How to use a Chronograph.

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guzzi said:
For me, I just need to re-read about how not to shoot mine.
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:rofl:
Generally speaking, if you've already shot your chronograph, it's SHOT! And it's too late to read up on how to not shoot it.:D
Just kidding around, guzzi. I've been lucky - I've only shot one of the legs that hold up one of the shades on mine, and it didn't do much damage.;)

To answer the OP's question about using a chronograph though, it's a good idea to keep a spare battery taped inside your chronograph. I got down to our "range" (a county gravel pit) one afternoon only to discover I'd left my chronograph switched "ON" from the last time I'd used it. Luckily, the gravel pit is only about 2 miles from our house, so I just called my wife on my cell phone and had her bring me another battery.
Since then, I've kept a spare battery taped inside my chronograph. Naturally I've never left my chronograph switched "ON" again.:p
 
.308 Norma said:
To answer the OP's question about using a chronograph though, it's a good idea to keep a spare battery taped inside your chronograph. I got down to our "range" (a county gravel pit) one afternoon only to discover I'd left my chronograph switched "ON" from the last time I'd used it. Luckily, the gravel pit is only about 2 miles from our house, so I just called my wife on my cell phone and had her bring me another battery.
Since then, I've kept a spare battery taped inside my chronograph. Naturally I've never left my chronograph switched "ON" again.:p
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I'm guessing you'll leave it switched on right around the time that spare battery loses the last of its juice from sitting inside your chrono.;)
 
.308 Norma said:
:rofl:
Generally speaking, if you've already shot your chronograph, it's SHOT! And it's too late to read up on how to not shoot it.:D
Just kidding around, guzzi. I've been lucky - I've only shot one of the legs that hold up one of the shades on mine, and it didn't do much damage.;)

To answer the OP's question about using a chronograph though, it's a good idea to keep a spare battery taped inside your chronograph. I got down to our "range" (a county gravel pit) one afternoon only to discover I'd left my chronograph switched "ON" from the last time I'd used it. Luckily, the gravel pit is only about 2 miles from our house, so I just called my wife on my cell phone and had her bring me another battery.
Since then, I've kept a spare battery taped inside my chronograph. Naturally I've never left my chronograph switched "ON" again.:p
Click to expand...

I also keep a thermometer with mine so I can record temps. Helps later when entering the MVs into a ballistic app. I like to get 3 or 4 MVs at different temperatures so the software can do it's bit.. Quite an eye opener looking at the sensitivity of some powders over a temp range.
 
I switched to a Labradar but I still have my Chrony Gamma Master with printer and LED Lamps.
There are a couple of ranges I shoot at where they have a barrier you have to shoot under and it's low enough that the Labradar doesn't see the bullet.
 
Axis II said:
Should I take the ammo I worked up to the range and find what the gun shoots best and then chronograph or shoot each round of each charge through the chronograph? I loaded 5 of each from start to close to max going up 3 tenths of a grain each load.
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I shoot at a target, through the chronograph. That way I’m getting info on accuracy and consistency at the same time. But you may want to take some practice ammo and get used to just shooting over the chronograph first.
 
A level is a worthwhile tool or keep in mind that a change in the angle the path of the bullet is on between the light sensors will change the read out. Larger angle means the bullet has to travel a farther distance between sensors.
Try and duplicate the same angle between shots and testing sessions.
A inexpensive pellet gun or .22 pistol is handy to test your set up before firing your expensive stuff.
 
thump_rrr said:
I switched to a Labradar but I still have my Chrony Gamma Master with printer and LED Lamps.
There are a couple of ranges I shoot at where they have a barrier you have to shoot under and it's low enough that the Labradar doesn't see the bullet.
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Yeah, what is with those barriers? I’ve saw that several times and don’t understand the point. Nothing like plywood being blasted back in your face.
 
Axis II said:
I've often wondered how people actually shoot the chronograph.

Just looking for FPS for ballistic programs and consistency.
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If it’s downrange, there’s a greater than zero probability it will be hit. It may not be intentional, but stuff happens. I built a heavy duty metal protection plate for mine and replaced the metal sky screen supports with wooden dowels.
You mentioned shooting groups and taking chrono readings at the same time - absolutely, saves ammo, but with a shoot through chrono you’re faced with either putting the chrono up close and target far away or the chrono and target far away. This is where a Labradar comes in handy.

You will need to know a bit about statistics. What MV are you shooting for (pun intended)? Is it an average? How many shots? What MV do you put in your ballistic program? How does the SD help (or hurt), and how does it relate to group size (or not)?

