Which Chronograph to buy?

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D.B. Cooper

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So I'm ready to buy a chronograph to go along with my reloading set-up. I don't need fancy, but I do need accurate, repeatable, reliable.

For my use, I need to know velocities primarily in 243 and 30-06 for the purpose of creating a dope card and knowing the range at which the velocity will drop to a point that the projectile won't open or perform properly. I would also want to use it measure handgun velocities to calculate power factor for IDPA.

At the moment, I'm looking at the Caldwell units at Cabela's. Are those any good, and do they last for years and years? What other units have you had good service with?
 
D.B.

I have owned 2 Caldwell Chronos and I am reasonably happy with the unit. Cost less than $100 at Midway. Works just as described. Try not to shoot...as I did.

If Santa ever comes I will buy a Labradar for $500+ with the knowledge that it its WAY more than I need.
 
Yeah, having borrowed a friend's Labradar, I have put on pause acquiring a screen/gate-based chrono. I'll just buy a Labradar when I'm ready to take the $ hit... it's so freakin' easy and good...
 
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chronograph ... don't need fancy, but I do need accurate, repeatable, reliable

At the moment, I'm looking at the Caldwell units at Cabela's. Are those any good, and do they last for years and years?
I use Caldwell and like the android app which I used with LG/Samsung/Motorola phones/tablet using the supplied cable.

I like the fact that app saves chrono data and I can annotate notes and take pictures of targets.

Mine has performed reliably for years giving consistent readings on bright sunlight, dim/low light, cloudy and overcast days. I hardly ever get any error readings. (I found shooting at the center and a little down towards "sky windows" at 10-15 feet away from muzzle helps with eliminating error readings).

If you are worried about shooting the metal rods, replace them with wooden dowels (cheap at Home Depot). If you are worried about shooting the chrono, make a heavy steel plate angled shield for the front of the chrono (Any metal shop can make you a cheap bent metal plate you use rubber bands to hold. Using app and cable, you won't need to see the chrono display anyways ;)).

I think since S&W bought Battenfeld Technologies in 2014, companies owned by Battenfeld Technologies like Caldwell and Frankford Arsenal, etc. seemed to have improved in quality control - https://www.btibrands.com/about/
 
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For my use, I need to know velocities primarily in 243 and 30-06 for the purpose of creating a dope card and knowing the range at which the velocity will drop to a point that the projectile won't open or perform properly. I would also want to use it measure handgun velocities to calculate power factor for IDPA.

I have and really like a ProChrono DLX from Competition Electronics (I paid $100 a while back) but retail is only around $120-130. I am sold on it for my use. Accurate, pairs with my iPhone flawlessly, built in bluetooth, good software, easy to use and store data for later use.

Now... you referenced knowing a range at which velocity will drop... The only way to do that (I think) is to set up in standard position about 10-15ft in front of the muzzle and chrono there, and then set up the chronograph at longer distances (where you also want to know velocity)-- a rather unwieldy process, and probably out of bluetooth range. The only easy way to do that is to get a LabRadar (I think), so you'll need to save up $$ for that choice.

But, If you simply want muzzle velocity readings, the ProChrono DLX is unbeatable for the price. I believe it will meet your needs and you can calculate velocity for longer distances once you have data for the initial 15ft from muzzle reading.
 
So the general consensus here is that either caldwell or prochrono are good options? I've been looking for something to test my .308 handloads.
 
If you are looking for rifle only take a look at magneto speed, easy set up attaches to the rifle barrel they offer a basic model around $170
 
I have 4 right now, some have more features than others.

This is the one I use most often and was the cheapest.

 
If you are looking for rifle only take a look at magneto speed, easy set up attaches to the rifle barrel they offer a basic model around $170
Would a muzzle brake affect the chronograph reading?
 
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I have a Pro Chrono Digital. It has a nice large window but still don't try to shoot over it without a rest. I did and paid the half price replacement.

The plugs for the older wired remote are junk and I am not going to pay to have that fixed again, but otherwise it is fine.
The DLX wireless should correct that. Retired, I can shoot on weekdays with few or no people on the range to delay setup and takedown.

I also have a CED Millennium I that I was surprised to find still working after I replaced it after The Incident. It has a lot of bells and whistles, and does not put the "brain" in the line of fire. But it has a lot of wires to connect, especially if you are using the IR illuminators, and that slows down the setup.

If I were chronographing as much as I used to, it would be a Labradar, no doubt about it.
 
I have and really like a ProChrono DLX from Competition Electronics (I paid $100 a while back) but retail is only around $120-130. I am sold on it for my use. Accurate, pairs with my iPhone flawlessly, built in bluetooth, good software, easy to use and store data for later use.

Now... you referenced knowing a range at which velocity will drop... The only way to do that (I think) is to set up in standard position about 10-15ft in front of the muzzle and chrono there, and then set up the chronograph at longer distances (where you also want to know velocity)-- a rather unwieldy process, and probably out of bluetooth range. The only easy way to do that is to get a LabRadar (I think), so you'll need to save up $$ for that choice.

But, If you simply want muzzle velocity readings, the ProChrono DLX is unbeatable for the price. I believe it will meet your needs and you can calculate velocity for longer distances once you have data for the initial 15ft from muzzle reading.

