering if they are worth the extra money...and worth the extra set up time? I do know the company has a good reputation. I also wonder if I would use it enough to make the purchase worthwhile. LOL I had a chrony that a friend put a bullet through.

 

[glowe]

Based on only my experience, I would recommend you look at PACT Chronographs. Priced right and more options for less money than the Caldwell. They offer Infrared sensors that record in dark and daylight hours and are not sensitive to direct sunlight. My PACT is over 25 years old and has functioned perfectly for all those years, plus I can still get wings, sunscreens, etc. today and can upgrade to IR sensors if needed.

Personally, I would NEVER buy a chrono that puts the computer downrange. First you have to walk downrange to even see the results. The reality is that either you or someone you let use the device will shoot it at some time in the future. I have several friends that had Chronys and almost all of them met their demise, and it only takes one mistake.

 

[rockquarry]

I have a chance to buy an Oehler 35P with about everything you can get with it. I am sure it has been used slightly. From an estate. I can probably get it for 375. Wondering if they are worth the extra money...and worth the extra set up time? I do know the company has a good reputation. I also wonder if I would use it enough to make the purchase worthwhile. LOL I had a chrony that a friend put a bullet through.

I still have a 35P I bought at least thirty years ago. I no longer use it, but, aside from the additional setup time, it will do pretty much everything the LabRadar will do. The Oehler company has always provided the best in service.

 

[DWalt]

"Personally, I would NEVER buy a chrono that puts the computer downrange. First you have to walk downrange to even see the results. The reality is that either you or someone you let use the device will shoot it at some time in the future. I have several friends that had Chronys and almost all of them met their demise, and it only takes one mistake."

When I was using my first Chrony, I would normally set it up about 10' from the muzzle, and could read the LED on the unit from my shooting position without walking downrange after every shot. But you do have to be extra careful about putting your shots through the uprights. To do that I always put a target up downrange as an aiming point. And I also keep the Chrony positioned fairly close to the muzzle. That helps. The one time I assassinated my first Chrony was the result of an unintentional pull of the trigger (I was shooting a handgun) before I was lined up and ready to fire.

My Beta Chrony has a separate remote readout you can put on your shooting bench right next to you. So far, I have not hit the Chrony after about 4 years of use.