Axis II said:
Yeah, what is with those barriers?
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You’re responsible for every round that leaves the barrel. The club and you is responsible for every round that leaves the range (is above the berm). The barriers are an attempt to keep the rounds in the berm.
 
Lennyjoe said:
So now that everyone talked about the mechanics, do you have a tripod to mount the chronograph on?
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LOL!!!! :rofl::confused:

We always do forget that part, right?

When I bought my first chrony, I scoured the pawn shops in the area (Canaveral, at that time) and asked about photography equipment. I bought a few tripods pretty cheap and a surveyors tripod for a few bucks more and they've all been good but I got rid of the ones that were too heavy to lug around or didn't fit my situation as it evolved. The ones that didn't fold up, like the surveyors tripod, went first. What I got left is a medium weight shorty that I put on a low, fold-up TV table.
 
I wont develop a load anymore without a chronograph. I would say other than my FX120i scale, my Labradar is an equally important tool. A chrono will quickly show you the holes in your reloading setup as well. Its pretty hard to get a truly accurate load with a 20+ SD.

A few things I look for
ES = extreme spread - lower is obviously better
SD = standard deviation - lower is better, but I feel this is more important than ES, and I like to see single digit numbers here if possible
AVG = average velocity - self explanatory

I use the Satterlee method for all rifle load dev anymore at this point, so knowing the velocity is absolutely important for me.
 
I have a number of them but loaded for decades without them. Had I not, I might have passed on a number of loads that have proven themselves, year after year.

Some loads I had worked up that shoot great, also chronograph well, others that shoot great one might pass on if they were choosing loads based on chronograph data and not on target group diameter.

So, they are not the end all be all tool or decision maker for me. Just another tool in the box.

Way down the list of importance at 100 yards for sure.
 
twarr1 said:
P.S. Eventually you will probably shoot the chronograph. Don’t feel bad. It happens.
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I feel better now. I shot my old green shooting chrony a couple of weeks ago. I hit one of the rods actually and the impact tore the circuit board housing apart and, of course, destroyed the rod. I could maybe fix it but I'm just going to get a magneto speed and try real hard not to shoot that too.
 
What shooters call ES, statisticians call range.

For small sets of data, like five shots, range is arguably a slightly better indication of how spread out the data are than standard deviation is. For small samples, standard deviation will typically underestimate variation i.e., you'll think your variation is less than it really is. Range doesn't have that problem.

You can't have much confidence in an estimate of variation based on a small sample.

Range and standard deviation are both estimates of variation, and each can be converted to the other via the d2 constant.
 
Remember: The only people who have Chronies are people that haven't used them yet. Mount on a stable platform or tri-pod 12-15 feet from the muzzle and shoot high in the area of the sky deflector. There is a difference of trajectory and sighting between your muzzle and your scope. I personally only look at velocity and occasionally an average velocity and compare it to what the loading manual says it should be. You got to remember, factory numbers are produced under ideal conditions usually with 24 inch barrels and of course mfr.s want to advertise the best numbers possible for marketing purposes.
 
redcon1 said:
I feel better now. I shot my old green shooting chrony a couple of weeks ago. I hit one of the rods actually and the impact tore the circuit board housing apart and, of course, destroyed the rod. I could maybe fix it but I'm just going to get a magneto speed and try real hard not to shoot that too.
Click to expand...

The MagnetoSpeed is great. I use a close-fitting wooden dowel in the barrel that extends over the bayonet sensor to make sure there is sufficient clearance over it, when setting it up. From what I've heard, you can shoot these, as well. Haven't done that yet!
 
Once you’re set up on target tape a length of twine to the barrel near the action then extend that through the sunshades of the chronograph.
 
I only use mine as a "speedometer" when working up new loads to ensure I'm not getting close to an overload. Traditional over pressure signs don't show up at all until you are way over loaded. By watching the speeds I get as I work up a load I know when I'm getting close to max.

Most of the time the speeds I get come pretty close to what the load manuals predict. But I've ran across a few situations where I was getting more speed than I should be getting even when I'm 2 gr below a max powder charge. No way I'd know I was overloaded without a chronograph.

ES and SD are only important to guys needing more accuracy than I need. If I'm at or under 1 MOA I'm good-to-go. Finding MV to plug into a ballistics calculator to predict drops at long range is another possible use. But for most people the exact MV isn't necessary. If you're within 50 fps, even 100 fps, when doing the calculations it doesn't make much difference until you start shooting at ranges much farther than most of us shoot.

After I get a load I'm happy with I rarely use mine. Occasionally I'll take it to the range just to do a spot check. But I'd much prefer to have it when working on a new load. Fortunately a chronograph doesn't cost that much. And it would be a good idea for 2-3 friends or family members to go in together and buy just one to share.
 
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