My shooting buddy has a Shooting Chrony Chronograph that he is taking with him when he moves next week. He only paid about $90 for it but sometimes it skips a read. I don't need a printer or anything fancy. Pen & paper do just fine. My question to all is :
is there anything around $100 or so that might be slightly better without going crazy?
Hail to the gurus

Steve

F1 Chrony on sale this month at Midway, $61.99 plus shipping. I have one. It works just fine on sunny days.

Being the proud owner of a Chrony Master Beta, I think I'd go with a Pact chronograph if I had it to do over. Midway has Pact chronographs for from $130 to $199. Midsouth Shooting Supply has the best price I've seen for Chrony Master Betas at $96.50, or try a Master Gamma at $149. My Chrony does fine with my .308 loads, but has trouble "seeing" my .22 Hornet loads. I haven't tried my .17 Remington yet, and I quite frankly don't expect great results. I cheaped out, and I'm paying for it now!
Regards, George.

Ditto that. I got the Beta master. I can never go to the range and be sure I am going to come home with any numbers. I doesn't like the big bores. Light has to be perfect. Keeping the sensors perfectly clean helps. If I were to do it again I would get a Ohler 35. 300 bucks or so. I would love to have the M43. Can't come up with the extra grand right now. Good luck and post what you get and your results. "D"

Well, my chrony F1 works in our English daylight, though I've not yet tried it in the rain, it picks up .22 rimfire and .22/250 travelling at mach 3.6 and has never skipped a beat when 12 feet away from the muzzle. And I've never cleaned it! I'll let you know if it decides not to like .243 or .303 Brit.

Never could get it to register a ball of paper thrown through it though....

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I have a old model F-1, it works fine under sunlight, bright overcast, or heavy overcast. It does not seem to like its skyscreens. It is my understanding that sky screens are supposed to be used under clear skies, but mine gives highly erratic readings with the screens.

Try putting scotch tape over the sensors (sky screens). John Barness (Handloader Magazine) suggested that and worked on my Chrony. I always take a .22 to make sure it's working. Just a thought. Dan

I've use a Master Beta for several years. I always use the white sky screens and never have a problem. Like someone else said I take a 22 to check. I bought it to replace a Pact that I was having trouble with. I think it had a bad connection. I sent it back 3 times and it would be returned with the same problem.

I have two of the Shooting Chronies. An old original model F-1 and the newer upgradable F-1. The only problems I ever had with the old model was the old style skyscreens blew apart from the muzzle blast, and they don't work too well when struck by .44 caliber pistol bullets. I had it foxed and had the new type screen put on and it works just fine.
Paul B.