I'll admit that I'm new to all of this...but I just recently went with the same model, Brownell's had it on sale + free shipping. It was very easy to setup, paired with my phone through the free ap easily, and my first session with it was amazingly easy, I love the auto data recording.

Only time will tell how well it works over the long haul so I cannot talk about that just yet.
 
Not sure on the muzzle break look at the websites , it mounts to the barrel and extends like a bayonet,
 
Here's the problem: If you reload, and especially for multiple calibers and usage, once you start chrono graphing you just can't stop. Once you've done all your loads then you start doing commercial ammo. Own more than one gun in a caliber? You've got to chrono every load-gun combo.

Now you can buy the $100 models, I did, but then you'll just want the $200 models, and then you'll lust after the LabRadar. Save yourself the time and grief, get it now.
 
• In the $100 range, the ProChrono and Caldwell seem to be tied.
• In the $200 range is the Magnetospeed, which gets rave reviews for accuracy, but it's only for rifles.
• Then there's the LabRadar for about $600. That sounds like a lot of money, but since it works by microwave it's not picky about lighting requirements like the others. It's failure point is tracking very small bullets. So .22 may be on the cusp and shotgun is a no-go.
 
I bought an Oehler (spell?) chronograph & skyscreen setup about 25 years ago and have always relied on it. There's little I haven't timed over those skyscreens. A friend bought a "Chrony" years ago for just under $100 and it's still going strong.
 
It's failure point is tracking very small bullets. So .22 may be on the cusp and shotgun is a no-go.

I chronographed 20 caliber bullets (204 Ruger) with my Labradar. It gets the close in velocity measurements but probably has trouble getting down range velocities. I was never interested in them and my range at the time was only 100 yards so I cannot remember what the chronograph showed.
 
Here's the problem: If you reload, and especially for multiple calibers and usage, once you start chrono graphing you just can't stop. Once you've done all your loads then you start doing commercial ammo. Own more than one gun in a caliber? You've got to chrono every load-gun combo.

Now you can buy the $100 models, I did, but then you'll just want the $200 models, and then you'll lust after the LabRadar. Save yourself the time and grief, get it now.

Right.

In almost 30 years of using chronographs, I have shot two Chronys trying to complete a string before the rain chased me indoors. As they say, haste makes waste.

I still have a third Chrony, a CED M2 with infrared lights, a Magnetospeed (V2 if I remember correctly) and a Labradar, purchased in that order over a number of years.

The CED M2 is by far the most reliable optical sensor chronograph I've used because of the infrared lights. Regardless of what optical sensor chronograph one buys, I would definitely buy the aux lights for it.

The Magnetospeed gives good results but attaching the sensor bayonet to the rifle gets to be frustrating at times. There is a set of spacers that you have to adjust to get the sensor the correct didance from the centerline of the barrel. If you use the chronograph only on one rifle, you keep the spacer pack together. but change rifles and you ahve to readjust the spacer pack for the new diameter barrel.

The Labradar has been the most convenient to use in both at the range and in massaging the data later at home. But it is pricey.

If you are new to chronographs, buying a budget priced unit will tell you if you like to collect the information and plan to continue using it. Then you can go out and get a more full featured unit.
 
I picked up the Pro Chrono Digital from Midway based on recommendations from THR members. Good little unit. Added the bluetooth remote to it several years ago, which is really nice.

It doesn't see a lot of use, but its nice to have. The wood dowel rods is a good idea. I hit one of the metal ones once and folded it almost perfectly in half - made a lousy tuning fork out of it. Probably should have left it that way (it looked kind of cool like that), but was able to straighten it out and keep using it that day.
 
The LabRadar really is slick and oddly enough, I was recently behind a guy in the checkout at Scheel's who was getting one...

but that price.

I admitted that I was new to using a chrono, and I"m using it for reload data. At the moment, I just cannot justify paying 5 times more than what I just bought. It is was in the $250 range...but $560 is way more than I'm willing to drop on one at the moment.
 
ProChrono here. It was $99 shipped from Amzn and it works. Holds ten strings and shows MEAN, ES and SD. The only issues I've had are poor results in bad light. If it's near sunset or after sunset, it's not worth even trying it. I have the white reflective hoods but no LED light kit. I'm sure a light kit would solve that issue. In Alaska, you'll almost certainly want that if you go with any optical chronograph since it's always sunrise, sunset, or dark.

I've heard that optical chronos tend to work best on bright overcast days -- better than bright sunny days. I've only ever had a problem when the sun was near the horizon.

Radar-based chronographs should not be affected by light. Will they work in the dark? I would think so, but I don't have one.

I do put a lot of data into the PC -- Excel. I'm not sure a phone app would help with that. I can see the value of a data link, and I imagine the phone display could be better and more detailed than the LCD on the Chrono itself, but what's important to me is not the raw data, but only what I find relevant to keep a record of and I'm going to keep that with data the chrono doesn't have, like OAL, bullet weight, charge mass, powder type, and so manually entering velocities for a 5-shot string is not that much more work than trying to transfer the data from a phone to a PC and edit it.

Also, with a phone display, you have to find a way to hold the phone to see it. My hands are usually full enough. The display on the chrono is held by the tripod -- another thing you'll want if you don't already have one.
 
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