Shooting Chrony for Reloading Validation

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StarshooterX

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One piece of equipment that I have needed is a chrony to be able to see what my hand loads are actually doing...not the published load data that tells me what they should be doing.

My budget takes me to the Shooting Chrony Alpha Master for $126 inc shipping. I have a tripod so that's covered. The remote screen for my bench is a useful feature which I want.

The Beta model stores more in memory but not necessary for my needs. Plus, even thought it is only a few more dollars, the cost from the place I found doesn't include shipping. This makes it $18.50 more and not of value to me.

I know there are units out there way more spendy, and some out there way les expensive, but will this unit I picked help me primarily in my load development tests? That's pretty much what I need it for. Thanks for input!
 
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I'd say, "Shop around and keep an eye out for sales," because that seems warm. I've bought Beta Master Chronys for less than $100.

Anyhow, I don't find that I need the memory in the Beta - I make notes as I go - so I don't see any reason an Alpha wouldn't work for you. I do agree that the Master series remote control/readout is a super-useful feature, and I would not want a chronograph that did not have that.

Enjoy it - it'll be a lot of fun. :)
 
Rule3 said:
I know Erich like the Chrony brand but search around look at the review. I had two, sent them both back. Nothing but trouble false readings no readings

Search for threads on chronographs, trust me:) The Chrono brand would not read in the Fl Sun.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph

Competition Electronics - The Winning Difference!

$90, 4.6 out of 238 reviews.

A far better unit is the Pro Comp Electronics
Click to expand...


This gives me another good choice to choose from. Good thing about Amazon, Midway, etc. is that there is a very liberal return policy. Try it, if there are problems, no problems. Thanks for another solid choice within my budget!
 
Your FL sun has nothing on the NM arc-lamp sun here at 6k feet above sea level, Rule 3. :) I agree the Chrony can be bollixed by the sun - I have little cardboard shields I use to keep the direct light out of the electric eyes when that's a problem, but there are certainly times when chronographing is just futile.

Best day for it is a nice day with uniform cloud cover. We don't get many of them, though - and it turns out to be the rare day when the Chrony is useless. (I've been using them here since the late Eighties, though, so I might have figured out how to deal with difficulties - those early Shooting Chronys were a caution!) It's certainly good to consider all options, though. :)
 
You may recall I tried "Raising Shields Captain":)

I made all your cardboard covers and stuff, still did not work.

The Comp Electronics has never missed a shot! How many Chrony brands are seen in competitions?;)

You may be UP there but I am closer to the Equator 4 feet above sea level, we are Sub Tropics and get the Sun bounce off the sand also.:eek::D:cool:
 
I gave up on the crony's after my third one. Seemed every time I REALLY needed a reading I got "ERROR".

On a cloudy day they seem to work well, but the way my range is situated the sun much of the year is off to left of the instrument. In the winter it's low and I get a lot of error readings.

I know totally TOO MUCH...but my Oehler 35 NEVER gives me an error reading.

I'd look one step up from the crony's.
 
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Much better experience with the pro chrono than my previous two chronys. The shooting chrony is more difficult with readings and light conditions than my present day pro chrono. Little difference in price too.
image.jpg
 
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Rule3 said:
I know Erich like the Chrony brand but search around look at the review. I had two, sent them both back. Nothing but trouble false readings no readings

Search for threads on chronographs, trust me:) The Chrono brand would not read in the Fl Sun.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph

Competition Electronics - The Winning Difference!

$90, 4.6 out of 238 reviews.

A far better unit is the Pro Comp Electronics
Click to expand...

Agreed I like mine and have all the addons. Still waiting for my Labradar. Don
 
On my second Gamma Master Chrony - put a 38 Super thru the first one. They are temperamental and the instructions are not the clearest but the one thing I really like is the remote read out and the printer. I print out the test results and staple it to the target. The Chrony works for me.
 
I have a "Bata" and got it because it has a cord that lets you read the data, 14 feet back from the unit at your shooting table.

They are all good just depends if you need a Ford or a Benz.

You will be in a new world with a chrony..........
I went 40 years without one. Sorry I waited that long.
 
In full sun I tilt the sky screens 45 to 70 degrees towards the sun. It usually works.
 
I've had a Chrony Beta Master about three years now and found it fails to read just enough to be irritating.
I'm going to look again for another brand.
Like above posters, I've found:
Frank327 - <I>In the winter it's low and I get a lot of error readings.</i>
mike campbell - <i>...set the chrono up in the shadow of a building with a clear look at the bright sky</i> That helped my winter sun low in the sky failures to read.
fordson - <i> the instructions are not the clearest. </I> That's too kind. They are way, way too verbose. I went through mine with a highlighter to quickly find relevant how to at the bench.
The remote readout is a must. It's so nice to have that right on the bench.
I put some bright blue painters' tape on the skyscreen support rods to help me set the tripod height relative to the sight line for what I found to be the best height for the bullet to pass through. It turned out to be about midway, a nice safe distance to get readouts and not shoot the instrument.
 
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My Pro Chrono Plus has worked fine over the years. I chrono at the same range position....and try to chrono on an overcast or a day where its just about to rain.
 
I've had excellent service from the two Shooting Chrony's that I've used over the last thirty odd years.

In my youth owning chronographs opened my eyes to the diminishing returns of hoppin' up many cartridge/firearm combinations.
 
Bought an F1 back in 1991. It works best on cloudy days and on sunny days it gets its use in a shaded area. I might upgrade someday because shot recording is the old fashioned way, pen and paper and then the math if it comes to that. After 25yrs, though, the darn thing still works (knock on wood).
Jim
 
I have a Comp Electronics Pro Chrono and I shoot and chronograph in
my back yard mostly. As mike campbell stated above I set the chrono
in the shadow of my house with a clear view of the sky above. It works
every time period. After wasting money on two Chronys that absolutely
would not work under the same conditions I will never buy another
one. I have been thinking about spending the money for an Ohler, and
I might eventually, but until then the CE is dependable and a bargain
at $99.
 
I agree with the findings the gentleman got. The smaller more restrictive area of the Chrony makes it a little finicky, but if you work within it's limitations it will give you the information you need. My only problems us cloudy sky's, when clouds drift over the sun and block it. I just wait until it drifts away. I have a Beta model and it serves all my purposes well for over 20 years.
 
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